▲ 여수공업고등학교 전경

실업계 명문 고등학교로 자리 잡은 전남 여수공업고등학교에 '사학비리'가 터져 나오면서 교직원들이 몸살을 앓고 있다.

이 학교 행정실장 A씨가 수천만 원대 공금을 횡령한 사실이 전라남도 교육청 감사에서 적발돼 경찰의 수사의뢰 뒤 불구속 기소된 것으로 취재결과 나타났다.

22일 전남도교육청과 여수공고 등에 따르면 교내 물품과 기자재 등을 구매하는 과정에서 금액을 부풀리는 수법으로 공금을 빼돌렸다고 밝혔다.

이에 따라 도교육청은 공금횡령이 사실로 드러난 행정실장 A씨에 대한 징계위원회를 열어 중징계 해임을 의결해 학교 재단 측에 통보했다고 전했다.

그런데 도교육청의 이 같은 해임처분 요구에도, 사학재단 측은 어찌된 영문인지 A씨를 중징계하기는커녕 정직 1개월 솜방망이 처벌에 그쳐 교내 안팎에서 후폭풍이 거세게 일고 있다.

그도 그럴 것이 공금을 횡령한 A씨가 재단 측과 가까운 이유로, 도교육청의 해임처분을 깡그리 무시하면서 교내 시설보수를 담당하는 기술파트로 배치돼 직장 내 위화감만 커진 것으로 전해졌기 때문이다.

무엇보다 도교육청은 해임처분을 이행하지 않은 사학재단 측의 이해할 수 없는 정직 1개월 결정에 반발하며 재심의를 열어 과태료 600만원을 학교 측에 부과했다고 브레이크뉴스에 알렸다.

이에 앞서 도교육청은 여수공고 행정실장에 대한 비리 투서가 작년 2월 접수되면서 감사에 착수했고 공금횡령을 적발, 그해 여수경찰서에 수사를 의뢰했다.

하지만 올 들어 전 행정실장 A씨에 대한 또 다른 비리의혹이 담긴 투서가 도교육청에 추가로 접수되면서 사학재단 측이 바짝 긴장하고 있다고 복수의 관계자는 전했다.

실제 얼마 전 도교육청 감사실에 익명의 투서가 두 차례나 접수된 것으로 취재결과 확인되면서 감사 착수 여부에 교직원들이 촉각을 곤두세우고 있는 것으로 알려졌다.

▲ 전라남도 교육청 전경

공익제보자는 "사립학교 행정실장은 노른자위로 재단의 친인척이나 최측근 인물들이 주로 가는 자리"라면서 "내밀한 부분이 많아 이사장 또는 학교장의 전폭적인 신뢰를 등에 업을 수밖에 없다"고 말했다.

그러면서 "공금횡령으로 단죄를 받아도 과태료를 내면서까지 쉽사리 내치지 못하는 까닭이 있을 것"이라며 "감추는 자가 범인 이듯 잘못된 부분이 있다면 도려내는 것이 맞다"고 지적했다.

이와관련 전남도교육청 이형래 감사2팀장은 브레이크뉴스와 전화인터뷰를 갖고 "여수공고의 경우 투서가 계속 들어오고 있어 예의주시하고 있다"면서 "학교 측이 해임처분을 이행하지 않아 과태료를 부과하게 됐다"고 밝혔다.

이 감사팀장은 "사립학교의 경우 교직원들의 비위사실을 적발해도 제재할 수 있는 법적 강제수단이 없다"면서 "국회에서 사학재단법을 하루빨리 개정해야한다"고 목청을 높였다.

특히 여수공고는 이번 행정실장 공금횡령에 앞서 수년 전 B교감이 승진을 대가로 수천만 원의 부패스캔들에 휘말려 상당기간 국가 보조금을 지원받지 못해 곤혹을 치르기도 했다.

여수공고 김대원 교장은 브레이크뉴스와 대면 인터뷰를 갖고 "도교육청 감사과정에서 있어서는 안될 공금횡령이 적발돼 매우 송구스럽게 생각한다"고 말했다.

