• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.97-130
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• 2015

This paper examines effects of the Korean Student Human Rights Ordinance on student behavior. The ordinance was put into effect in some municipalities (Seoul, Kyongki, Kwanju, Jonbuk) from 2010. Since the ordinance prohibits corporal punishment and other authoritative treatments of students in school, the paper estimates effects of indulgent teaching on student behaviors. Our difference-in-differences estimates suggest that the ordinance has little effect on the students' propensity to behave, intimacy with classmates and teachers and overall satisfaction with school life. In contrast, the ordinance increases the likelihood of students, especially low-performing and mid-performing students suffering from problem behaviors of other students. This implies that some (probably low-performing and mid-performing) students tend to commit more problem behaviors after the ordinance has taken effect.