[Opinion] School Fences

There are a lot of fenceless houses around Mt. Jeongbal in Ilsan New Town, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Even if there were, they would be decorations rather than a means to prevent intrusion, since they only rise to the waist of an adult. Passers-by can take a look at the garden of which the landlords have taken care. TV dramas are often shot against the setting of this beautiful neighborhood. Now there is a growing number of public organizations and schools destroying their fences as if ‘fenceless houses’ are to be expanded to the public domain. Furthermore, the Seoul City Government provides budget for schools tearing down the fences.

People still remembers the sounds that a female teacher plays the organ in her classroom after school, the shouts of children who kick the ball in the playground, and the waving rice plants beyond the school. At the time, wooden fences were surrounding the school and playground instead of cement walls. There was no need for schools to be blocked from the outside world since the surrounding areas were not tainted by the culture harmful to children. However, today’s urban schools are different. They have become places that should be protected from the society in order to keep motels, clubs and bars from being established around them.

Elementary, junior high, and high schools in the U.S. are protected from strangers by walls. The students are not allowed to do what they do outside once they are in school. Those who smoke cannot have a cigarette inside the school so they have to smoke outside. Crosswalks around elementary schools are all painted in yellow so that drivers slow down. Although houses nearby look peaceful without fences, schools are completely blocked from the outside world except for the main entrance.

It is told that schools in the nation have troubles because some people go inside to drink alcohol or practice driving. It is extremely wrong to let people go inside school without permission, drink alcohol, smoke, and do some harmful activities in front of children. School fences serve as a shield against various social evils. It seems to be in wrong order that schools tear down the fences while houses build high walls not to be seen from outside and stick iron bars at the top. It is feared that parents might be concerned about their children in fenceless schools at this kidnapping-ridden time.