In an elementary school in Jeju, a student assaulted a teacher for 20 minutes, prompting education authorities to launch an investigation.
According to the Jeju Teachers' Union on the 15th, in mid last month, Teacher A, working at an elementary school in Jeju City, was assaulted for about 20 minutes by upper-grade student B in the on-campus Wee Class. The Wee Class is a space that counsels and supports students experiencing emotional and behavioral issues.
While B was receiving separated guidance due to a conflict with another student, the student suddenly threw objects and tried to escape out of a third-floor window. When Teacher A tried to stop B, the student reportedly punched and kicked Teacher A multiple times and threw a chair.
Teacher A sustained injuries requiring two weeks of treatment from the incident. It was reported that the teacher is currently also receiving psychiatric treatment for insomnia, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.
The case has been filed with the Jeju City Office of Education regional committee for the protection of teachers' rights at Teacher A's request for review. Through the Jeju Teachers' Union, Teacher A said, "I hope the same harm will not be repeated," and noted, "Proper educational measures must be implemented so that the student can reflect on their actions, and a safe educational environment must be created where the teacher's mission and responsibility are not neglected."
The Jeju Teachers' Union stressed that strengthening the protection of teachers' rights is urgent. The union noted, "This case revealed a structural limitation in which an individual teacher has to handle alone a Wee Class student who has been separated."
It urged improvements to the structure in which a single teacher is solely responsible for a separated student, support from a specialized response team of the committee for the protection of teachers' rights and an expansion of teacher Commissioners, maintenance of the school civil complaint response system, support for recovery of victimized teachers, and a review of protective measures by school administrators.