Korean Job Discussion Forums

Paji eh Wong · Joined: 03 Jun 2003

I work at a small private University in Seoul. A few weeks ago, one of my former students came to me and asked if she could take photos of me in class. My gut feeling was to say "no". She said it was for the campus English rag, and that I would get to see it before it went to press. She was one of my better students, so I said "yes". Big mistake.

Fast forward to today. I pick up a copy of the rag, and there I am, sharing the cover with Christopher Paul Neil. They are implicitly comparing me to a pedophile in the mass media. The issue is all about migrant workers and visa issues. There is a hatchet job of a story on the inside about the CPN case, and some random interviews with my coworkers.

I complained to my department, so they hauled in the student editor of the paper. She apologized profusely and promised to withdraw all of the issues. When I left at 8 PM, students were still recollecting copies all over campus.

Anyway, the moral of the story is always say "no". Say no to anything in which you lose control of the process because there is an excellent chance you will be used to forward someone else's agenda. Even if you think it is no big deal, say no to ingrain the habit.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Wow! That sounds like a nightmare!

Paji eh Wong · Joined: 03 Jun 2003

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

Sue her and the school.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

Holy crap, sue!

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

Yeah, it goes without saying that's unacceptable. Apologies don't cut it, she and the editors knew what they were doing.

jinks · Joined: 27 Oct 2004 Location: Formerly: Lower North Island

I agree that apologies don't cut it. Before you sue, make a massive compensation demand.

jboney · Joined: 14 May 2008 Location: Northern Seoul

(Along with a lawsuit) I'd also demand that a retraction/clarification story be run in the next issue to clear your name.

sojourner1 · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:40 pm Post subject:

What an insult! I would be outraged. I bet I'd be confronting someone for a yelling and then I might seek legal action. In the lawsuit, you'd also sue for the rest of the estimated money you would had earned if you'd stayed at the job for the rest of your visa. While a student did this, the school is responsible due to not having experienced faculty monitoring, reviewing, and editing the newspaper.

I would claim you can't hold the position anymore as a result and offer to come to a settlement out of court before you're going to file suit. If they back down, warn of the bad publicity (loss of face) this will cause and how it may cause future enrollment to drop.

poet13 · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:46 pm Post subject:

Wow, what a kick in the teeth. And the other slap in the face is that she's still your student....

Zaria32 · Joined: 04 Dec 2007

Don't let that student back in your class...period. If the university doesn't support you in this, walk.

marlow · Joined: 06 Feb 2005

Wow, I thought this was going to be about being a pain in the ass at work (which I fully support BTW), but instead this is extremely serious.

I'd want the student out of my classes, a formal apology in writing from the editorial staff, plus a new article apologizing and re-stating their opinion (whatever it was). Then you can think about suing. This has the potential to affect your job and career negatively. Not saying it will, just that it has the potential.

poet13 · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:21 pm Post subject:

Totally true. Once they ave a digital file of that front page, it can get on the internet. From there, the likelihood of it being taken out of context in the future is enormous.

Ukon · Joined: 29 Jan 2008

Make sure she flunks out at all costs.....