A Qualitative Research Study on the Practices of Schools and Third-Party Committees Regarding Child Suicide Cases

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20242
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: :Education and related fields
• Research Institution: University of the Ryukyus (2022-2023); Rikkyo University (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Imai Satoshi 琉球大学, 教育学部, 講師 (40907515)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 児童生徒の自殺 / 第三者調査委員会 / 事後対応 / 学校問題 / 責任帰属 / リアリティ分離 / 経験の政治学 / 因果関係

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to examine the difficulties schools face after a student suicide and the features of third-party investigation committees reviewing the responses of school teachers. To understand how schools and teachers are criticized following a student’s suicide, this study analyzes newspaper and magazine articles on student suicides, investigation reports from third-party committees, and interviews with experienced committee members and school teachers. The main findings are: First, when there are differing opinions among the parties involved, school teachers, acting as part of the organization, are often unable to make their claims public, which can obscure the reality of the school’s situation. Second, third-party investigation committees sometimes attribute responsibility and causality to school teachers, allowing for continuous scrutiny of the school’s actions.

Free Research Field

社会学、教育社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果には、第1に、児童生徒の自殺に関する既存研究に対して新たな視点を提示した上で、質的調査をもとに事例に即した分析・考察を提示したという学術的意義、第2に、通常省みられていない、学校現場や第三者委員会の実践上の論理を描き出すことが相互理解や対立解消に繋がりうるという社会的意義、第3に、実際に対応に当たっている学校関係者や第三者委員会の委員が自身の立場や経験を相対化し、より望ましい実践のあり方を構想するための議論の土台を提示したという実践的意義があると考えられる。