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Educators poised to take collective action on Sept. 4 over young teacher's suicide
Teachers stage a rally in front of the National Assembly, Saturday, calling for measures to better protect teachers' rights and unearth the truth behind the July 18 suicide of a young elementary school teacher. Yonhap
By Jun Ji-hye
By Jun Ji-hye
Tens of thousands of educators across the country are poised to take yearly leave on Sept. 4, with nearly 500 schools moving to designate the day a discretionary holiday, as part of protests against the government and the National Assembly as teachers call for measures to better protect their rights in the workplace and call for justice following the suicide of a young teacher in July.
The day marks the 49th day since a teacher in her 20s ended her own life inside her classroom at an elementary school in Seoul's affluent Seocho District on July 18. She allegedly had been in conflict with the parents over an incidence of violence involving some of her students.
In many Buddhist traditions, 49 days is the total mourning period, as Buddhists believe that rebirth takes place within 49 days of death.
The Ministry of Education warned that it will respond sternly to any illegal collective actions, saying that educators' moves to take their yearly leave and designate the day as a discretionary holiday could be in violation of the National Public Service Law.
“The collective actions could provoke another conflict,” Education Minister Lee Ju-ho said, Sunday. “The most important task of teachers is to teach students. Their collective action will infringe on students' right to learn.”
As the suicide of the young school teacher shed light on the suffering of many educators, teachers across the country have since staged large-scale rallies every Saturday in Seoul.
Teachers pay a silent tribute to the late elementary school teacher who took her own life inside her classroom, during a rally in front of the National Assembly, Saturday. Yonhap
The collective actions for Sept. 4 have been pushed by two separate groups. One was pushing to stage a large-scale rally in front of the National Assembly on that day. The other was pushing to designate the day “the day of stopping public education,” during which teachers and schools would stop their educational activities and commemorate the death of the young teacher.
The former canceled its plan following the education ministry's announcement of its will to mount a tough response.
The group said that some think the plan could cause damage to other teachers who do not want to participate in the rally.
“We also concluded that the cancelation of our plan will help lessen the burden of the other group that is pushing for the day of stopping public education,” a leader of the group said.
The second group pushing for the day of stopping public education has changed its slogan to “the day of normalizing public education,” following the ministry's announcement.
Still, it said it would continue its campaign calling on teachers to take their annual leave on that day.
As of 2 p.m., Monday, the number of teachers who expressed a will to take annual leave on Sept. 4 stood at 82,789. The number of schools that designated the day as a discretionary holiday was 494, according to the group's website.
Teachers' groups criticized the education ministry, claiming it “threatened teachers and infringed on the autonomy of schools.”
The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union filed a complaint with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials against the education minister, accusing him of abuse of authority, Monday.
Education Minister Lee Ju-ho speaks during a National Assembly session, Friday. Yonhap
“The ministry labeled teachers' volunteer campaign to commemorate the late teacher as an illegal act,” the union said in its statement. “The ministry should stop abusing its power, as teachers and schools are exercising their rights in accordance with laws and principles.”
Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon also expressed his support for the teachers' Sept. 4 plan, saying he “will become an umbrella” to protect teachers.
This signals the seeds of conflict between the Seoul education office and the education ministry.
Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon, left, speaks during a meeting with heads of education offices of cities and provinces at the Government Complex in Seoul, Aug. 18. Yonhap
Cho said Sept. 4 should not be the day of confusion, but serve as an opportunity to sincerely commemorate the late teacher and mull ways of normalizing public education.
“I suggest forming a four-party consultative group attended by the education ministry, heads of education offices of cities and provinces, teachers' groups and those who led the Sept. 4 campaign,” Cho said. “We could discuss measures to better protect teachers' rights and unearth the truth behind the young teacher's death together.”