This post is trending in Korea because it taps into a widespread frustration among teachers and the public regarding declining classroom discipline and the perceived lack of support for educators. It resonates deeply with the ongoing national conversation about teacher's rights and the future of public education, especially following recent high-profile incidents like the Seocho teacher incident.
The struggles of Korean teachers have been a hot topic, especially after recent protests highlighted the immense pressure they face. This viral post from a former teacher perfectly captures the raw frustration, revealing why they're so much happier out of the classroom. They explain that while schools are meant for learning, many are plagued by disruptive students, particularly in areas with lower academic motivation. These students, often referred to as 'Geumjjokie' (problem children from a popular TV show), know there are no real consequences for their actions. Current disciplinary measures, like warnings or sending students out, are utterly ineffective and just waste precious class time. The author recounts calling the vice principal for help, only for it to be useless. They lament that a few 'rotten apples' ruin the learning environment for the majority, leaving teachers to internally curse. Even school administrators are helpless, cycling disruptive students through in-school service or special education, which only offers temporary relief if the student is absent. The author passionately argues for a system that allows for immediate physical separation of disruptive students, prioritizing the learning rights of the majority. They believe such a system needs strong legal backing, immune to parental complaints. For them, students causing trouble outside of school are less problematic than those who constantly disrupt class, turning middle school into a battleground where even a saint would lose their cool.
🇰🇷 KOREAN REACTIONS 10
The funniest thing is probably those who babble about guaranteeing the 'right to learn' for kids like that, lol. If you want to create jobs, just put police in every school. When a problem student acts up, call the parents, then send the parents to education or jail. Then the kids will listen, or at least get some proper home education. Seriously, why do we have to guarantee the rights of people who harm others, whether they're criminals or these kids?
If a kid is a total jerk, usually the parent is too. When you call these parents, a 30-40 minute call is standard, and you just waste all your time dealing with their ridiculous nonsense. After the call, you get hit with 'hyunta' (a moment of sobering realization), and other teachers console you (because they hear everything...). I have a child, but if they acted like that, I'd beat them into shape if I had to. Luckily, I'm not that messed up, so my kid isn't like that, but these kids exist because of their parents.
It's mostly 'Kong-kong-pat-pat' (like father, like son).
I think some level of corporal punishment is necessary. I've seen cases where the rod really does make the man...
I don't agree with corporal punishment. I don't want to hit them. Why should I? You only use a rod if you have affection. However, I wish unavoidable physical force, not direct corporal punishment, was allowed. Like grabbing them and dragging them out of the classroom. Nowadays, even touching them is considered violence.
I just fantasize about completely strengthening the expulsion/dropout system, and maybe even creating 'special disciplinary schools' for problem students, like in a movie. T_T
First off, middle schoolers can't be expelled. No matter how much they disrupt class, it takes ages for the disciplinary committee to dole out punishments step by step. By then, it's the end of the semester. And you can't just send every single one of those kids to the committee every time, right? (How do you deal with parent complaints?) Even sending it to the 'gyogwon' (teacher's authority) committee is just a slap on the wrist. All they do is make them apologize and send parents to education? (Of course, parent education is necessary, but will it actually work?) It's not an easy problem. This kind of thing can only be solved if a leader with real power recognizes the issue and just pushes it through, but it's hard for it to become a policy priority.
It seems wrong that the current system allows the vast majority of good people to suffer because of a few human-trash types. It would be great if there was a system to filter out or exclude those who aren't even human, like 'gisuyeoloe' (ostracism in the military).
Even putting teachers aside, the damage to the other students in the class is immense.
More than 90% of good students and parents are suffering because of just 1-10% of 'Geumjjokie' and complainers. Yet, some people here still say, 'Teachers 20 years ago were violent, this is your karma, just endure it.' I don't see how that's any different from extreme feminists saying, 'This is men's karma from the past, just endure it now.'