Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Teacher Suicide Reveals Dark Side of South Korea's Education System
By admin
Published 2 years ago on
September 5, 2023

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The suicide of a young primary school teacher in South Korea has sparked nationwide outrage and calls for increased protections for educators. The 23-year-old teacher, identified as Min-so, had been dealing with constant harassment from parents before she took her own life. In response, tens of thousands of teachers went on strike demanding better working conditions and protection from overbearing parents.

Min-so’s diary entries and text messages revealed that she had been overwhelmed by incessant complaints from parents, which escalated after an incident where one student injured another with a pencil. The country’s competitive education culture, where academic success is paramount, fuels the pressure on teachers. A child welfare law passed in 2014 has also contributed to the problem, as it allows for teachers to be automatically suspended if accused of child abuse, a term that has been broadly applied to include any form of discipline.

The government has acknowledged the issue and issued new guidelines allowing teachers to remove disruptive students and refuse after-hours meetings with parents. However, many argue that more comprehensive reforms are needed, including a redefinition of societal success beyond academic grades.

Read more at BBC News.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

UP NEXT

In Marseille, a Shadow Becomes Art in Banksy’s Latest Street Mural

Northern Lights Could Be Visible Again in Some US States After Weekend Solar Storms

37 minutes ago

Central Unified Trustees Choose Their Next Superintendent

1 hour ago

Madera County’s Rolling Hills Area Wildfire Prompts Evacuation Advisories

A wildfire burning near Highway 41 and Avenue 11 in Madera County’s Rolling Hills area has prompted evacuation advisories for two zones, off...

3 minutes ago

A wildfire near State Route 41 and Avenue 11 in Madera County’s Rolling Hills area has prompted evacuation advisories and warnings for residents to prepare to leave if conditions worsen. (Madera County SO/UC San Diego)
3 minutes ago

Madera County’s Rolling Hills Area Wildfire Prompts Evacuation Advisories

11 minutes ago

Judge Rules Next Fresno County Sheriff, DA Elections Are in 2028

NY's Judge and Rice Celebrate
20 minutes ago

Yarbrough Shines as Yankees Avoid Sweep With Win Over Dodgers

An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is seen in the night sky over the Tallinn bay of the Baltic sea in Tallinn, Estonia, April 2, 2025. (AP File)
37 minutes ago

Northern Lights Could Be Visible Again in Some US States After Weekend Solar Storms

The Central Unified School District Board of Trustees has announced their intention to appoint Dr. Mark Marshall as the new superintendent. (GV Wire Composite/Paul Marshall)
1 hour ago

Central Unified Trustees Choose Their Next Superintendent

People visit the Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., April 18, 2022. (AP File)
1 hour ago

Disney Is Laying off Several Hundred Employees Globally, Source Says

2 hours ago

Giants’ Pitching Is Winning Games Despite Team’s Hitting Struggles

Demonstrators protest outside the Center for Disease Control, in Atlanta, after the Trump administration began mass layoffs of 10,000 staffers at U.S. health agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services, including the FDA, CDC and the National Institutes of Health, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. April 1, 2025. REUTERS/Megan Varner/File Photo
2 hours ago

Trump Asks US Supreme Court to Allow Mass Federal Layoffs

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend