Voices raised for better safety education for children following the Sewol Ferry accident

Article: Can't trust adults when they tell you to "stay where you are"... take care of your own child, parents step up safety lessons

Source: Kukmin Ilbo via Naver

Since the Sewol Ferry accident, parents are being more proactive on teaching their kids basic safety knowledge on subways, planes, ships, elevators, etc. Many parents are seen with their children in hand walking around public transportation systems and teaching them what to do in certain situations.

Swimming classes have also nearly doubled and many lessons are now implementing accident prevention and other safety tips along with their lessons.

The education board is trying to implement more safety lessons in the classroom as well instead of leaving it to the parents alone, with many arguing that children should be taught from childhood into adulthood how to deal with different situations without having to rely on an "adult who tells you to stay where you are."

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1. [+1,608, -18] Yeah, safety lessons must be taught in school.

2. [+1,392, -10] That's right, what help will those few extra after school classes do for you... I'm thinking the kids should learn a special sport to keep themselves strong and protect themselves with...

3. [+1,249, -8] I agree with the article... Come to think of it, I've never had any safety lessons anywhere. It's time that we don't rely on books but actually teach our kids like these situations will actually happen.

4. [+1,044, -18] I think swimming is a skill everyone should know. It's embarrassing to say this as a 33 year old but I don't know how to. I'm planning on taking lessons starting May.

5. [+277, -6] This damn country makes you do everything on your own while raising your kid... The government keeps pushing for us to have kids but what do they do for us? Do they not realize why birth rates are so low?

6. [+230, -3] Here's a safety lesson for you: when your ship is sinking, follow your captain wherever he goes... that is the safest way to rescue!!!

7. [+189, -9] I'm a mother and I'll be the first to admit that if my family's sick, our apartment sets on fire, a thief breaks in, or our kid chokes on a candy, I won't know what to do. Like men must receive training in the army, I think women need similar training to protect both ourselves and our families. We need consistent training so that our bodies will know what to do in emergency situations. I really hope that our country will implement something for this.

8. [+182, -3] I feel like a call for better safety education in schools is just avoiding the actual issue here, which is that the ferry crew did not do their jobs. No matter how much we teach our students in school, what will that do for them in an actual situation? Will they all survive? The students on that ferry all had safety education given to them and they followed them thoroughly: in the case of an emergency, follow and trust the officials. Isn't that always the #1 safety rule? If we're going to be changing anything here, it needs to be the sense of responsibility and morals by the people responsible for actually saving lives.

9. [+172, -7] In Japan in 1955, when children were accidentally dying in the waters, they implemented swimming pools in elementary schools nationwide and made swimming lessons obligatory. Why is it that in our cuontry, parents must do it on their own? For parents who can't afford it, does that mean that they cannot help their children learn to save themselves nor trust the country to save their children?

10. [+139, -0] As always, it's the mothers who have to do it on their own... The country does nothing to help out.. Living in Korea means you pay all the taxes for nothing in return!

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Article: Spanish ferry captain saves all 334 of his passenger and crew "Everyone get on the deck"

Source: SBS via Nate

A Spanish ferry with 334 people on board caught fire on the 26th but thanks to the captain's directions to put on life vests and get on the deck, no lives were lost.

1. [+903, -10] What a comparison to our country

2. [+738, -47] Shows how developed countries handle it differently

3. [+676, -26] Don't compare Korea to Spain. Our country is not a developed country.

4. [+43, -0] Until when must we have to read stories of other countries in jealousy?

5. [+31, -0] Ha... my insides are on fire. If only our captain had had a sense of responsibility and made the right decision;;;

6. [+24, -0] This is how it should be done... everyone should've been able to return to the arms of their families. Was it that hard for the captain to call everyone to the deck... you foolish captain.

7. [+20, -0] I'm tearing up out of jealousy...

8. [+15, -0] This just shows how important the role of a captain is

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