현실판 교권보호국, 무엇이 필요할까? [교실 밖 생존교양] / EBS뉴스 2026. 07. 06

https://home.ebs.co.kr/ebsnews/menu2/... [EBS News] Anchor Seo Hyun-ah The 'Teachers' Rights Protection Bureau' featured in dramas is leading to discussions on real-world education policy. Although the Teachers' Rights Protection Committee and the Educational Activity Protection Center already exist, the protective shield felt by teachers in the field remains thin. But is simply increasing the number of new organizations the answer? In today's "Survival Knowledge" segment, we examine the essential conditions for the teachers' rights protection system to function effectively in the field. We are joined by Attorney Shin Su-kyung. Yes, aren't there already Teachers' Rights Protection Committees at the provincial/city education office level and Educational Activity Protection Centers in operation? Even so, why are discussions emerging that an organization to protect teachers' rights needs to be established? Shin Su-kyung / Attorney The discussion regarding the Teachers' Rights Protection Bureau is ultimately intended to support the field by establishing an organization capable of taking administrative and judicial measures to protect teachers' educational activities. However, Teachers' Rights Protection Committees are already operating at the level of city and provincial offices of education, and Educational Activity Protection Centers exist nationwide. According to the Ministry of Education's announcement, there is also a plan to double the number of these centers from 55 in 2025 to over 110 next year. Nevertheless, the discussion regarding the Teachers' Rights Protection Bureau has emerged because teachers in the field do not feel that they are being "protected," despite the existence of these systems. Teachers are requesting more effective assistance, and a national consensus is forming regarding this issue. In particular, there is a shift in perception that infringements on educational activities are not just a problem for teachers but are directly linked to students' right to learn; that is, protecting teachers from unjust infringements is tantamount to safeguarding the right to education of the majority of students. However, I believe we must first address the discussion on whether to resolve this issue by establishing a new organization, or to diagnose why the existing system lacks accessibility and has failed to provide practical assistance, and then improve it. Anchor Seo Hyun-ah It seems that the most difficult part for teachers lies in having to handle complaints and disputes alone. What kind of protection is needed? Shin Su-kyung / Lawyer There is a general consensus that teachers should not have to handle complaints alone. However, it is necessary to categorize complaints by their nature. First, teachers should be granted active authority to block complaints that are clearly unfounded or unfair on their own. On the other hand, matters that are difficult to block so simply, or recurring so-called malicious complaints, should be taken over and handled by a separate agency rather than the teacher. However, there is a point where this is not as simple as it sounds. Unlike other complaints, the teacher's responsibility for guidance and administrative duties toward the student—the de facto party to the complaint—continues until the end of the relevant school year. They are placed in a structure where they cannot completely sever ties with the parents who filed complaints. Therefore, simply separating complaint channels is insufficient. I believe a dual system is necessary, where complaint response and educational guidance and communication with students are separated into entirely distinct tracks. This allows teachers to focus on student guidance while other personnel handle complaint response exclusively. Anchor Seo Hyun-ah Yes, indeed, communication between schools and parents is absolutely essential, isn't it? If so, how should we distinguish the line between legitimate communication and the infringement of teachers' rights? Lawyer Shin Su-kyung Article 19 of the 'Special Act on the Improvement of Teachers' Status and Protection of Educational Activities' defines 'acts of infringement on educational activities' as acts by students or their guardians, etc., committing criminal acts such as injury, assault, or intimidation against teachers engaged in educational activities, or unduly interfering with or restricting educational activities. A point worth noting is that the requirement of 'repetition' in this provision was removed during the plenary session of the National Assembly in May of this year. Previously, only the "repeated filing of unjustified complaints" was considered an infringement; however, now, regardless of repetition, if an act causes "significant disruption" to educational activities, even a single instance can be recognized as an infringement. Therefore, if a request to "make an exception only for my child"...