Mobbing against the teacher who exposed corruption in Bursa: 'We will stand by her until the end'

Cenk Başboğaoğlu - 12punto.com.tr

Vice Principal Burcu Atasoy, who reported revolving fund corruption, an unregistered money collection scheme, and irregularities at Ergin Ağaç MTAL in Bursa's Osmangazi district to the prosecutor's office, was subjected to physical violence, harassment, and organized mobbing. While the administrators at the center of the incident were effectively rewarded with positions at central schools, teacher Atasoy, who exposed the irregularities, was sent kilometers away from her home. 12punto has obtained the relevant documents.

The financial and administrative irregularities that came to light at Ergin Ağaç Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School (MTAL) in Bursa's Osmangazi district have revealed yet another picture of how oversight and merit mechanisms operate within educational institutions.

According to official investigation documents, bank receipts, and complaint records submitted to the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office obtained by 12punto, Vice Principal Burcu Atasoy, who did not turn a blind eye to the corruption at the school and took the matter of public loss to the judiciary, became the target of months of organized pressure, physical assault, and slander.

PHYSICAL ASSAULT, HARASSMENT, AND ORGANIZED MOBBING

According to information reflected in investigation files and prosecutor's records, the process of targeting Burcu Atasoy began when she resisted the school administration's unlawful instructions and irregular practices.

Just two months into her tenure, Atasoy, who refused to draft false reports against teachers without concrete evidence and opposed the school kitchen being turned into a "personal banquet table," was physically assaulted in her office by acting vice principal İ.Ö. in front of teachers and parents.

On the other hand, it was recorded that accounting teacher H.A., who reportedly faced an investigation in the past in another district for alleged harassment of female students, engaged in systematic harassment within the school, and that this situation was reported to both the institution's administration and Ministry inspectors via official petitions.

It was reported that after Atasoy went on leave on February 12, 2026, due to the pressure, official folders and documents in her office were destroyed or hidden from inspectors. School administrators allegedly called staff, Community Benefit Program (TYP) workers, and students into their offices and forced them to sign baseless reports against Atasoy.

Disciplinary investigations were opened against Atasoy on 6 separate charges, including "impoliteness on social media," "not providing school passwords," "disrupting work," and "stealing a computer." With the 188-page work, achievement, and award documentation presented by Atasoy, most of the allegations were proven groundless and dismissed with a "No Grounds for Punishment" decision.

CHILD LABOR AND FINANCIAL SCHEME

The financial scheme allegedly established by the school administration was detailed in investigation file number 2026/19531, which was transferred to the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

It was revealed that during the summer, 14–15-year-old children (including Atasoy's 14-year-old son) were made to work as manual laborers, carrying heavy book bundles instead of being transported in vehicles during the Ministry of National Education's book distribution work. 

It was emphasized that instead of the daily wage of 2,000 TL, the children were paid 1,100 TL, and the difference was pocketed unofficially, resulting in the misappropriation of public funds.

Furthermore, bank records submitted to the prosecutor's office as evidence showed that School Principal Ş.Y. had an unofficial FAST transfer of 10,000 TL made to Atasoy's account on October 22, 2025, via a third party (G.I.), telling her, "I deposited this for your summer overtime."

On the other hand, it was documented that 6,000 TL per student was collected under the name of graduation and internship files from 12th-grade students, and 8,500 TL was collected from parents during new registration periods; and that student complaints to CİMER were swept under the rug by the school administration with false statements.

ATTENDANCE AND GRADE FAVORS FOR THE CONNECTED, EXILE FOR THE POOR

The school administration's double-standard practices within the institution also manifested in the student profile. 

Children from low-income families who requested the return of the illegally collected money or spoke out against the administration's unlawful practices were forcibly transferred to İmam Hatip high schools or open education programs under the threat of disciplinary action weeks before their exams and graduation.

It was noted that athletes and well-connected students protected by teachers close to the administration were not marked absent in the e-school system even when they did not attend, that teachers were pressured to award high grades, and that no action was taken even against students who stole and destroyed attendance logs 4 times.

"CENTRAL APPOINTMENT" FOR THOSE WHO COMMITTED IRREGULARITIES, "EXILE" FOR THE WHISTLEBLOWER

The administrative decisions taken following the investigations deeply wounded the public conscience.

Instead of being removed from duty, the administrative staff, who faced prosecutor investigations, confessions of illegal money collection, and assault allegations, were distributed to prestigious schools in the city center. 

Philosophy teacher İ.Ö., who physically assaulted Atasoy in her office, was appointed to Bursa Boys' High School, one of the city's most established schools, while School Principal Ş.Y. and H.A., whose name appeared in the file with harassment allegations, were assigned to Gemlik Atatepe MTAL.

Burcu Atasoy, who exposed the corruption, was effectively exiled by being appointed to TOKİ Hamitler MTAL, kilometers away from her home, without any of her requests or consent being asked, despite there being primary/middle school positions closer to her home.

While judicial and administrative investigations by the prosecutor's office and the Ministry continue, this situation faced by an educator defending public resources and student rights has reopened the debate on oversight mechanisms in educational bureaucracy.

'WE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE A CLEAR STAND'

Speaking to 12punto on the subject, Anadolu Education Union official İbrahim Halil Azger said, "As the Anadolu Education Union, due to the increasing mobbing incidents in recent years—first teacher Ayşe Irmak, who ended her life in Ağrı, then the severe mobbing faced by our teacher Aymelek in Adıyaman, and today what our teacher Burcu has experienced—it has become necessary for us to form a board including our lawyers and management under the name 'Mobbing-Free Education Field.' As the Anadolu Education Union, we will continue to take a clear stand against the systematic mobbing our teachers are subjected to. There is not one more teacher, Ayşe Irmak, to lose. We will stand by our teacher Burcu and our teacher Aymelek until the end. We will also follow the file of our teacher Ayşe Irmak. Whether they are our members or not, we will stand by education workers who are subjected to mobbing."

News Source: 12punto