Standing before Daewang Middle School, can you imagine the events that unfolded here decades ago? Daewang Middle School is more than just a place of learning. It holds a poignant story about overcoming prejudice.
In the spring of 1969, the Korean government made a brave decision. They stood against the stigma of Hansen’s Disease, also known as leprosy. Children from Ettinger Village, a rehabilitation center for leprosy patients, were enrolled at Daewang Elementary School. The Seoul Board of Education ensured everyone that these children posed no contagion risk.
However, the parents of the other students reacted strongly. On April 18, they withdrew their children from Daewang Elementary School. They declared they would not return until the children from Ettinger Village were removed.
One of the children from Ettinger Village was twelve-year-old Noh Song-ae. Her diary entries reflect the pain of rejection. She wrote about classmates refusing to enter the school with her. She described entering an empty classroom alone.
Initially, officials planned to create a separate school. This led to criticism from health experts. They feared it would create Korean-style racial segregation. The Ministry of Education intervened and ordered the city to integrate the children. But when officials and doctors addressed the parents at Daewang Elementary School, they were met with resistance. Parents shouted slogans and demanded the principal’s dismissal.
Three hundred parents even chartered buses to protest at the education ministry. Police stopped them near the Han River. The parents were detained but continued their protest. Finally, an education officer told them the five children would be hospitalized for a week. This temporarily placated the protesters.
As the children were absent, some students returned to Daewang Elementary School. However, most stayed away. To resolve the situation, Education Minister Hong Jong-chul transferred his daughter to Daewang Elementary School. The five children were later released from the National Medical Center with a clean bill of health. They were placed with families of high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. These officials volunteered to care for them. They wanted to prove the children were not infectious.
Despite these efforts, the government eventually gave in to parental pressure. They decided to establish a new primary school for the five children. On June 23, the children began attending a school at the Korea Theological Seminary. This school was far from their homes. They had to stay in dorms away from their families during the week. Four of the children were only six years old.
Though the families attempted to petition the government, it doesn’t seem a new school was ever built closer to home.
The events at Daewang Elementary School highlight the challenges of combating stigma. The actions of the Korean government, health officials, and some members of the community demonstrated courage. They stood up for the rights of marginalized children. Today, Daewang Middle School stands as a reminder of this difficult chapter. It shows how far society has come and how much further we still need to go in fighting prejudice and promoting inclusion.