Gangwon Democracy Foundation hosts forum on discrimination and hate speech, citing Baejae High School incident

The Gangwon Democracy Foundation is organizing the "2nd Gangwon Democracy Forum" to address societal conflicts, particularly those highlighted by the "Baejae High School incident." The forum, scheduled for July 10th at the Gangwon Provincial Office of Education's Early Childhood Education Center, aims to diagnose and find solutions for discrimination and hate speech prevalent in society.

The event, co-hosted by Gangwon Province, the Gangwon Democracy Foundation, and the Bomnae Peace Center, with support from the Gangwon Provincial Office of Education, will focus on "The Reality of Discrimination and Hate Speech Seen Through the Baejae High School Incident and Educational Healing and Recovery Measures." It seeks to confront the serious nature of discriminatory and hateful expressions within the education sector and re-examine the challenges posed by the Baejae High School incident to society and education.

Recent findings from a survey on student hate speech in Gangwon schools, released by the Jeon Gyo Jo Gangwon Branch on July 7th, revealed that approximately 8 out of 10 teachers in the province have encountered hate or mockery online. The Gangwon Democracy Foundation intends for the forum to move beyond simple criticism of phenomena and delve into practical solutions for the educational healing and recovery of wounded communities.

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We will focus administrative power on strengthening the capacity of democratic citizens to resolve issues with understanding and respect, so that children do not follow the hate of adults.

The forum will be moderated by Ha Kwang-yoon, standing director of the Gangwon Democracy Foundation. Panelists include Kim Bok-ki, director of the Bomnae Peace Center; Jo Young-guk, chairman of the Jeon Gyo Jo Gangwon Branch; Kim Nae-hoon, a cultural critic; and Jo Sung-bae, director of the Gongsaeng Foundation for Research.

Gangwon Provincial Superintendent Kang Sam-young emphasized the administration's commitment to strengthening democratic citizenship education, focusing on resolving issues through understanding and respect to prevent children from inheriting adult hate speech. Choi Yoon, chairman of the Gangwon Democracy Foundation, expressed hope that the school environment would be reborn as a democratic and safe space, and that the forum would serve as a turning point for educational recovery beyond discrimination and hate.

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We hope that schools will be reborn as democratic and safe spaces, and that this forum will be a turning point for educational recovery beyond discrimination and hate.