Teacher

As in every year, we have entered November 24th, Teachers' Day, with the great hardships imposed upon our teachers. Yet, education is the cornerstone of a society, and teachers, who fulfill this important mission, are invaluable to us all. Teachers, who do not merely impart knowledge but also contribute to shaping our future, hold a very important place in all of our lives. 

The Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was conscious of education and its soldiers, the teachers, and stated, “Those who save nations are only and exclusively teachers. A nation deprived of teachers and educators has not yet earned the ability to be called a nation.” 

It is an indisputable fact that in our country, teachers have suffered the greatest losses in the battle between darkness and light. In the experiment of the Village Institutes, established by the law enacted on April 17, 1940, it was seen how teachers could change a society and enable its evolution from darkness to light. 

Despite all the positive aspects that emerged in a short time, as a result of the fear and pressure from sovereign powers and conservative circles, the Village Institutes—the only example of their kind in the world—were abandoned and closed down. 

In my 43-year career as a judge, I have observed with great sadness that the professional group that has suffered the most in this society is teaching. Exiles, complaints, investigations, penalties, and various forms of mobbing have unfortunately begun to be seen as a normal part of teachers' lives. 

In the words of the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk; teachers, who resemble a candle that consumes itself to provide light to others, have been left alone with economic hardships that have peaked, especially today. Beyond not being able to be appointed; even those who are appointed have found no other option but to work as taxi drivers, street vendors, or take on a second job to support their families. 

As a result of the September 12 coup and the July 15 coup attempt, teachers have been the segment most frequently dismissed from their profession. Although the Council of State partially remedied the grievances of teachers whose duties were terminated without question under Martial Law Act No. 1402 on September 12, the grievances of teachers who were dismissed from their jobs via Statutory Decrees after July 15 still continue. 

During my education life in Urfa before university, I saw that teachers did not just settle for transferring their knowledge, but also provided the keys to how to be a good and useful person to society by acting as role models. 

When I won the university entrance exam and was going to Ankara to study, my late teacher, Celal Aşar, gave me advice for days about higher education and life in a big city. 

This valuable teacher of mine told me that outside of study hours, I should go to theater, ballet, and classical music concerts, even if I had to sacrifice other needs; he said that even if I didn't like them at first, I wouldn't be able to give them up once I got used to them. 

He also insistently advised me to be sensitive to the country's problems and not to stray from the path shown by Atatürk. Looking back today, I remember with gratitude how much I benefited from what he said. 

On November 24th, Teachers' Day, teachers protesting with the cry “we want our rights, not praise” are demanding what they deserve for a humane life from the state and society. 

Supporting this rightful demand is not only a humanitarian duty but also the legacy of the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to us.