A memorial altar is set up for the special education teacher from an elementary school in Incheon, who passed away on the evening of Oct. 24. Courtesy of special education colleague

A 30-year-old special education teacher in Incheon was found dead in her home on Oct. 24, raising concerns about the extreme pressures faced by educators in overcrowded special education classrooms.

Colleagues in the special education community report that she managed an overloaded classroom exceeding legal capacity, including four severely disabled students, and faced an overwhelming workload.

According to the police Wednesday, the special education teacher from an elementary school in Incheon's Michuhol District was found dead at her home around 8 p.m. on Oct. 24. The Incheon Michuhol Police said, “There are no signs of foul play, but the exact cause of death is still under investigation.”

Ms. A managed a classroom of eight students, four of whom had severe disabilities, in an environment where the legal maximum class size is six. Originally, the school had two special education teachers handling separate classrooms.

However, with enrollment initially declining to six students, the school reduced the number of special education classes from two to one. After two new students were transferred in March and August, the class size exceeded capacity.

Special education laws in Korea mandate individualized education plans for each student, a time-intensive process. In addition to managing her primary class, Ms. A was responsible for administrative work involving six additional students in integrated general education classrooms.

Integration into general education is encouraged, but due to the severity of some students' disabilities, they required exclusive time in the special education classroom.

Ms. A faced additional difficulties, such as physical confrontations from students requiring medical treatment. Lacking substitute support, she continued working despite her injuries, unable to take leave. She was also subject to complaints from parents regarding her work in the overcrowded classroom.

Ms. A had recently taken wedding photos with her fiance, with their wedding planned for next year.

The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations and the Incheon Teachers' Union expressed condolences and voiced concerns over the pressures Ms. A endured, saying that she and her school had requested that education authorities expand the number of special education classes.

They urged a thorough investigation into her death and called for improvements in the support systems for special education.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.