While the activities carried out by foundations and associations in schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education are frequently on the agenda, the most recent example was tension during the promotion made on behalf of TÜGVA in an Anatolian high school in Hatay's Antakya district.
TÖBSEN General Law and Collective Labor Agreement Secretary Ahmet Karaçay, who works as a teacher at the school, explained that a group of three women and two men came to the school on October 13 and introduced TÜGVA to the students, and at the end of the presentation, one of the students wanted to take a photo.
Karaçay claimed that a person in the group made insulting and threatening statements towards him after he objected to the photo shoot. Explaining what happened to Cumhuriyet, Karaçay stated that the group in question came to the school while the school principal was not on official duty. Karaçay said that the people who came on behalf of TÜGVA insisted on entering a class by showing their ministry and governorship approvals. Karaçay said, 'Let's get into a class,' they forced us. Thereupon, they were taken to a classroom, but the vice principal specifically said that photographs should not be taken.
'WE NEED TO TAKE A PHOTO OF ONE OF YOU'
Karaçay stated that the promotion continued during the fifth period and that he noticed the crowd in the classroom while passing through the corridor after class and entered the classroom by knocking on the door. Karaçay stated that there were writings about TÜGVA on the board and the students listened to the presentation during the lunch break.
Stating that he stayed in the classroom for about five minutes, Karaçay said that later, a person in the group told the students that a photo should be taken. Karaçay said, "They said to the students, 'We need to take a photo of one of you. You can go up to the blackboard and pretend to write like this.' At first, no one volunteered. When asked a few more times, one of our female students said, 'I can leave,' without seeming too volunteering." Stating that he intervened thereupon, Karaçay noted that he told the student to sit down and said, "I told them, 'You cannot force anyone.' I asked them why they wanted to take the children's photographs. I said that it was against KVKK. I asked, 'Have you told the children everything?'"
'GET THIS TEACHER'S ID'
Karaçay said that after his objection, a person in the group asked him: "Who are you?" "He said to me, 'Know your place', 'You have no manners', 'You have no limits'. Then he turned to the person next to him and said, 'Take this teacher's ID'. I objected by saying 'Who are you to take my ID?'" he said. Emphasizing that the discussion took place in front of the students, Karaçay claimed that the same person later approached him.
Karaçay said, "I will put you in your place, you stop." Then he took out his phone and started calling someone. The deputy principal of the class and our teacher friends who heard the incident intervened." Explaining that the school principal later came to the school and met with the group that came on behalf of TÜGVA in his room, Karaçay said that the incident did not end there.
'HE WALKED ON ME AGAIN IN THE CORRIDOR'
Stating that the incident did not end there, Karaçay stated that he encountered the group again about 15 minutes later on the floor where he was on duty and said, "When we met in the corridor, I said, 'We know you'. Thereupon, he said, 'What are you looking at?' and waved his finger. He walked towards me again at the top of the stairs, where the school's cameras are located. This time, the school principal prevented me by holding him back." Karaçay pointed out that the events took place in front of the eyes of the students and stated that the personal data and security of the students should be taken into consideration in the activities carried out within the school.
TÜGVA CLAIMS WERE LIE
TÜGVA managers, to whom we asked about the allegations, rejected what was said. TÜGVA officials argued that there was no pressure or coercion against the students at the school, and that the allegations of threats and insults against the teacher did not reflect the truth.
