If a teacher is caught driving under the influence, are they immediately dismissed?

Teacher DUI is subject to stricter disciplinary standards than that of regular employees because it is evaluated together with the responsibility and ethics of a public official.

Public school teachers are subject to the Education Officials Act and the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Disciplinary Decree, so when DUI is caught, severe disciplinary action is often discussed beyond a simple warning or salary reduction.

Recently, education authorities have shown a tendency to apply strict standards to DUI regardless of blood alcohol concentration levels, and if license revocation level is confirmed, there is a high possibility that the disciplinary committee will judge it as a serious misconduct.

Even for first-time offenders, depending on the circumstances of DUI, blood alcohol level, and job characteristics, there are not few cases where the disciplinary committee makes strict judgments based on the morality required of teachers and the duty to protect students.

Teacher DUI disciplinary action can lead to matters that cause significant restrictions on teaching duties themselves, not just work restrictions.

Accordingly, substantive disadvantages such as severance pay and pension calculation, and the possibility of future reappointment may follow, and depending on the disciplinary results, returning to the teaching profession may not be realistically easy.

Also, in the disciplinary procedure within the education office that proceeds separately from criminal punishment for DUI, even if there are reflective letters or mitigating circumstances, it is difficult to substantially affect the disciplinary level if objective materials and specific explanations are insufficient.

Therefore, if your spouse is caught for teacher DUI, rather than responding emotionally, it is most important to systematically prepare explanatory materials and opinion statements before the disciplinary procedure and respond strategically with the assistance of an attorney experienced in this area.