On June 5, Lee Min-so* detailed her classroom anxiety in her diary, expressing her overwhelming fear.
By July 3rd, the primary school teacher confessed to feeling overwhelmed by her job’s stress, yearning for release.
Tragically, two weeks later, her colleagues discovered the lifeless body of the 23-year-old in her classroom storage, a victim of suicide.
This tragedy has sparked anger among South Korea’s primary school educators.
Tens of thousands went on strike, demanding better workplace protection, citing incessant harassment by demanding parents who complained at all hours, including weekends.
Min-so’s cousin, Park Du-yong, fights back tears as he tidies her now-empty apartment, home only to her goldfish. Her bed remains unmade, alongside a stack of drawings from her first-grade students expressing their love. Beneath, a collection of books on coping with depression.
Park reveals Min-so, a teacher for just over a year, had cherished her students and followed her mother’s teaching path. After her death, he became a detective, unearthing her diary, work logs, and messages.
They revealed months of parental complaints leading to her suicide, including a recent incident where one student injured another with a pencil. Min-so engaged in heated late-night phone calls and messages with parents.
For the past six weeks, tens of thousands of teachers have rallied in Seoul, claiming they are too afraid of being labeled child abusers to discipline or intervene as students turn violent.
Parents exploit a 2014 child welfare law, resulting in automatic suspensions for teachers accused of child abuse, even for minor incidents like restraining a violent child or giving a reprimand.
One teacher received a complaint for denying a parent’s request to wake their child with a morning phone call. Another faced allegations of emotional abuse for removing reward stickers from a child who had harmed a classmate with scissors.
One teacher, Kim Jin-seo, admitted to suicidal thoughts after aggressive complaints. She needed three months off work.
South Korea’s hyper-competitive society exacerbates this culture of complaints, where academic success is paramount. Students vie fiercely for top grades from an early age, creating immense pressure.
Professor Kim Bong-je notes that rising inequality and highly educated parents have led to a lack of respect for teachers.
Kwon, another teacher, recounted two periods of sick leave due to depression and panic attacks caused by parental and student stress. Disruptive students used to be sent out or to the back of the room, but parents started suing for child abuse.
Bullying and violence among students are known issues, further fueled by pressure on teachers to erase students’ wrongdoings from their records.
Shin Min-hyang, an advocate for student and parent rights, acknowledges the recent unacceptable behavior but asserts it’s not representative of all parents.
Still, parents admit to harassing teachers in group chats, exacerbating the issue.
Students may suffer as well, with fewer teachers opting for this profession. Less than a quarter of teachers are satisfied with their job, a significant decline from 68% in 2006. Most have considered leaving the profession.
The government has issued new guidelines allowing teachers to remove disruptive students and restrain them when necessary. Meetings with parents must be agreed upon in advance.
South Korea’s education minister, Lee Ju-ho, hopes these measures will restore schools to their proper role. However, many argue that the entire education system and society’s narrow view of success need reform. Success should not be solely defined by grades, as everyone benefits from a more balanced society.
*The name of the deceased has been changed at the family’s request.