Turkish teacher and principal dismissed from duty over rainbow decoration at report card ceremony

Duvar English

A Turkish teacher and school principal have been temporarily suspended from duty after former Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek’s targeting of them over rainbow decoration used on the report card day, according to reporting by Sendika.Org.

On June 17, Gökçek had on social media shared a photo of teacher Emine Yaşhi with one of her students in front of a rainbow decoration. “If this woman is a teacher, she should be immediately suspended from duty. Those pushing our children to homosexuality are our children’s murderers,” Gökçek had said in his post.

Families whose children are attending the Sarıyer Emirgan Primary School have reacted against the dismissal of the teacher and principal and launched a campaign on Change.Org with the title of “When did rainbow become a crime? When were the colors banned?”

The campaign letter said that rainbow-themed report card ceremony was organized by parents at the Sarıyer Emirgan Primary School on June 16 and that decorations were set up in the classroom. “A photo was shared on social media with the allegations that the colors in the decorations evoked LGBT. And the teacher in the photo was shown as a target. Upon this, Teacher Emine was dismissed from duty,” the campaign letter said, demanding the immediate reinstatement of the teacher.

“We want justice for Teacher Emine who has been lynched unjustly and dismissed from duty! We stand by our teacher!” said the parents in their campaign letter.