This study examines the structural conditions under which infringement of teachers’ rights and authority occurs in the context of neoliberal education reform, with a focus on Korea. Although such infringement has recently emerged as a major social issue, previous research has largely focused on individual experiences, leaving structural factors insufficiently examined. This study conceptualizes infringement of teachers’ rights and authority as encompassing both violations of the right to teach and the erosion of teachers’ professional authority, and examines how accountability pressures, parentocracy, and teacher-blaming discourses under neoliberal education reform contribute to these infringements. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative analysis draws on OECD TALIS 2018 and 2024 data for Korean secondary teachers, using trend analysis and multilevel modeling to identify key determinants. Qualitative analysis was conducted to enrich the interpretation of these findings by examining the contexts and mechanisms through which such infringements occur. The findings indicate that infringement of teachers’ rights and authority increased between 2018 and 2024. Multilevel modeling shows that pressure from fast policy is the strongest predictor, while teacher autonomy also has a significant effect. Accountability, however, is not statistically significant. Qualitative findings reveal that the reconfiguration of teacher–parent relations into a consumer-oriented dynamic undermines teachers’ professional authority and constitutes a key mechanism. In addition, negative media coverage, exclusion of teachers from policymaking, and Korea’s exam-driven private tutoring culture further intensifies these dynamics. These findings suggest that strengthening the public and democratic character of education is essential for restoring teachers’ rights and authority.

Authors:
Hoojae Gong, Korea National University of Education, South Korea

About the Presenter(s)
Hoojae Gong is a PhD candidate in Education Policy at Korea National University of Education and a primary school teacher in South Korea.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Monday Schedule

Bookmark