(EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Jan. 14)

Breaching trust

Seoul???s education chief, Kong Jeong-taek, was indicted without detention on
charges of raising illegal funds during the country???s first-ever direct
election of education superintendents in July. His defeated rival, Jou Kyong-bok,
suspected of pocketing slush funds from the Korean Teachers and Education
Workers??? Union, will also face the court.

What should have been celebrated as the people???s first direct choice of someone
to be in charge of their children???s education was tainted with bellicose
campaigning and then muddied with an investigation and prosecution. The final
court outcome awaits, but we unavoidably have to witness an incumbent education
superintendent standing trial for unethical illicit acts.
An education superintendent oversees primary, secondary and high school
education. Education in his area of responsibility depends heavily on the way the
person in the post uses his power. Therefore, that person should be honest and
worthy of the trust of students, parents and teachers.
Instead of fulfilling his primary role of tending to the complicated state of the
capital region???s education, Kong is dividing his time between the education
board and court offices. How can someone who has breached the law teach students
to grow as law-abiding citizens?
What???s worse is that last year the superintendent of North Gyeongsang stepped
down for receiving bribes involving a boarding house construction project. The
education chief of South Chungcheong accepted bribes in return for recruitment
favors and retired in disgrace.
These education superintendents have sullied the public???s trust. No wonder the
teachers??? union has stepped up calls for its own candidate to fill the post.
The latest prosecutor???s investigation showed that the union was deeply involved
in the Seoul superintendent election, violating neutrality laws for public
officials. If the union-backed candidate had won the July election, he would have
inevitably been swayed by the voices of unionist teachers.
The direct vote system was introduced to let people choose their own education
chief. But the entire idea is useless if illegal campaigning continues. We now
see politicians wanting to choose superintendent candidates as running mates in
local elections.
Instead of trying to save its hard-won direct election, education circles should
focus on restoring the people???s trust. If people lose faith in the education
chief, public education has no future.
(END)