The Netflix drama 'True Education' features a unique organization called the 'Teacher Rights Protection Bureau,' which operates under the Ministry of Education. This bureau addresses issues such as malicious complaints, school violence, and violations of teachers' rights. While the bureau sometimes resolves school problems in extreme and unrealistic ways, what resonated with viewers was not the dramatic retribution but the message of solidarity: "We will fight alongside teachers."
Recently, 'True Education' has gained traction among teachers, especially following the tragic death of a teacher at Seo Yi High School, which has amplified calls for the restoration of teachers' rights. However, many teachers on the ground assert that "nothing has changed in schools." They feel increasingly pressured to abandon their educational roles amid complaints from students and parents, reckless child abuse reports, and threats of lawsuits.
Kim Han-na, a middle school teacher in Busan with 15 years of experience, stated, "Teachers enter the profession with a sense of mission to become good educators, yet normal disciplinary actions often lead to malicious complaints or legal actions, leaving them feeling powerless or doubting their own abilities." She found the bureau's promise to "fight alongside teachers" particularly impactful, noting that it conveyed a message of support that many teachers in South Korea desperately need.
One of the most pressing issues teachers face is the rampant reporting of child abuse. Although current child welfare laws prohibit emotional abuse, statements made during student guidance or disciplinary actions often spark controversies over alleged child abuse.
Kim explained, "I have seen instances where unavoidable physical contact or comments made while intervening in student disputes are interpreted as child abuse. Teachers fear not just disciplinary actions but police investigations and lawsuits."
Real-life cases of teacher rights violations are alarmingly serious. In one reported incident, a teacher intervened when a violent student attempted to assault a classmate. The student retaliated by kicking the teacher and then physically assaulting them. Although the teacher merely held the student's wrist to prevent further harm, the student's parent accused the teacher of assault and filed a child abuse complaint.
The parent publicly criticized the teacher on local online communities, leading the teacher to endure months of police investigations and complaints.
Teachers assert that such incidents are not isolated. Chae Yoon-joo, an elementary school teacher in Incheon and the vice chair of the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations' 2030 Youth Committee, remarked, "Many believe the scenarios depicted in the Netflix drama are exaggerated, but they are not. In today's educational environment, teachers face a range of rights violations daily, from minor to severe."
In particular, parental complaints are cited as the biggest burden in kindergartens and elementary schools. Teachers receive complaints for not sending photos from field trips, and when they do send photos, they are criticized for the children's expressions. During survival swimming classes, if a student afraid of water is observed at the pool's edge, complaints arise questioning why the child did not enter the water.
Teachers' attire also becomes a point of contention, with parents questioning why they wear black clothing or insisting that bright colors are necessary for children's visual development. After school, teachers often receive messages and calls asking why a child looks unhappy or if the teacher scolded them. Failing to respond can lead to retaliatory complaints.
Chae noted, "Teachers are now more afraid of parents than students, and in such an environment, no one is willing to actively guide students."
Violations of teacher rights ultimately affect the learning rights of other students. This concern has prompted An Min-seok, the newly elected superintendent of Gyeonggi Province, to advocate for the establishment of a 'Teacher Rights Protection Bureau,' inspired by the drama.
In an interview with Aju Business Daily, An stated, "The key is to protect both teacher rights and student learning rights. We must prevent situations where problematic students infringe upon teachers' rights and disrupt the learning rights of others." He emphasized the need for a system where the education office takes responsibility rather than placing the burden solely on individual teachers.
There is a growing demand within the education sector to reform the current structure, where teachers bear the brunt of complaints and lawsuits alone. The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations advocates for a 'National Responsibility System for Educational Activity Lawsuits,' which would allow the state to handle legal responses on behalf of teachers in cases arising from legitimate educational activities. This initiative aims to alleviate the burden of police investigations and legal battles on individual teachers.
Additionally, there is a call for the introduction of a 'malicious complaint counter-reporting system,' which would require education superintendents to report false child abuse claims when confirmed as malicious.
Teachers argue that restoring their rights is not merely a matter of protecting a specific profession but is essential for the survival of public education. Chae remarked, "Among teachers, there is a saying that 'hardworking teachers have short careers.' If teachers start to hold back, the biggest victims will ultimately be the students."
Recent surveys indicate that teachers perceive a crisis level far higher than anticipated. In an April 2026 survey by the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations, 86.0% of teachers reported experiencing direct or indirect violations of their rights within the past year, yet only 13.9% officially reported these incidents. Reasons for hesitance included fears of malicious complaints (85.0%), the burden of false child abuse reports (81.8%), and anxiety over being secretly recorded during classes (80.9%).
A similar survey conducted by the Practical Education Teachers' Association in June 2026 found that 87.2% of respondents had experienced rights violations in the past three years. The most common type was 'ongoing disruption of educational activities' at 74.8%, followed by malicious complaints or threats from parents at 56.0%, verbal abuse from students at 37.4%, and physical violence at 11.2%.
Teachers' professional status is also significantly shaken. Ahead of this year's Teacher's Day, a survey of 8,900 teachers revealed that 49.2% felt a decline in their pride in the profession over the past one to two years. The moment teachers feel the most powerless is when they are not trusted by students and parents and when their rights are violated, with 67.9% citing this as their primary concern.
According to the Ministry of Education's 2024 survey on educational activity violations, the number of Teacher Rights Protection Committee meetings decreased from 5,050 in 2023 to 4,234 in 2024. However, this figure remains more than three times higher than the 1,197 meetings recorded in 2020. In the first semester of 2025, 2,189 cases of educational activity violations were reported, with the majority attributed to students (2,000 cases) and 189 cases attributed to parents or guardians.
The repercussions of rights violations are also increasing. Protective measures for affected teachers rose from 3,035 in 2022 to 6,699 in 2023, more than doubling. The usage of educational activity protection centers surged from approximately 62,000 cases in 2022 to about 124,000 in 2024. As of the first semester of 2025, the number of cases involving counseling and legal support reached about 53,000.
These statistics indicate that violations of teacher rights are not isolated incidents but a nationwide phenomenon. Despite strengthened laws and regulations, many teachers remain exposed to malicious complaints, disruptions of educational activities, and verbal and physical violence, with many unable to report their experiences. Enhancing the effectiveness of teacher protection measures and creating an environment where teachers can focus on education without fear is an urgent task for the education sector.
The drama 'True Education' features a line that resonates deeply: "If adults fear children, the world is doomed." Teachers frequently reference this line because the issues depicted in the drama no longer feel fictional. What teachers seek is not special power but the minimum authority to teach and guide students, along with the assurance that the state will protect them when they engage in legitimate educational activities.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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