Parent complaint over safety concerns leads to relay race cancellation

'The problem is schools giving in to every complaint'

Students take part in a sports day at an elementary school in Sejong. [Yonhap]
Students take part in a sports day at an elementary school in Sejong. [Yonhap]

A relay race at an elementary school sports day was abruptly canceled after a parent filed a complaint calling it dangerous, stirring controversy online.

A post that surfaced on Instagram on Monday included a video of a parent, identified only as A, talking with a child about what happened.

The child said a parent had complained that the relay race was dangerous, leading to its cancellation on Monday, and expressed disappointment over the decision.

When A asked whether runners had already been chosen to represent each class, the child said yes, adding that students had apparently heard the news from their teacher.

The race had been called off even after class representatives had already been selected to compete.

The video drew tens of thousands of views, with many commenters saying the safety concern was overblown and expressing sympathy for the children who had prepared and looked forward to the event.

Others questioned the school's decision, with some saying the real problem was schools giving in to every complaint they receive.

One commenter speculated that the parent who filed the complaint may have done so because the child had not been selected as a runner.

The relay race is traditionally the closing highlight of school sports days in South Korea. Runners chosen to represent their class compete in two teams, passing a baton in sequence — a handoff that occasionally results in falls.


jshan@heraldcorp.com