Teachers hold 1-day strike to protest violence in schools

ISTANBUL

Several teachers staged a one-day strike on May 10 to protest violence against educators, resulting in empty classrooms across the country, notably in Istanbul.

The teachers' protest came in the wake of significant public outcry and backlash within the education community following the murder of a school principal by an expelled student in Istanbul's Eyüpsultan district earlier this week.

In line with decisions made by certain education unions, several teachers did not hold classes, with news reports indicating high participation in the work stoppage.

Upon notification of the planned protest by teachers in schools, students refrained from attending classes. Due to the teachers' strike, schools remained unusually empty compared to regular days, local media stated.

Istanbul also witnessed a demonstration by a group of teachers outside the city headquarters of the Education Ministry, along with Beyazıt Square.

Thousands of teachers gathered at the Ankara building of the ministry and marched towards the parliament, shouting slogans calling for an end to violence in schools.

The demonstration, attended by numerous teachers from seven unions, highlighted security vulnerabilities and called attention to measures.

Expressing their grievances and demands, teachers called for a reassessment of security measures in schools and more deterrent penalties for crimes committed against educators.

“The education workforce urgently demands and awaits the implementation of legal regulations that provide exclusively deterrent punitive measures against incidents of violence directed towards them, as well as legal protections for victims of violence," said Ali Yalçın, the head of a union.

Following the news of the protests on May 9, the ministry issued a written statement asserting that education would continue uninterrupted, emphasizing that these calls were directed specifically at unionized teachers.

On May 9, Minister Yusuf Tekin announced that his ministry will soon propose an amendment seeking to raise penalties for violence against educators in schools by 50 percent to the parliament.