When the school violence erupted, “I’m a father, I’m a lawyer”… Seoi-cho Parents ‘Gapjil’

Seoul Teachers’ Union discloses information from teachers working at Seoi-cho
“Most of the parents related to school violence complaints are lawyers”

Amid the incident of a second-year teacher taking his own life at Seoi Elementary School in Seocho-gu, Seoul, the Seoul Teachers’ Union said that Seoi-cho was a difficult environment for normal educational activities due to excessive complaints from parents.

On the 21st, the Seoul Teachers’ Union released the contents, saying, “We received reports from teachers who worked in Seoi-cho from 202X to this year or are still working.”

According to the union, teacher A, who was in charge of school violence안전놀이터 in Seoi-cho, said that the level of complaints at the time was beyond imagination, and that most parents who filed complaints were lawyers. He said, “There were so many complaints from parents that most teachers found it very difficult to work.” At the time teacher A dealt with school violence, a parent said, “I am ○○’s father, do you know what I am doing? I am a lawyer!”

Teacher B, who worked with the deceased teacher, said that she had a hard time because there was a student who behaved aggressively in her class. Teacher C testified that there was an incident in which a student in the class of the deceased drew a pencil on the forehead of a student sitting in the back seat, and the parents of the perpetrator or victim made dozens of calls to the deceased’s mobile phone.

The deceased said, “I have never given out my cell phone number, and I have never given it to the teachers’ office, so I don’t know how he got my number and called. It is creepy,” he said, “I will have to change my cell phone number after vacation.” Afterwards, it is said that the case was settled with the help of the deceased and another teacher from Seoi-cho.

In addition, the deceased informed teacher C that there was a student in the class who shouted, “It is because of the teacher” during class. Teacher C explained that when the deceased went to work, the student said that he heard hallucinations.

Teacher D testified that a parent came to the office and said to the deceased, “How do you take care of the children?” The deceased is said to have told his fellow teacher, “It is ten times harder than last year.”

Teacher E said that since March 2022, five teachers with less experience have worked in Seoi-cho. At the same time, he explained, “I had a hard time with experience, but it was a very difficult school for a teacher with that experience to work.”

The Seoul Teachers’ Union said, “We received and confirmed several circumstances that suggest excessive complaints from parents and difficulties in guiding students’ lives. Police and education authorities should not overlook this point, and urged a thorough investigation to find out the truth that everyone, including the bereaved families and teachers across the country, can understand.”