Tainan Teacher's Union Calls for Protection of Teaching Rights; City Government Plans Guidelines for Reasonable Discipline

The Tainan City Teacher’s Union held a press conference today to address the increasing friction between teachers and parents. The union highlighted concerns that the current school affairs committee system, which often initiates investigations based on single complaints, is causing campus instability. The Tainan City Education Bureau responded by stating they will draft examples of reasonable disciplinary methods to prevent malicious litigation against teachers.

Union representatives argued that the current policy mandates immediate school safety reports for every complaint, leading to a cycle of complex investigations and disciplinary pressures on frontline teachers. They proposed abolishing the current school affairs committee mechanism and establishing mediation channels prior to formal complaint procedures.

In response, the Tainan City Education Bureau emphasized its support for teachers in implementing legal and reasonable disciplinary measures. The Bureau clarified that school safety reports are not synonymous with initiating disciplinary investigations. Decisions to launch investigations depend on specific facts and legal procedures rather than automatic triggers.

The Bureau noted that recent revisions by the Ministry of Education have already implemented stricter criteria, such as ignoring anonymous reports lacking specific evidence and improving the handling of complaints. Furthermore, the Bureau plans to collaborate with experts, unions, and parent associations to develop clear, actionable guidelines for reasonable classroom management, aiming to balance student discipline with the protection of teacher rights.