[Namsan Stroll] "True Education" Seen Through the Eyes of a Teacher Rights Protection Committee Member

It Takes Tremendous Resolve Just to Raise an Issue
School Administrators Must Take a More Active Role in Protecting Teachers' Rights

Recently, the Netflix drama "True Education" has become a sensation, reaching the top spot not only in Korea but also worldwide. "True Education" explores various issues of violence and power within schools. Its subject matter is diverse, covering extreme violence among students, the power wielded by influencer students that even surpasses teachers, complaints from parents that corner teachers, and even corruption among teachers themselves. At first glance, these seemingly unsolvable problems are resolved through the intervention of "Educational Authority," a kind of extralegal organization whose heroes use any means necessary within the story.

The series has faced criticism for oversimplifying real-world issues and too easily presenting violence as a solution. Nevertheless, most viewers are enthusiastic about its vivid depiction of the many challenges faced in schools. Each episode is based to some extent on real-life events, evoking the "testimonies" of many teachers working on the ground. In fact, it is not uncommon to hear that the actual problems and complaints occurring in schools are even more serious than what is depicted in the drama.

As a deliberation committee member of the "Teacher Rights Protection Committee," I have had the opportunity to witness a variety of cases involving infringements on teachers' rights in schools. I have investigated students who violated teachers' rights and rendered decisions on appropriate action. I have seen all sorts of cases, but usually, the matters that reach the external Teacher Rights Protection Committee are not the kind that can be resolved within "a day or two." One-time or minor incidents are handled by the school's "Student Life Guidance Committee." However, when a case proves impossible to handle through the school's internal system, a teacher, having reached their limit, sends a kind of support request to the external Teacher Rights Protection Committee. When I meet these teachers seeking help, most have already suffered severe psychological distress, are receiving psychiatric counseling, and only turn to the committee after reaching the point of needing medication for depression. Sometimes, their guilt over having to refer a student to such a committee causes them to tremble as they describe their situation.

Official poster of the Netflix drama "True Education." Netflix

Furthermore, teachers say that even just sending a case to the Teacher Rights Protection Committee requires a significant amount of resolve. They worry whether they are being overly sensitive, whether they are causing trouble for the school, or whether expelling a student would mean they have failed as educators. These anxieties make them hesitant to even request a fair review. Sometimes, the school administration gives them a hard time, suggesting they are making a fuss over nothing. Often, the student in question has been causing problems for years in various classrooms, only reaching the committee because of one teacher's decision. Teachers do not ask for students to be expelled or severely punished. They simply hope that "the student will at least realize that what they did was wrong."

Personally, I believe it would be beneficial for the Teacher Rights Protection Committee system to become more active. Since penalty points, warnings, or the school's internal Student Life Guidance Committee often have their limitations, it would be better if problematic students could be more effectively connected with external institutions rather than just the school. For this to happen, vice principals, principals, and other administrators should take a more proactive role in protecting teachers' rights within the school. Students also become more aware of the seriousness of their actions after being called before an external body.

In reality, an extralegal institution like the "Educational Authority" where every means is permitted only exists in dramas. In the real world, teachers' rights and students' right to learn must be protected simultaneously within a more sophisticated and constitutional system. The most important thing is to continue listening to the voices of teachers in the field and to work to fill the gaps in the system.

Jung Jiwoo, Culture Critic and Attorney

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.