Primary school staff suspended in İstanbul after 'rainbow decorations'

Following the creation of rainbow-themed decorations on report card day, a primary school principal and teacher in İstanbul have been suspended from their positions.

The decision to suspend them came after Melih Gökçek, former mayor of Ankara and member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), made a call for their suspension.

Gökçek alleged on Twitter that the colors used in the decorations evoked associations with the LGBTI+ community, saying, "If this woman is a teacher, she should be suspended immediately."

Consequently, Emine Kızıldağ, the principal of Sarıyer Emirgan Primary School, and teacher Emine Yahşi were suspended of their duties.

Outraged by the situation, parent Orhan Özdemir initiated a signature campaign, questioning, "When did the rainbow become a crime? When were colors banned?"

The campaign emphasized the character of Emine as a beloved and respected educator, asserting, "We demand justice for Emine, who has been unjustly targeted and suspended from her position! We stand by our teacher."

Support from the Pride Week Committee

In response to the suspensions, the İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week Committee issued a statement expressing support for the affected teachers. They claimed that the colors used in the decorations were being associated with LGBTI+ issues.

"We stand in solidarity with Emine Y., the teacher at Sarıyer Emirgan Primary School, and Principal Emine K. We stand by the educators who were dismissed for their rainbow decorations. Our flags will fly high in every square," the statement declared.

Asserting their unwavering stance, the statement continued, "We won't beg for mercy. We won't compromise. We know who you are, and we are not strangers to this fight. We won't back down. We insist on our humanity. We have thousands of reasons to justify our noble struggle for life." (VK)