AKP's Birinci takes a different stance from his party on the dress code scandal

Some female students who arrived at the Alaettin Kurt Anatolian High School for their graduation ceremony were denied entry to the event on the grounds that they were wearing clothing that violated regulations. 

While the doors were closed to the students, some parents and students reacted against the school administration. 

An argument broke out between the parents and the school administration. School principal Ahmet Korkmaz also came to the school gate and requested that the students not be allowed inside. Following the tension, a gendarmerie team was dispatched to the school upon notification.

MINISTER TEKIN DEFENDED THE PRINCIPAL

Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin made his first assessment of the incident while a guest on Habertürk and supported the high school principal, Ahmet Korkmaz, by saying, “Our school principal made a very logical start.”

Continuing his statement, Minister Tekin framed the debate over the female students' attire as if it were a space issue, saying, “He asked the parents, 'We are holding a graduation program, who will attend along with the students?'

He took an attendance list. The argument that started with 'we will take you if there is space left' for those not on the list evolved into another dimension. Negative images appeared on screens and social media. I felt sorry on behalf of my teacher colleagues. The incident was resolved in a short time anyway,” he said. 

AKP'S BIRINCI MADE A DIFFERENT STATEMENT THAN MINISTER TEKIN

Evaluating the dress code scandal on the agenda via his social media account, AKP's Mücahit Birinci argued that the school principal should be dismissed over the incident. In his post, Birinci included the following statements:

"I am of the opinion that a very big mistake was made by the school administration and the governor's office regarding the prom.

Our AK Party is the place where freedoms are embodied. If we look at the content of the incident, first of all, there is already no problem with the attire of our student sisters; furthermore, there is no authority to determine this problem, as the ballroom is not a public space. Anyone can dress as they wish. 

We are the individuals who, regarding freedoms, carried out the most serious opposition during the February 28 period for our sisters who were not allowed into universities with headscarves. We do not evaluate any lady based on her covering or lack thereof. 

Moreover, the mothers and fathers of these student sisters can decide what the prom attire should be and how the individual should dress. The administration cannot and should not be able to decide how people dress in a private space. Furthermore, as far as we can see from the footage, the outfits are appropriate for a prom.

Besides this, if an adverse situation arose, this could have been managed with gentle and reasoned warnings on an individual basis without letting the incident reach this point. It is regrettable that the incident caused a dress code debate.

However, unfortunately, the incident could not be managed. 

There is no need to prolong the matter; the school principal and whoever else is involved in this meddling must all be dismissed, and an apology must be made to the families of my student sisters by the authorized bodies; the rest is just empty talk."