Korean Job Discussion Forums

inspector gadget · Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Location: jeollanam-do in the boonies

I know it happens, seen alot of it here in my 9 months at a girls middle school however today was shocking.

10 girls were lined up in the office before a male teacher, the "disciplinarian". He starts by pulling the girls by the hair to their knees, then with two closed fists hammers the girls on the head with his knuckles, full on. Two shots each!

Then all of them crying big time leave the room. Shortly there after another girl comes in and let me tell you she is a pain in the A** (still doesn't deserve to be beaten like this).

So he does the same thing yanks here to her knees by pulling her hair. This time he pounds her with two fists on the head not once, twice but three times. Then he grabs her by the hair and throws her into the concrete wall, grabs her hair again and throws her in to the wall two more times. At this time the VP, a tiny woman stands up and he stops the beating.

My question is this.

Have any of you foriegners out there stepped up to try and stop this type of stuff???? I wanted to but didn't.

Man if that was my kid, the teacher would be getting a beating from me big time......

poet13 · Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 6:23 pm Post subject:

Physical abuse disgusts me....and I do have my limits. I dont' know what I would have done in that situation. Had to be there I guess. It does sound like he went too far. That he stopped when the VP stood up tells me that he knew he had gone too far. Having to resort to that kind of punishment to me is the mark of someone who doesn't have the imagination to constructively punish.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

That's a disgusting way to treat any student whether they be boy or girls.

At my school the guy in charge of discipline is hard, but he makes them do more phsical thigs like press ups, or duck walks around the playground or just picking up litter.

I would certainly mention to someone how disgusted you were by the "disciplinarian's" methods.

I hope those students go home and tell their parents.

ilovebdt

manlyboy · Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 7:46 pm Post subject:

I don't see it as a "to hit or not to hit" problem. Smack 'em up side the head, I say. The problem is whether or not the teacher actually takes pleasure in it. Some teachers at my school seem to enjoy wailing on their kids just a tad too much.

Missile Command Kid · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Location: Daegu

Can I make a suggestion?

Write an article/editorial on this subject. Find out as much background info as you can, including the history of physical abuse in your school, what's considered acceptable and what's not, and just sit down and write it. We're only talking 200-400 words here, something fairly short. Ride out your contract, then publish it in a Western newspaper. If you need help with any of this, PM me.

I'm sick about hearing about the abuse that happens here. If you're truly upset about what happened, do something about it.

ChuckECheese · Joined: 20 Jul 2006

I hate physical abuses especially on children, but what's the point?

It's their country and culture. Physical abuse in public school is very common here in Korea. Let Koreans handle it. Don't get involved in Korean culture unless the kids are severly injured or something. When you get involved, you're just asking for trouble.

Korean kids also accept the physcial abuses from their Korean teachers.

bellum99 · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know

Why do you care so much? You are not Korean and this is not your home and these are not your people.....
It is so strange to hear people get so upset these things...it is obviously okay for this to happen or "Koreans" would get angry and stop it. Since "KOREANS" don't seem to care...why do you?

ucfvgirl · Joined: 28 Sep 2005 Location: Bundang

Unbelievable that people would say "Why do you care"? If you are a teacher, you should care what happens to your students. That's part of your job. I can't believe that someone would say that it's a culture thing, that it's not our problem because we are not Korean. What the hell does that mean? I am just so shocked that someone would use these excuses to say it's ok to beat a child. Do you not have a heart? Do you not have a soul? A conscience? Where are you morals? Where is your respect for other human beings? No wonder our world is so messed up when there are people out there that just don't care.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

I don't think anyone has said it's OK to beat a child. But they are talking from experience, if you try to impose your notions of propriety ...you are only going to get yourself a lot of trouble.

I think the editorial idea is a good one.

Remember that you are in a foreign country, and as such, you will be viewed as an interfering, do-gooder wannabee, no matter how right or wrong you may be.

ChuckECheese · Joined: 20 Jul 2006

sadsac · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: Gwangwang

Interesting that it's now illegal for teachers to administer physical punishment on students, but parents and principals still deem it right and proper to do so. One reason not to work in a public school. Personally, cultural sensitivity can go to hell, I would have smacked him about the head, my bad temper occasionally gets in the way of good judgement. Smile

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

I wonder if any students have ever retaliate in a big way. There are lots of ways to get revenge and not even be caught if an angry student is clever enough. A lot of teenagers are also bigger than their teacher(s). I wouldn't be too shocked to hear about a teacher getting beat up, even stabbed or something. Maybe that's just my western thinking? I can imagine students getting a teacher outside, maybe wearing masks, at night, grabbing the hated teacher, and shoving him down an alley and pounding him, telling him to never touch a student again.

prairieboy · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Location: The batcave.

Next time it happens, use the video function on your cell phone (if you have it) and record the beating. Then offer it to the student later as evidence of the assault.

Let public outrage run rampant as happened about a year or so ago when a video of a student beating was posted on the internet.

poet13 · Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:05 pm Post subject:

"Next time it happens, use the video function on your cell phone (if you have it) and record the beating. Then offer it to the student later as evidence of the assault.

Let public outrage run rampant as happened about a year or so ago when a video of a student beating was posted on the internet."

Now that's a solution I like!

Missile Command Kid · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Location: Daegu