Is it the romance of the classroom or the deviation of education: A serious topic in Korean education raised by the ‘World Cup incident’ > News

The core of this incident is the difference in interpretation of the multi-layered role of the school space. Regarding the watching of the World Cup game, which started the incident, the school defined it as an inappropriate act that violated the right to class and disrupted progress ahead of final exams. On the other hand, students evaluated this not as a simple class deficit, but as a place of 'living education' that fosters a sense of community and builds emotional bonds between teachers and students. As seen in the case of former principal Lee Myung-hak, in a reality where schools are unable to escape the shackles of sexual supremacy and are degenerating into a 'prohibited republic', students instinctively feel that the value that schools must provide goes beyond imparting knowledge. This is because solidarity and emotion through sports can sometimes provide deeper character lessons than the knowledge found in textbooks.

The repercussions caused by the school principal's order to 'hunt out teachers' exposed the authoritarian side of our educational system. Through the statement, students expressed their sorrow for teachers who are treated as criminals and their anger at the rigid attitude of the school principal. This reflects the demands of the times for teachers and students to move toward an educational community where they respect each other rather than a vertical control relationship. On the other hand, there are also difficulties faced by school administrators who cannot help but be aware of complaints from parents who value academic efficiency during exam periods. This conflict that arises between administrative judgment that emphasizes principles and educational flexibility is one of the most chronic problems that Korean education must solve.

The field of education cannot be operated with uniform rules alone. As seen in the case of Daeryun High School, there are schools that practice life-respecting values ​​such as blood donation and strive to cultivate students' character, while there are also innovative cases, such as Gapyeong Elementary School, that combine safety and AI education to develop future capabilities. Methods of education are becoming more diverse, and teachers must be guaranteed the autonomy to run the curriculum flexibly. The essence of education is not simply following the class schedule. The process of introducing digital infrastructure to keep up with the changes of the times and creating a safety culture for students is the direction we should pursue in future education.

It is also in this context that the Daejeon Superintendent of Education Transition Committee raised ‘Education to Raise People’ as its banner. The principle that 'children's future' and 'the voice of field teachers' should always be at the center of education policy cannot be overemphasized. Education is not completed through control and discipline, but must have vitality that grows through communication and empathy among members. The method of labeling teachers who watched the World Cup as if they were criminals diminishes the autonomy of the educational field and ultimately causes students to follow the closed culture of 'only telling the right answer'. Now is the time for the educational field to become a place where people can share diverse experiences and become mature citizens, rather than a space for surveillance.