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Barış Terkoğlu shares: School principal tried to stop students reciting the 'Student Oath'

Journalist Barış Terkoğlu shared a video on his social media account showing high school students reciting the 'Student Oath' (Andımız) during a ceremony held for November 10. In the video, it is seen that the school principal wanted to stop the students, but the young people recited the 'Student Oath' to the end.

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Due to November 10 falling during the mid-term break, the Atatürk commemoration ceremonies were held on November 8.

While young people and children across the country expressed their longing and love for Atatürk during the commemoration ceremonies, students at the Işılay Saygın Fine Arts High School began to recite the 'Student Oath' after the National Anthem at the ceremony held at the school.

The principal, who reacted to the start of the recitation of the 'Student Oath,' which has not been recited in schools since 2013, went up to the stage and tried to silence the students. Those moments were captured by the students' cameras.

Here are the statements Barış Terkoğlu used in his post:

Işılay Saygın Fine Arts High School students commemorated Atatürk at today's ceremony because schools will be on break on November 10.

The students recited the Student Oath after the National Anthem.

The principal, who heard the Student Oath being recited, reacted to the students. He tried to stop them by using harsh language toward the students.

Those moments were captured by the students' cameras.

HERE IS THE STATEMENT MADE BY AKP CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN REGARDING THE ABOLITION OF THE 'STUDENT OATH'

Erdoğan, who was Prime Minister at the time, said the following in a statement he made in 2013 regarding the decision to abolish the 'Student Oath':

"The author of the text known as the Student Oath was Reşit Galip, a highly controversial figure. Reşit Galip is one of the architects of the Turkish-language adhan oppression. Furthermore, Reşit Galip was a so-called scientist who classified people according to their skulls. The oath practice has nothing to do with our republic. Because the CHP and MHP do not know the history of this practice, they are choosing to start a shortcut exploitation campaign and mislead the nation.

In the 30s, such practices were being carried out to format society, like Hitler and Stalin. You cannot see texts in any developed country in the world where children are lined up for roll call and racist slogans are recited. You don't sweeten your mouth by saying 'honey, honey'; you sweeten your mouth by eating honey. You don't become a Turk by saying 'I am a Turk.' You don't become hardworking by saying 'I am hardworking.' A person acquires certain values through the education they receive from their family, teachers, and environment. They left hard work aside and condemned the country to debt and unemployment. If the Student Oath had gone beyond mere words, the CHP and MHP would not have made Turkey pay such heavy prices in the first place. Who is working, who is right, we are right. We changed the landscape of an underdeveloped country. Let them go and read; they will see more details of what I have described. They will see that the practice has no relation to the founding philosophy of the republic, and they will see the politics of exploitation. Is there anyone like us? No."