Do Seong-hoon, Incheon Education Superintendent, "We Must Prevent Students from Transferring or Dropping Out to Avoid Punishment"

Do Seong-hoon, the Incheon Metropolitan City Education Superintendent, has urged the establishment of a legal basis to prevent students who violate educational activities from transferring or dropping out, a tactic known as 'escape from punishment'.

During the 106th General Assembly of the Korea Education Superintendent Council held on the 29th, the Superintendent strongly proposed the necessity of amending the 〈Special Act on the Improvement of Teacher Status and Protection of Educational Activities〉 to prevent students who violate educational activities from evading punishment.

The currently implemented Teacher Status Act stipulates various measures against students who violate educational activities. However, there is no clear legal basis to forcibly restrict or suspend applications for transfers or dropouts by the offending students during the deliberation and procedures of the local Teacher Protection Committee to avoid punishment.

The Superintendent sharply pointed out on that day, "Due to the current legal vacuum, cases of offending students transferring schools before disciplinary decisions are becoming more frequent. This not only undermines the effectiveness of the committee's decisions but also causes distrust in the system and greater psychological distress for the affected teachers."

He further stated, "This demand for legal amendment is an issue that must be passed to help students grow into proper members of society and to make schools spaces of mutual respect and consideration," expressing a strong commitment to push for the amendment of the law.

Meanwhile, in addition to the Superintendent's proposal, major issues in the education sector were discussed at this general assembly, including ▲amendments to laws for the application of the 〈Conflict of Interest Prevention Act for Public Officials〉 to private schools ▲amendments to the 〈Basic Academic Ability Guarantee Act〉 related to cooperation and consent from guardians ▲and key issues arising from administrative integration.

The Superintendent stated, "Effectively protecting teachers from violations of educational activities is the beginning of a healthy educational community," and added, "We will continue to improve and support systems that reflect the voices from the school field."