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| Dr. Oh Eun-young on her TV show/ Korea Times file |
By Kim Se-jeong
The suicide of an elementary school teacher has triggered a variety of debates in Korea, with some teachers taking aim at a renowned psychiatrist and television personality Dr. Oh Eun-young and her program featuring children with behavioral issues.
They argue the approach of Oh, a doctor of psychiatry who in addition to her TV appearances is also a writer and YouTuber, has played a role in weakening teacher authority in schools.
"Oh made many parents believe all children must be heard and loved under any circumstances," one teacher wrote on an online forum. "As more parents worship Oh's approach, they diminish teachers' authority in dealing with school children."
"My Geumchoggi" is a weekly TV show featuring children with behavior problems and Oh offering advice. The TV show has become so popular that it became a must-watch among parents in Korea. Many closely adhere to her approaches to discipline. She is also the author of several books on the same topic.
"Dr. Oh, let me ask you this! Do you think it's realistically possible for one teacher to deliver customized care and discipline to each of the 20 students in the classroom? Your solutions can only work when you deal with one student. Don't expect an Oh-style approach in the classroom," the teacher continued.
On July 18, an elementary school teacher in an affluent southern district of Seoul was found dead. A police investigation is underway. The teacher reportedly suffered mounting stress while handling problem students and their parents.
The death released torrents of similar recounts among teachers who argued they often do not have the authority to control situations out of fear of child abuse claims from parents. Facing humiliation from students and parents is becoming more common, they argued, but they have nowhere to turn for help.
Oh was also challenged by a fellow doctor who criticized the television personality for sowing a fantasy about how to treat children with behavior issues. Writing on his Facebook account, pediatrician Dr. Seo Cheon-seok said, "The problem with Oh's TV show is that it gives the impression that all behavior problems can be dealt with through consultations. This is a fantasy."
On Tuesday, Oh defended her approach. "I oppose violence in educating children, but don't advocate for letting children do whatever they please. I believe discipline is very important," Oh said during an interview with a local outlet on Tuesday.
"Understanding children doesn't mean blindly accepting their behavior. Understanding troubled children means looking at the children from different perspectives so that parents and teachers can draw a solution to treat them," Oh continued.
Oh also expressed concern that the ongoing discussion could result in encouraging teachers to use violence in classrooms. "It is worrisome that the recent incident could give rise to the idea that teachers should be able to use violence in classrooms to correct behaviors."
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| People read messages of mourning posted on the wall of an elementary school in southern Seoul where a teacher took her own life, Tuesday, July 25. Yonhap |
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