Strengthening the protection of teachers’ right

 

 As of 2024, the most preferred career among middle and high school students is a teacher. This result  has continued for 17 years. The main reason to become a teacher is the desire to help students grow. However, the reality is much different from the ideal.

 

 On July 18, 2023, a teacher working at an elementary school committed suicide due to malicious complaints. This incident caused a huge impact in society last year and significantly contributed to the enactment of laws protecting teachers' rights. As a result of this incident, ’the Act 4 on the protection of teaching rights’ were reformed with the following goals: 1) redefining the role of parents as protectors in the educational community, 2) establishing a legal system to protect teachers from malicious complaints, 3) protecting teachers' rights from indiscriminate child abuse cases, 4) strengthening the protection and recovery of victimized teachers and ensuring all students' right to learn.
 

 However, even after this controversial incident, over 5000 cases of teacher rights violations occurred, and the intensity is increasing over time. Furthermore, EBS News reported that as of 2024, 57% of teachers had experienced violations of their rights in the past year. According to a survey conducted by the Korea Teachers and Education Workers Union, 87% of the 11377 teachers responded that they had considered resigning or changing jobs. Additionally, the primary reasons for avoiding key positions such as homeroom teacher or other important roles in schools were the burden of complaints from parents and the risk of lawsuits related to school violence and child abuse.

 

 However, teacher is a career where you can watch students grow, provide them what they need for success, and support them with great care. According to an interview with a teacher in the Korea Education Newspaper, "Students are creating their own growth dramas over their 12 years of school life. Teachers observe these students as they create their dramas, check they are doing well, advise them on how to do better, support them when they make mistakes or struggle, and congratulate them when they achieve satisfaction. We are not spectators who comfortably watch a finished work." Like this, they are the ones who give students courage and see the possibilities and potential in them.

 

 Even though violations of teachers' rights may reduce the preference or satisfaction with the career, many still desire to become teachers and remain in the field. It is simply because of the moments of joy that come with being a teacher. When students who have graduated sincerely reach out to thank them, they feel grateful that their influence had a positive impact on those students.

 

 As a current student in school, I feel that a teacher is someone who truly works hard for their students and genuinely cares about them. The reason why I want to be a teacher is because I have received a lot of love and positive influence from school, and I want to give those things to my students. Thus teachers who help students grow for 12 years should be well protected.

 

By Staff Reporter Kim Jihoo (2-2)