Korea: Scandalous Teacher Forces School Girls to Remove Skirts
A fact-finding investigation of the Gwangju City Office of Education has confirmed that a female teacher at girls’ high school “C” used corporal punishment on students after making them remove their skirts because they had received poor grades.Though physical punishment has been outlawed in Korean schools (except for the head of a school to discipline students “as deemed necessary for education” - Link), the ‘old habit’ is tough to break for many teachers and not necessarily enforced. Having taught in the Korean public school system, I have noticed on numerous occasions student’s being whacked over the head or slapped over the wrist/arm by teachers. On the other hand, I have noticed the younger generation creating more tame and creative forms of punishment (generally involving embarrassing acts), such as pushups, kneeling with hands out, and even dancing in front of the class. However, being ‘stripped’ of ones dignity is a violation of the student’s rights and should not go unnoticed.
The Office announced on the 28th that, “our investigation of the teacher and students concerned found that an English teacher, during a lesson, administered corporal punishment to the students after having them remove their skirts.”
According to the investigation, the female English teacher had the students, who had done poorly on a pop quiz, remove their skirts and duck-walk around the teacher’s desk.
A similar punishment was meted out to over 10 students who scored 0 on a pop quiz last month.
Some of them removed their skirts and spent two to three minutes with their knees bent before returning to their desks, and others removed their skirts and walked to the teacher’s desk and back, the Office explained.
The teacher at isse explained to the investigation, “I gave the extremely low-scoring students a choice between taking their skirts off or being hit on the forehead.”
But some of the students criticized her, saying, “the students didn’t ask for the punishment, we had to take our skirts off and walk around the classroom.”
A member of the Office of Education announced, “because she was aware of the students’ objections but still used this method of punishment, as the investigation confirmed, a disciplinary hearing will be formed.” The Office has said it will strengthen corporal punishment prevention education for all teachers in the Gwangju area to prevent similar uses of corporal punishment. Korea Beat
Side note: After witnessing some harsh punishments dealt by my past co-teacher, I strongly enforced that the action never be repeated. The following day I had brought several pieces of literature on the side effects of corporal punishment and alternate methods of teaching (positive reinforcement). The following week the school English program instituted “Minsu Money” to encourage positive behavior. Preparation and positive behavior was rewarded with Monopoly like money with images of English book characters. At the end of the month students could purchase items during ‘shopping day.’ Not only did student’s behavior improve, but English skills jumped.
Minsu Money: Korean School Blog
Posted by ESL Daily at 4/30/2009 
Categories: ASIA,Korea,Danger,Warning,teacher reputation,esl reform
Tags: ASIA Korea Danger Warning teacher reputation esl reform
Categories: ASIA,Korea,Danger,Warning,teacher reputation,esl reform
Tags: ASIA Korea Danger Warning teacher reputation esl reform
You're right, this does like a bad porno. But it's an unfortunate event for the foreign teaching community at large. I hope the Korean and Foriegn media will not use this incident to spread libel against the foreign teaching community or exploit deep-seated prejudices or stereotypes. This is always a fear when something like this comes to light. Since the teacher, from the quote you included, does not seem to be remorseful about her actions, I hope she is justly punished for her cruel and perverse behaviour.
At my Hagwon in 2008, I witnessed a Korean Head Teacher whip a teenage boy on the legs so hard the kid not only broke down in tears, but found it difficult to walk out of the school once the punishment was finished being administered. No one in the office raised an eye or an objection. The boy was punished for mispronouncing three words on a pop pronunciation quiz. I went to my director to raise my concerns that this was far too extreme a punishment for failing a pop quiz. The director listened to me and said he would take my concern under consideration. But, he said, this punishment was part of the head teacher's role and that unless the parents complained about the behaviour he was not in favor of stopping or interfering with the head teacher. This is also a school in which there were shopping days and monopoly-like money given to good students to reinforce positive behaviour, yet corporeal punishment was also very much an integral part of the school environment. As both Korean teachers, and from this disturbing article, Foriegn teachers, find cruel and inventive ways to mete out punishment, private and public schools need to reevaluate how punishment is handed out to the students and not leave it up the teacher's imagination. I like your idea of bringing in some literature to your co-teachers to enlighten them on positive-reinforcement in the classroom.I used to give out monthly prizes, like stationary or small-amount gift certificates to my best students by keeping a daily and weekly tally. But this eventually got expensive. Aside from the monopoly-money, do you have some other suggestions?
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I find that in most cases of harsh punishment (by Korean teachers) it is because of a bad day. Students are not necessarily more bad that day than any other day, just the teacher has had too much. When angered by a student, take a short break. Sit down and relax before making and decision. Have the students sing a song. Keep the class moving...
The teacher in the article knew in advance that the students did poorly in the test. She graded the test and had time to think of the "creative" punishment. She did not really act out of anger. Perhaps she should have her head examined.
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I could not agree more. The teacher had ample time to think over this punishment... what was going on in her head?
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I don't think there should be punishment in school from an angry teacher...but all punishment should have a desired result. I think the teacher in the above article was a Korean English teacher...not a native speaker. As to punishment...after teaching in American schools...I try not to be critical...I have been assaulted twice in American schools by students, have seen numerous assaults by students and it is the teachers job to teach these students with such issues...I tend to not be too critical of Korean society and their methods...the students do take school serious.
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Corporal punishment is outlawed in Korea? That's news to me. I see it several times per day at my boys' technical high school. Can someone direct me toward some good resources against its use? I feel sick over the whole thing and have come to see my institution as largely inhumane.
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Stray, corporal punishment is not entirely outlawed (I will make the adjustments ASAP)... but you should read the entire thing:
http://www.endcorporalpunishment.org/pages/progress/reports/rep-korea.html
The key is "head of a school" and "We have been unable to establish whether or not these regulations came into force"
I tried to find the actual "article 18" and "article 31" but unfortunately the above is the best I could find. I find that most Korean teachers rarely seek help from outside the class... the head of school would generally be left out of any discipline action. Every act of corporal punishment I have seen in Korea has been in front of the class and by the regular teacher. The 1.5 cm thing... hmmmm would a meter stick count...
Thanks Stray
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I believe that it doesnt matter if it is a Native English teacher or a Korean English Teacher this is outrageous. There is no reason why this is ok if it were a native english speaker they would have been deported immediately because as native teachers we dont have any rights nor do we have any say in how students are punished... I work in a public school and it doesnt matter what the students do they Dongchim me all the time in front of the teachers and nothing happens to them... i wait until the teachers are around and punish the students but thats just my style not saying its right but it is whatit is... I think we have to really understand that its a different culture and different doesnt mean better or worse just different and because of this we have to becareful to not make judgements as to what we think is right or wrong that being said i think that its difficult to look away from something as appauling as this. Students can get on our nerves and can make us very angry but we have to remember who the adult is in the situation and who is the child... who has a whole lot to learn about life and who and give those pearls of wisdom. Although that punishment was creative they would be even more creative and i hope this teacher gets punished the same way that the students did.
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