Schools under pressure to remove books on sex education, feminism
Schools in Gyeonggi Province face demands to remove sex education and gender equality books from libraries, deemed "harmful" by some. / Korea Times
Elementary schools in Gyeonggi Province are under pressure to remove books related to sex education and gender equality from their libraries, amid campaigns by some conservative groups that label the texts "harmful."
This movement has ignited a contentious debate over potential censorship and the erosion of educational autonomy. With the Gyeonggi Office of Education issuing notices in response to these campaigns, teachers are raising concerns about the pressures exerted on schools, leading to accusations of effective censorship.
According to a report by the Hankook Ilbo, complaints calling for the disposal of some sex education books have been lodged at elementary schools in the province, led by conservative religious and parent groups.
Following these complaints, the education office sent a notice twice last November to elementary schools within its jurisdiction, instructing them to "consult and take action on books containing inappropriate controversial content."
This month, it was confirmed that a notice was sent once more asking for a list of removed books.
The contentious list includes titles on sex education, gender studies and feminism. Some schools have reportedly removed all listed books in response to the education office's directive.
Civic organizations, such as the Goyang Women's Association, have strongly opposed these actions. On March 19, they issued a statement condemning the request for lists of removed books as censorship and an infringement on educational autonomy.
An official from the Gyeonggi Office of Education addressed the backlash, stating, "Nowhere in our correspondence did we mention specific books or to pressure schools to remove them." The official explained that the documents aimed to encourage school-level deliberation due to controversies surrounding some sex education books. "The request for a report was part of a survey on the operation of school libraries," the official added.
The controversy has underscored the ongoing tensions between progressive and conservative forces in South Korea, a country with Confucian roots that has seen a push towards more liberal views on sex education and gender equality in recent decades.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, was translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.