Lawmaker's Son Accused of Bullying, Academic Fraud; Mother Allegedly Intervened

Allegations of academic misconduct and past bullying have surfaced against Si Guangyang, the son of ruling party legislator Wan Mei-ling and a candidate for Taoyuan City Councilor. Professor Shen Rong-chin of York University in Canada has stated that if rumors of Wan Mei-ling interfering with her son's university education are true, it could involve administrative illegality and criminal offenses.

Shen Rong-chin detailed on Facebook that Si Guangyang's alleged misdeeds include pouring white glue on a classmate's head, appearance-based bullying of female classmates, stealing food, taking a disabled classmate's crutches, and leading group shaming and exclusion. His alleged catchphrase, "Do you know who my mother is?" draws parallels to the infamous "My dad is Li Gang" incident in China.

Most startling are the rumors that Si Guangyang nearly failed to graduate from university due to poor academic performance. It is alleged that his mother, Wan Mei-ling, who chairs the Legislative Yuan's Education and Culture Committee, pressured the university, leading to a school-wide retake of exams and Si Guangyang's eventual graduation. Shen Rong-chin noted that such privilege, occurring possibly just over a decade ago, is reminiscent of past eras in Taiwan where powerful figures operated with impunity.

Shen Rong-chin recalled the case of former Pingtung County Council Speaker Cheng Tai-chi, who in the 1990s was implicated in a murder and used his influence to evade justice for a time. He contrasted this with the current legal advancements in Taiwan, expressing surprise that such blatant privilege might still occur. Shen also criticized Luo Ting-wei, a legislator who defended Si Guangyang, noting Luo's own past controversy involving alleged bullying of public health officials.

Shen Rong-chin emphasized that if the allegations regarding Si Guangyang's university graduation are true, it goes beyond simple parental cover-up. He suggested potential violations of the University Act and the Degree Conferment Act, and possible criminal charges for university administrators under the Anti-Corruption Statute for illicit gains and false record-keeping. Shen urged Wan Mei-ling to respond to these serious allegations.