Wan Mei-ling denies forcing teacher out over student bullying case; accuser claims witnesses fear reprisal

Legislator Wan Mei-ling has denied allegations that she pressured a school to dismiss a teacher who was popular among students. The accusations surfaced from Li Po-se, a candidate for the Taoyuan District council in Taoyuan City, who claims Wan intervened on behalf of a student involved in a bullying incident.

According to Li, the teacher in question was well-loved by students, and parents even submitted a joint petition to keep them at the school. Despite these efforts, the teacher eventually left, causing distress among the students. Li stated that the individuals involved are still afraid to come forward publicly due to fear of repercussions, including potential impacts on their jobs or families.

Wan Mei-ling issued a statement refuting the claims, calling them "purely fictitious" and "slanderous." In response, Li urged Wan to address the accusations directly against them, rather than contacting people connected to the original incident. Li emphasized that the reluctance of witnesses to speak publicly stems from past trauma and fear of retaliation, and pleaded with Wan not to inflict further harm.

Li challenged Wan to provide a direct account of whether she had contact with the school, its administration, parent-teacher associations, or educational authorities regarding the incident. Li also suggested supporting official investigations into the records to clarify the events. However, Li stressed that uncovering the truth should not involve intimidating or investigating the whistleblowers, particularly those who remain fearful.