Education Sector in Uproar Over Gyeonggi Superintendent-Elect's Plan to Use "Ma Dong-seok-like" Figures for School Discipline

The education community is facing intense backlash following Gyeonggi Province Superintendent-elect Ahn Min-suk's proposal to establish a new body similar to the "Teacher Rights Protection Bureau" featured in the Netflix drama *True Education*, with critics arguing it promotes maintaining school order through military-style hierarchy and force.

In a media interview yesterday (June 16), the superintendent-elect stated that a "tentative Education Activity Protection Bureau" is necessary. He revealed plans to consider recruiting 20 to 30 teachers with backgrounds in special forces, the Marine Corps, or airborne units to be deployed in situations where schools struggle to maintain control.

[Ahn Min-suk, Gyeonggi Province Superintendent-elect / June 16, CBS 'Park Sung-tae's News Show': Among teachers with teaching credentials, there are surprisingly more people with backgrounds in special forces, the Marine Corps, and airborne units than one might think.]

While emphasizing that violence is strictly prohibited, he added the following:

[Ahn Min-suk, Gyeonggi Province Superintendent-elect / June 16, CBS 'Park Sung-tae's News Show': If a strong person like Ma Dong-seok can guide children well without using violence, wouldn't that be good for the children, the school, and everyone involved?]

Seoul Superintendent of Education Cho Keun-sik drew a line against the proposal in a media interview today (June 17), labeling it a "fascist policy." He stated, "While we can create a bureau to protect teacher rights, it should not be done in the manner depicted in the drama."

He argued that protecting teacher rights should be achieved through educational methods, such as practically guaranteeing teacher authority, rather than establishing a separate, powerful organization.

The civic group "Political Mamas" also issued a statement, criticizing the proposal: "We are appalled by the shallow human rights awareness and educational philosophy of Superintendent-elect Ahn Min-suk, who praises a drama that disguises child abuse as teacher rights protection and seeks to introduce it into the educational field."

They pointed out that the superintendent-elect's vision seeks to establish school order through physical strength, military-style hierarchy, and masculine force, asserting that "classrooms are not barracks, and education is not a subject for suppression or subjugation."

Furthermore, they emphasized that framing the issue as a conflict between teacher rights and student human rights only amplifies animosity, hatred, and anxiety, and fails to protect the rights and safety of anyone.

As the Gyeonggi Province superintendent-elect has expressed his intention to guide students through coercive and intimidating means and has announced plans to hold public debates regarding the establishment of the bureau, the controversy within the education sector is expected to continue.

Reported by Kim Minjeong | Video by Lee Da-in | Graphics by Lee Soo-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.