The Purpose of this article is to analyze the change in school sites since the
legitimation of Korean teacher union in 1999. The change is described in
terms of the level and ways of teacher union influence, responses and
behaviors of school administrators, conflicts between administrators and
union members, and among teacher groups, and the positive and negative
impacts of union legitimation.
For this purpose, the study employed a qualitative research method. In
particular, interviews for teachers working at 16 elementary and secondary
public schools in the Seoul metropolitan area were used in the forms of
group interviews and written interviews. Further, comprehensive interviews
were added for three administrators and another three building
representatives of teacher union.
The study found that the change at individual sites was quite different
among schools. The general trend is that union legitimation has reinforced
the democratization of school administration, which is a positive aspect. The
negative aspect is that somewhat serious conflicts among members of
teaching community, especially between administrators and union members
remain. Therefore, efforts to reduce stress and conflicts among the teaching
community are necessary in the government's education policy and school
site management in order to avoid a decline in effectiveness of public
schooling.