Woman teacher ‘assaulted’ over gender-separation curtain at high school
A female teacher at a religious vocational school, known as "imam-hatip" in Turkish, in Kırklareli, northwestern Turkey, was allegedly assaulted by the school’s deputy principal.
The incident occurred on October 27 over a dispute regarding the gender-segregated areas of the school’s dormitory, the daily BirGün reported. Students from another high school were invited for lunch to Lüleburgaz İmam-Hatip High School, and a curtain had been installed to separate the male and female sections.
Aylin Gabralı, a teacher, opened the curtain, allowing students to access the dining area. However, this led to a confrontation when Engin Yıldırım, the deputy principal of the school's dormitory, stood up and closed the curtain, citing visibility concerns for woman students.
bianet is Monitoring Male Violence
A dispute ensued, with Aylin Gabralı questioning the reason behind closing the curtain. An altercation followed as Yıldırım reacted violently, reportedly physically assaulting Gabralı.
The teacher, who suffered visible bruising on her arms, legs, and head, called the police and filed a complaint against Yıldırım. She also obtained a medical report confirming her injuries.
Aylin Gabralı provided an account of the incident, saying, "I asked why he closed the curtain and emphasized the need for us to see the students. When I said that he didn't need to shout, he responded with increased aggression, physically approaching me. The tray I was holding fell unintentionally, leading to his violent reaction."
No camera recordings
Complicating matters, security cameras throughout the school premises have reportedly not been operational for the past six months. This situation has raised significant concerns regarding the safety and security of the dormitory, where both male and female students reside.
Engin Yıldırım, when questioned about the allegations, denied physically intervening and argued that the curtain should remain closed due to the school's nature as an Imam Hatip school.
He contended that this rule was necessary and explained that Aylin Gabralı threw food at him, prompting his involuntary response.
Yıldırım acknowledged the non-functioning state of the dormitory's surveillance cameras, a situation that raises questions about monitoring and security within the school.
Condemnation from union
Emrah Gültekin, the Kırklareli Provincial Representative of the Hürriyetçi Eğitim-Sen union, issued a statement condemning the attack on the teacher.
The statement emphasized the unacceptability of violence against a teacher, especially a woman, and questioned the absence of functioning surveillance cameras in a dormitory housing female students.
The union called for an immediate administrative investigation into the incident and the suspension of the responsible individual.
The number of imam-hatip schools in Turkey has increased dramatically in the last two decades. According to official statistics, there were 3,110 imam-hatip schools in Turkey in 2015, which increased to more than 5,000 in 2023.
With about 1.5 million students enrolled, the imam-hatip schools have become a major part of the country’s education system. (EMK/VK)