MOEHR Take Actions against Anti-American Teaching

The Ministry of Education and Human Resources said that it would ban any kind of classroom activities promoting anti-American sentiment at primary, middle and high schools nationwide, which they see as compromising education neutrality.

The move came after President Roh ordered an investigation into alleged anti-American classroom teaching led by the Korea Teachers and Educational Workers Union (KTEWU).

MOEHR said on April 27 that it has decided to address the potential threat to education neutrality, seen as an adverse effect of too much emphasis on self-regulation, after holding a meeting with local education commissioners on the 25th.

To take a tough stance, the ministry will thoroughly apply the rule concerning extra-curricular teaching materials, which requires teachers to draft a course outline on the teaching content outside the regular curricula and seeks approval from the school principal.

The local education authorities will also examine classroom activities at school more thoroughly.

˝Teachers can deal with social issues to keep students informed of current affairs, but some of classes led by KTEWU members seem to pose a threat to education neutrality stipulated in the education law,˝ the ministry pointed out. ˝It is not right for a teachers` organization to urge its members to teach young students of certain viewpoints on an issue related to national interest, while the nation has yet to reach a consent on the issue.˝

˝Although KTEWU`s anti-war peace education is doing good to students by teaching brutality of a war and promoting peace-loving mind, but it also seems to put too much focus on American unjustness and violence, which could lead to hostility to the U.S. and anti-American sentiment,˝ it added.

The ministry plans to review anti-war class cases collected via local education authorities and report the results of the analysis to a cabinet meeting set for April 29.

In-Chul Lee inchul@donga.com