Taoyuan mayor proposes task force to ease school dispute burden

Taoyuan Mayor Chang San-cheng proposed establishing a special task force or office within the Education Bureau to help schools manage disputes arising from school affairs meetings. The initiative aims to alleviate pressure on frontline teachers and school administrators by introducing an external professional mechanism.

Chang revealed that he had sent a letter to the Ministry of Education in May seeking clarification on the legal basis and support for this idea. However, the ministry has not yet provided a response.

Reflecting on his past experience as a teacher, Chang acknowledged the evolving educational landscape but emphasized the consistent dedication of educators. He noted that beyond teaching and classroom management, teachers are increasingly burdened with handling complaints and school affairs cases. This, coupled with challenges like declining birth rates, places significant pressure on both teachers and school administration during case investigations and fact-finding.

The mayor outlined two potential operational models for the task force. The first involves the task force reviewing and providing recommendations before a meeting to determine the validity of a complaint, after initial school investigations. The second model suggests the task force intervenes with recommendations if disagreements or difficulties arise after the school has conducted its initial investigation and held a meeting to determine the complaint's validity.

Chang stressed that regardless of the intervention timing, the core objective is to prevent schools from bearing the full weight of these cases alone. He expressed a desire for continued communication with the Ministry of Education to secure clearer guidance, enabling Taoyuan schools to adopt more comprehensive and supportive approaches to school affairs cases.

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We also hope to continue communicating with the Ministry of Education to obtain clearer explanations, so that Taoyuan schools can have more comprehensive and supportive practices when facing school affairs cases.