The cyber anti-school movement

"Keep it long!"

The quiet soundless voices of the middle and the high school students have finally moved the hand of the government to relax the "hair regulation" considered a "trophy" of their achievement.

In the wake of such victory, the "anti-school" movement active in the cyber-space of the internet has garnered much attention.

An "anti-school" site is an open discussion forum where students could sound off their discontent and judgment of the educational policy and situation such as the high-school assessment and grade-designation system as well as school violence.

The collective force has proven itself in the fight for the abolishment of the hair regulation.

The solidarity organization of the young men and women, called "With", which is a coalition of the "CyberYouth," "ChannelTen," and "I2" among other anti-school sites, opened an "anti hair regulation movement site" (www.idoo.net/nocut) in May and by the 4th of month as the Ministry of Education announced the easement of the hair regulation, 98,9000 people had signed the signature drive.

The "Coalition of Students Across the Nation for the Student Rights and Education Revolution" propounded that the "hair regulation" was an invasion of student rights through their home page, (http://get.to/students) and even held three demonstrations outside the cyber-space, but in Myeongdong area and the Daehak-ro, a well-known stretch of street where students congregate.

On the bulletin boards of anti-school sites such as the www.ihateschool.co.kr, www.skyangel.co.kr, and http://n18.corea.to, carried non-stop messages opposing the "3-cm below the ear" hair regulation which supposedly was a psychological suppression of students. The message has also condemned the regulation of being outdated and a relic of the Japanese occupation era.

Having achieved the relaxation, the students have heightened their attention and sharpened their swords in case should the government re-exert the hair regulation.

The anti-school sites have also provided a discussion and posting forum for the violence and sexual misconduct of the teachers regarded as invasion of students' rights. The sites have also become the sounding board for the opposition of educational policies such as the independent admission policy of the private institutions.

The research director for the Korean Youth and Culture Research Center Kim Oh-Soon said, "It is good to see students claiming for their rights and the society giving ear to their demands." She added, "However, it is our hope that the students examine whether their claims are rational and do not injure another."

Lee Jin-Yeong ecolee@donga.com