Memorial events held nationwide for deaths of teachers

Anger mounts among teachers as 4 colleagues die in less than 2 months

By Jun Ji-hye

Some 120,000 teachers held memorial events and rallies in Seoul and other parts of the country on Monday to commemorate the recent deaths of their colleagues and to demand proper measures to better protect their rights and prevent such tragedies.

Principals of nearly 40 elementary schools designated the day a discretionary holiday, while a considerable number of teachers in other schools took their yearly leave or even their sick leave in order to participate in the collective action.

In order to minimize disruptions, some schools shortened teaching hours, while others combined classes. Some parents did not send their children to school as a way to show their support for the collective action of teachers.

Monday was considered special as it marked the 49th day since a young teacher at Seoul Seo2 Elementary School in southern Seoul took her own life, allegedly after struggling to deal with complaints from parents of some of her students regarding an assault case.

Forty nine days is the total mourning period for Buddhists who believe that is how long it takes for a dead person to be reborn.

Following the young teacher's suicide, three more teachers ― two working at elementary schools in Seoul's Yangcheon District and in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, and one working at a high school in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province ― ended their own lives in the last four days.

Although police investigations into their deaths are still ongoing, the anger felt by teachers across the country has been fueled based on the belief that their deceased colleagues were all under excessive stress due to parents being too demanding.

A 40-year-old teacher at an elementary school in Gyeonggi Province said, “Every teacher, including myself, has had a similar experience, but there has been no proper protection.”

What instigated further confusion was the different responses by the Ministry of Education, led by a conservative minister, and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE), led by a progressive superintendent.

Education Minister Lee Ju-ho requested teachers to reconsider collective action just a day before the strike was scheduled to take place, with the ministry warning of stern measures against those taking annual leave and principals designating the day as a discretionary holiday.

On the other hand, SMOE Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon expressed his support for the teachers' actions, saying the day should serve as an opportunity “to right the wrongs of the public education system.”

At 3 p.m., the Seoul education office held an official memorial ceremony for the late teacher at Seoul Seo2 Elementary School. The superintendent and leaders of teachers' unions as well as the bereaved family attended the ceremony.

“There should be no distinction between conservatives and progressives, and between the ruling and opposition parties to protect teachers,” Cho said in his address during the ceremony.

“The teachers are now calling on the government to right the wrongs that are evident in public education. They should not be hurt again.”

The education minister later decided to participate in the event so he would “not forget the late teacher's wish to make a better school.”

The teachers then held a massive rally near the National Assembly at 4:30 p.m., calling for thorough investigations to unearth the facts behind the deaths of their fellow teachers and for prompt amendments of relevant laws, which are being blamed as infringing on teacher rights.

Similar rallies took place at regional education offices including those in South Chungcheong Province, Daegu and Jeju Island, as well as at universities of education including Seoul National University of Education.

President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed his aides to “deeply bear in mind” the teachers' shouts and protests, during a weekly meeting with his senior secretaries.

“The government should do its utmost to guarantee teachers' rights and right the wrongs of the education sector,” Yoon was quoted as saying by his spokesman Lee Do-woon.