Physics teacher suffers severe burns after guidance counselor throws hot tea in their face

The incident took place at Yılmaz Çetintaş Anatolian High School. According to the allegations, an incident occurred on February 2 between Serkan Keskinbaş, a physics teacher and administrator who is a father of two, and a guidance counselor identified as T.G. It is claimed that the guidance counselor T.G. verbally provoked Keskinbaş and bumped into him with his shoulder. Four days after this incident, on February 6, Serkan Keskinbaş was in his office when T.G. approached him from behind and startled him. Angered by this, Keskinbaş asked T.G. to leave his office. It is alleged that T.G. reacted to Keskinbaş, who was expressing his frustration, by using profanity. Following these words, the physics teacher, now thoroughly angered, told T.G. to leave the room. At that moment, it is alleged that T.G. threw the cup of hot tea he was holding in his hand toward Serkan Keskinbaş's face. Keskinbaş, whose face was burned, was taken to the hospital by school staff, where it was determined that he had sustained first-degree burns on his face. It was learned that the teacher, who is still undergoing treatment, has filed a complaint against T.G.

"He approached me and bumped into me"

Serkan Keskinbaş, who claims to have been subjected to pressure from the guidance counselor named T.G. while on duty at Yılmaz Çetintaş Anatolian High School, said, "I was constantly subjected to bullying by our guidance counselor regarding the guidance service at our school. He constantly gave me nicknames in front of students, parents, and my fellow teachers. He always humiliated and belittled me with animal figures, saying things like, 'King, what are you doing?' or 'You never gave me a report today.' I shared this with both him and the school principal, expressing that I was uncomfortable, but he didn't care. He continued to behave this way. I just continued with my work. On Monday, February 2, while I was standing next to the school principal during the flag ceremony, he came up to me, approached me, and bumped into me with his shoulder. He humiliated me again during the ceremony by using nicknames in the same way, and I was uncomfortable with this situation and headed toward my office. I went to my office and tried to calm down; then I explained my problem to the school principal, who said he would give the necessary warnings," he said.

"He made contact and startled me"

Speaking about the day of the incident, Keskinbaş continued:

"Subsequently, on the day of the incident, February 6, I started my shift to carry out tasks related to education and training. I shared a post in the teacher's WhatsApp group for a 1-minute moment of silence and earthquake awareness work at the school. I had a promotion exam the next day. I was distracted while preparing the entrance documents and my belongings for that exam. My door is always open to all students and parents. Our school's guidance counselor came in silently, without knocking, sneaked up behind me, said 'Boo,' and touched me, startling me. Yes, he was joking; then I turned around, and I was very surprised to see the guidance counselor. I mean, I was so startled that my heart jumped into my mouth. I turned and said, 'Get out.' Is that how you approach a person?"

"He threw the hot tea in my face"

Physics teacher Serkan Keskinbaş said, "Afterward, he used two heavy profanities against me, things that cannot be repeated. I absolutely did not respond to him in kind verbally. Then, I pushed him slightly so he would leave. After that, he threw the hot tea he was holding in his hand toward my face. He didn't throw the cup. He intentionally threw only the boiling tea inside it at my face and scalded me. The police also came, and photos were taken. There are tea stains all over my office. He is trying to defend himself by saying, 'It happened during a scuffle.' But that is not the case. He threw the hot, boiling tea toward my face with the intent to injure me and targeting my face. I was very shocked by this situation," he said.

"I said, 'Help me, my face is burned'"

Teacher Keskinbaş, who was taken under treatment after the incident and is currently unable to go to school, said, "After that, he left the room. My colleagues headed to the room. Our English teacher and the teachers on duty at the school came. I told them: 'Help me, my face is burned.' I immediately washed my face with cold water and called the school principal. He said, 'I'll be there in a minute.' He came immediately and took me to the hospital. I sustained first-degree burns on my forehead, under my eyelids, and on my eyebrow. He said there was also slight edema in my eye. But he said, 'Thank God you closed your eyelids, no damage was done.' I was told there would be no permanent damage or scarring. During this time, my family, my children, and my mother were very upset and devastated. I want to continue my duty from where I left off. Because I am an administrator who loves my state very much and I love serving young people," he said.