“Teacher says we can drink” ... Controversy over daytime drinking by deputy principal, teachers and students on a field trip

[Financial News] A deputy principal in charge of supervising a field trip at a private high school in Gyeongnam reportedly drank alcohol and turned a blind eye to students drinking, sparking controversy.
On the 20th, News1 reported that a private high school in the province held a one-day field trip in Busan on the 14th for around 100 students.
Lunch that day was at a large buffet restaurant nearby. The deputy principal took and drank a glass of draft beer provided at the restaurant. When a teacher tried to stop him, pointing out that it was during working hours, he reportedly said, “One drink is fine. If any of the teachers want to drink, they can.”

Following the deputy principal’s remarks, four of the 16 supervising teachers reportedly drank alcohol. Ten students also poured beer into paper cups and drank it. When supervising teachers tried to stop them from drinking, some of them reportedly said, “The deputy principal told us to drink just this one cup without letting it show.”
When a teacher reported the students’ drinking at the time, the deputy principal reportedly said, “I couldn’t tell them to throw it away, so I let them finish what they were already drinking,” and also said to the effect of, “Don’t let it show that you’ve been drinking.”
After the incident became known, the Gyeongnam Office of Education sent the head of the education support office with jurisdiction over the school there the previous day, at the instruction of Superintendent Kwon Soon-gi, to investigate the circumstances. The provincial office plans to seek disciplinary action against those involved based on the findings.
It was decided that follow-up measures for the students who drank would focus on guidance and protection rather than discipline.

[email protected] An Ga-eul Reporter