5학년 지민의 투신 시도…제주 초등학교에서 무슨 일이

A 5th-grade student named Kim Ji-min attempted to jump from a third-floor window at a primary school in Jeju last November 28th, but was stopped by fellow students who grabbed her arm. The school reported the incident to the Educational Support Center over the phone, but did not request a meeting of the School Violence Review Board as was required.

Educational Support Center officials explained that the school's actions were based on the belief that the situation could be handled through the teachers' guidance and mediation. The school did not follow proper reporting procedures for safety incidents, only submitting a written report. The student had been experiencing ongoing bullying, which was discovered by her mother in April after being told only five months earlier.

Kim Ji-min had been bullied since transferring to the school in 2nd grade from China, and the bullying had intensified by 4th grade. Her writings documented various forms of harassment, including being pushed in the hallway and receiving insults. The incident of attempted suicide even became a source of ridicule for her. The five students involved in the bullying admitted to the disciplinary action taken during the School Violence Review Board meeting.

However, the investigation into whether the bullying contributed to the attempted suicide has not yet been conducted. The student continues to live in fear at the same school, where separating the victim and the aggressor is difficult due to its small size and structure. The mother, Jeon Eun-juk, expressed her frustration that the aggressive student has continued to harass her child, and that the school has not adequately protected her.

The mother also suffers from anxiety and depression and has been receiving therapy. The mother has accused the school principal and vice-principal of withholding information and not providing adequate protection, and the case has been handed over to the police for investigation. The school officials stated that they cannot enforce a transfer of students due to the review board's decision, and that no other measures are available.