Education Reform Urgently Needed, Kaohsiung Teachers' Union Says Disciplinary Powers Are 'Emasculated'

Following the recent death of a senior elementary school teacher in Kaohsiung, the city government convened a consultation meeting with educational groups to discuss mechanisms for preventing parent-teacher communication conflicts. The Kaohsiung Teachers' Union has voiced concerns that teachers' disciplinary powers have been significantly curtailed, emphasizing the urgent need to reform the education sector.

The union acknowledged the city government's proposed reforms, including strengthening the teacher support system, reforming the school affairs meeting process, and improving student counseling. However, they argue that these measures should not solely focus on post-incident psychological support for teachers. Instead, the union insists on addressing the "emasculation of disciplinary authority" and the "culture of frivolous lawsuits" that they believe are destabilizing the educational environment.

The union stated that educational progress should not come at the cost of teachers' well-being. The teacher's death has deeply affected grassroots educators, exposing a collective sorrow over the erosion of disciplinary rights and the inability to manage extreme cases. They hope this incident will draw societal attention to the "campus disciplinary dilemma" and spur the government to implement concrete solutions.

The Kaohsiung City Education Bureau, in its meeting, emphasized its commitment to reforming the school affairs meeting system and safeguarding teachers' rights. Through broad consultation, the bureau aims to establish a comprehensive communication support mechanism. A preliminary consensus has been reached on a dual approach of "communication first" and "legal support" to foster a more supportive and stable campus environment, thereby reducing the burden on frontline teachers.

“

The union believes that educational progress should not come at the cost of teachers' lives. The death of a teacher has shattered the hearts of countless grassroots teachers and exposed the collective sorrow of the education field where 'disciplinary authority has been emasculated and extreme cases cannot be managed.'