Hiring of teachers by Kwak cancelled

By Yun Suh-young The education ministry said Friday that it has informed the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) of its decision to reject what it calls “inappropriate” reappointments of the three teachers by Superintendent Kwak No-hyun at three public schools. The three teachers were fired or quit as a consequence of protesting against state polices or for violating the National Security Law. The ministry’s decision, the latest in a series of feuds between the top educational bodies, reflects deepening conflicts between conservative Education Minister Lee Ju-ho and the progressive top Seoul educator. “We told the education office to retract the appointment of three teachers and follow the necessary procedure to hire new replacements,” the ministry said in a statement. The appointments became invalid immediately following the announcement. In response to the ministry’s decision to cancel the appointment, the education office said it will file a suit with the Supreme Court against the minister of education. “It is the right of the superintendent to appoint teachers and this appointment did not violate the special appointment clause in the law on public educational personnel. Therefore we will sue the minister of education for unreasonably cancelling the decision,” the office said in a statement. Kwak had reappointed the three teachers at public schools, instigating a backlash that the act was biased because the teachers were avid supporters of his policies. Of the three teachers in question, one had been fired for violating the national security law and another for blowing the whistle on corruption within the school foundation. Another teacher quit in protest of his school becoming an autonomous private school. The education ministry denounced Kwak’s decision saying that if the three teachers were to be reappointed to their teaching posts, they must go through the proper administrative screening. The ministry advised the education office to cancel the appointment on Wednesday but the education office resubmitted the application to the ministry, Thursday, asking for reconsideration. The education ministry rejected. During a meeting with the press Thursday, Kwak explained his decision saying he had reasons of his own. “One of the teachers was scheduled to be reappointed by the ministry and the other two had to be protected under the law,” said Kwak. Kwak is currently in the hot seat as his intention to designate few of his aides to crucial posts in the education office was leaked by an internal source. He has been subsequently criticized for being “tyrannical” and was even accused of having ordered the blocking of an e-mail protesting his decision. “My e-mail was blocked by an internal server when I tried to send a message to officials at the education office in order to encourage their participation in a petition protesting Kwak’s decision,” claimed Lee Jeom-hui, the union leader at the education office. On Jan. 19, a lower court released Kwak, 57, from prison with only a 30-million-won fine for bribing a rival candidate to drop out of the 2010 election for his current post as top Seoul educator. Kwak will assume the role until a higher court delivers a verdict on the appeal.