'Teacher Torturing Child with Disability Discharged, Yet Not Enough'

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Following the footage displaying violence against students with disabilities at Kocaeli Köseköy Youth Education and Rehabilitation Center operating under Ministry of Family and Social Policies, the teacher named M.A. employed at the center has been discharged.

The footage which came out the previous week also includes scenes of the teacher named M.A. slapping the child says, “Bite it you donkey. I will break your jaw if you don’t!”.

The same footage shows the teacher taking a child to shower with the clothes on, pouring water under his pullover and his pants while laughing.

The Ministry statement said that “The photographs and the footage displayed in the news have been confirmed to be at least two years old, the labor contract of M.A. employed in the institution on the basis of service procurement and involved in the incidents has been terminated and criminal complaint has been filed to Kocaeli regarding the incident to Kocaeli Chief Public Prosecutor”.

Not individual but systematic

Süleyman Akbulut, President of the Social Rights and Studies Foundation (TOHAD) has expressed that discharging M.A. alone does not solve the problem and an investigation should be conducted regarding whether the superiors in charge for observing and inspecting the employees of the institution have been negligent.

Akbulut has added, that the ones penalized due to such crimes should not be able to participate in public service further. Besides an investigation should be launched concerning the possibility that this act of violence may not be an individual case but systematic.

Institutions don’t share data

President of Social Rights and Researches Association, which is among the ones that prepared the report, Süleyman Akbulut, said the issues is known as far as it is reflected in media but in reality, the problem is much bigger. Besides, they couldn’t receive any reply.

“We have been asking all concerned ministries and institutions for two years whether there is any ill-treatment with respect to disability. We haven’t received any data from any institutions, which means they don’t have any data or won’t share with us”.

Akbulut added that three main deficiencies which cause this problem are lack of qualified instructors and assistant staff, state supervision, not being open to inspection of NGOS and impunity. (NV/DG)