Teachers demand tougher penalties for student who assaulted teacher with baseball bat

Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education in Yeongtong District, Suwon. Courtesy of the office

Teachers’ unions are calling for stronger legal protections and harsher penalties after a shocking assault in which a middle school student in Suwon attacked a teacher with a baseball bat, fracturing the teacher’s ribs during class.

The Gyeonggi Teachers’ Union issued a statement on Wednesday, denouncing the incident as evidence that “teacher authority has collapsed beyond repair.”

The union said it was especially alarming that the assault took place just five days after the teacher started at the school, and that it was sparked not by ongoing conflict but by dissatisfaction with a teaching method.

The incident occurred on May 30 at a middle school in Suwon, when a student attacked a male teacher in his 50s with a baseball bat, saying he was dissatisfied with the way the class was being conducted.

The teacher, who suffered broken ribs and other injuries, is currently receiving medical treatment.

“The fact that a student used a baseball bat to attack a teacher shows that schools are no longer safe for educators,” the union said, urging immediate action.

The union outlined a list of demands, including urgent medical and psychological support for the victim, a thorough investigation into the incident, and the introduction of a school police officer system.

It also called for legislation to impose tougher penalties for violence against teachers, similar to laws protecting medical personnel.

Under Korea’s Criminal Act, general assault carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison or a fine of up to 5 million won ($3,600). In contrast, under the Medical Service Act, assaulting a healthcare worker can result in up to five years in prison or a 50 million won fine.

The union argued that teachers, like doctors, require enhanced legal safeguards due to the public nature of their roles.

The Gyeonggi branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) echoed these concerns, saying in a statement, “This incident reflects years of silence and inaction when teachers’ authority has been eroded.”

The union noted that the attack happened on the same day a memorial service was held for a middle school teacher in Jeju Island who recently died after facing long-term abuse in the classroom.

Yim Tae-hee, superintendent of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, vowed to strengthen protections for educators, saying, “We will establish systematic safeguards to create a school environment where teachers feel safe.”

The Suwon Office of Education has launched an investigation, while Suwon Nambu Police are looking into the incident and have booked the student on charges of aggravated assault.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.