Tension at Turkish Minority School: Vice principal threatens with police intervention

Reports indicate that inappropriate behavior by the newly appointed vice principal of Celal Bayar Minority Middle and High School has caused tension within the school community.

The incident, which reportedly occurred on January 22, involved the vice principal (who is not a member of the minority) allegedly threatening the president of the School Committee with police intervention to remove him from the school premises.

Details of the Incident
According to a statement released by the School Committee, the Committee President entered the school on the morning of January 22 to fulfill his legal responsibilities. However, the vice principal demanded, in front of teachers and students, that the president leave the school. The president, citing his legal authority, refused to comply. Despite this, the vice principal allegedly threatened to have him removed by the police. The president eventually completed his visit and left the school.

Statement from the School Committee
Following the incident, the School Committee held a meeting and issued a public statement, criticizing the state regulations that they believe caused the tension.

"We sincerely wish to fulfill our authority and responsibilities stemming from our role as Committee members. We believe that the regulations creating this injustice must be reviewed and that Committee members should be allowed access to schools without obstruction. We urge the state to resolve this tension and provide an environment where all stakeholders in minority schools can work together harmoniously for the future of our children."

Call for Cooperation Instead of Tension
The Committee emphasized that this issue is not merely an administrative matter but a source of broader tension impacting the overall operation of minority schools. They called for constructive cooperation between minority representatives and state officials to ensure a healthy educational process.

This public appeal seeks support from parents and representatives of the minority community.

The full statement from the School Committee is as follows:

"On January 22, Wednesday, the President of the Celal Bayar Minority Middle and High School Committee entered the school within the framework of his legal rights and responsibilities. Around 8:30 AM, the vice principal addressed our President in the school cafeteria, in the presence of teachers and students, in an inappropriate manner, demanding that he leave the school premises, stating that his presence was not allowed.

In response, our President calmly explained that his presence at the school was legally justified and that he was there to fulfill the responsibilities of the Committee. Despite this explanation, the vice principal threatened to have him forcibly removed by the police. The vice principal also made a phone call, speaking to an unidentified individual, and asserted that the President's entry to the school was unauthorized. Nevertheless, our President remained composed, completed his visit, and left the premises.

Following these developments, the Committee convened to evaluate the incident and issued the following statement:

First and foremost, we remind all institutions that we sincerely wish to fulfill our authority and responsibilities stemming from our role as Committee members. We believe that the regulations creating this injustice must be reviewed and that Committee members should be allowed access to schools without obstruction.

We call on the state to put an end to this tension, ensuring that all stakeholders in minority schools can work harmoniously for the benefit of our children’s future.

We share this issue with the authorities, parents, and the public and expect the necessary steps to be taken for its resolution.

Sincerely,
Celal Bayar Minority Middle and High School Committee"