This study aims to analyze gender-discriminatory factors in school songs and precepts and improve them in the viewpoint of gender equality.
For this purpose, we delved into all public schools’ school songs and precepts in Gyeongsangbuk-do. The conte...
This study aims to analyze gender-discriminatory factors in school songs and precepts and improve them in the viewpoint of gender equality.
For this purpose, we delved into all public schools’ school songs and precepts in Gyeongsangbuk-do. The context and content of the school songs and precepts were analyzed, with focus on gender role stereotypes and gender-discriminatory expressions. Then they were analyzed by level and type of school including elementary, middle, and high schools and by year of school foundation.
The result of this study is as follows: Firstly, the survey found male-designated expressions such as ‘geona(virile son)’ and ‘hwarang(male soldeir in Silla Dynasty)’ in all levels of schools. Secondly, gender role stereotypes and gender-discriminatory expressions were found in the school songs in female schools. Lastly, gender role stereotypes and gender-discriminatory expressions appeared in greater frequency in schools established before 2000, compared with those established after 2000.
As the resulf of this study, we propose four recommendations to improve the gender-discriminatory elements in the school songs and precepts. Firstly, the Education Office of Gyeongsangbuk-do needs to revise its Gender Equality Ordinance as a way of providing institutional support. Secondly, it is necessary for the Education Office of Gyeongsangbuk-do to provide budget for correcting the gender-discriminatory factors in school songs and precepts. It requires a comprehensive program supported by the Education Office to improve the gender-discriminatory content in the school songs and precepts in this province. Thirdly, it is needed to hold meetings, talk concerts, and exhibits so as to share common grounds of school songs and precepts from the perspective of gender equality among the students, graduates, school employees, and parents. Fourthly, it is necessary to draw up guidelines for eliminating gender-discriminatory and human rights-violating factors in school songs and precepts.
In particular, it is necessary to include the opinions of students, who are the main members of schools, in the improvement of school songs and precepts from a gender equality perspective. Through follow-up research, we intend to propose ways to eliminate gender discrimination elements in Gyeongsangbuk-do public school songs and precepts based on the perspectives of the students.