Taipei education officials punished for misconduct

A Taipei elementary school principal accused of frequenting hostess bars and dance halls with an education inspector were punished with demerits yesterday.

Lo Jung-chih (羅榮枝), principal of the Yueng Chwuen Primary School (永春國小), and an education inspector with the city's Bureau of Education (教育局), Chiang Jen-chun (姜仁俊), both received one major demerit for frequenting hostess bars and dance halls.

Preliminary investigations into accusations that Lo illegally colluded with school construction contractors has not turned up any incriminating evidence.

The city, however, said that it will let the primary school principals' evaluation committee decide whether Lo is still fit for his post.

Chiang also received one minor demerit for sexually harassing a mother and was banned from conducting campus inspections.

David Lee (李錫津), director of the education bureau, said that the bureau is not afraid of "washing dirty laundry in public."

"Our principle is that we don't try to shelter or dodge those who make mistakes. We believe most of our teachers and principals are good people, but you cannot deny that there are some black sheep in the flock," Lee said.

On July 6, a mother personally handed Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) a petition letter to prosecute Chiang for sexually harassing her at her child's graduation party held on June 21.

Reacting to the complaint, the education bureau immediately questioned Chiang. The bureau decided later that day to ban Chiang from conducting campus inspections after he confessed to the allegation. Chiang filed a request for early retirement on July 11.

The controversy over Chiang's conduct continued on July 20 when New Party Taipei City councilors, Chung Hsiao-ping (鐘小平) and Chin Li-fang (秦儷舫), held a press conference to accuse Chiang of frequenting hostess bars with Lo.

They also accused Lo of illegally colluding with school construction contractors and allowing them to pay for their expenses at the hostess bars.

On July 21, the two councilors further claimed that Lo visited hostess bars over 100 times a year.

In response, Lo held a press conference later that day to deny the allegations. He said that he did not have an affair with a hostess nor did he give her his bankbook for safekeeping. He also denied that he had been taken to hostess bars by businessmen.