김 교장은 "공금횡령 적발 당시 행정실장을 직위해제했다"면서 "법원 재판에서 벌금 200만원이 확정돼 자체 징계위원회의를 열어 정직 1개월을 결정했다"고 밝혔다.

[아래는 구글로 번역한 영문기사 전문입니다. 영문번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다. Below is the full English article translated by Google. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.]

As ‘private school corruption’ broke out at Yeosu Technical High School in Jeollanam-do, which has established itself as a prestigious vocational high school, the faculty and staff are suffering.

Reports showed that Mr. A, the administrative director of this school, was found to have embezzled tens of millions of won worth of public funds during an audit by the Jeollanam-do Office of Education, and was indicted without detention after the police requested an investigation.

According to the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education and Yeosu Technical High School on the 22nd, public funds were embezzled by inflating the amount in the process of purchasing school supplies and equipment.

Accordingly, the Provincial Office of Education announced that it held a disciplinary committee meeting on Mr. A, the head of the administrative office, who was found to have embezzled public funds, and decided on severe disciplinary action and dismissal, notifying the school foundation.

However, despite the Provincial Office of Education's request for dismissal, the private school foundation for some reason did not severely discipline Mr. A, but only gave him a one-month suspension, causing a strong repercussions both inside and outside the school.

This is because it is said that Mr. A, who embezzled public funds, was assigned to the technical part in charge of repairing school facilities while ignoring the dismissal of the Provincial Office of Education because he was close to the foundation, which only increased the sense of discomfort in the workplace.

Above all, the Provincial Office of Education informed Break News that it held a reconsideration and imposed a fine of 6 million won on the school in opposition to the incomprehensible decision of the private school foundation to suspend the student for one month for not carrying out the dismissal.

Prior to this, the Provincial Office of Education began an audit after receiving a letter of corruption against the administrative director of Yeosu Technical High School in February of last year, discovered embezzlement of public funds, and requested an investigation by the Yeosu Police Station that year.

However, multiple officials said that the private school foundation is on edge as another letter containing suspicions of corruption against former administrative chief Mr. A was received by the Provincial Office of Education this year.

In fact, it has been reported that faculty and staff are paying close attention to whether or not an audit will be launched, as it was confirmed through reporting that two anonymous letters were received by the provincial office of education's audit office not long ago.

A public interest informant said that the head of the administrative office of a private school is a place where relatives or close associates of the foundation usually go, and because there are many intimate details, he has no choice but to rely on the full trust of the chairman or school principal.

At the same time, he added that even if he is convicted of embezzlement of public funds, there may be a reason why he cannot be easily kicked out by paying a fine, and that just as the person who hides it is the criminal, it is right to cut out any mistakes.

In relation to this, Lee Hyeong-rae, head of Audit Team 2 of the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education, had a phone interview with Break News and said that in the case of Yeosu Technical High School, letters of complaint are continuously coming in, so we are keeping a close eye on it, and that a fine for negligence was imposed because the school did not comply with the dismissal order.

Lee, the audit team leader, raised his voice, saying that in the case of private schools, there is no legal enforcement means to sanction even if misconduct by faculty and staff is discovered, and that the Private School Foundation Act must be revised as soon as possible.

In particular, Yeosu Technical High School was embroiled in a corruption scandal several years ago, in which Vice Principal B received tens of millions of won in exchange for a promotion, prior to the embezzlement of public funds by the head of the administrative office, and was in trouble as it was unable to receive government subsidies for a considerable period of time.

Daewon Kim, principal of Yeosu Technical High School, had a face-to-face interview with Break News and said that he was very sorry that illegal embezzlement of public funds was discovered during the provincial office of education audit.

Principal Kim said that the head of the administrative office was dismissed from his position when the embezzlement of public funds was discovered, and that a fine of 2 million won was confirmed in the court trial, so an internal disciplinary committee meeting was held and a one-month suspension was decided.