New development in the Italian High School strike! Press statement from parents: "Our children are the real victims"

Teachers at the Beyoğlu Private Italian High School are on the 77th day of their strike, demanding the fulfillment of their collective bargaining agreement, which has been their union right for three years. Educators, whose salaries have eroded against inflation and remain below the poverty line, have been on strike for 77 days because the school administration has not sat down at the collective bargaining table.

While the strike continues, the Private Italian High School (I.M.I.) Parent-Teacher Association issued a press statement.

The statement pointed out that in the strike, which was initiated by a group of Turkish teachers and has been ongoing for 2.5 months, the real victims are the students and that the constitutional right to education of four hundred students is being disregarded.

In the statement, it was noted that the perception created in the public eye that 'teachers have not received a raise for four years' does not reflect the truth, and concerns were expressed that the harsh rhetoric between the parties would cause permanent damage to the peaceful environment that needs to be established at the school after the strike.

HERE IS THAT STATEMENT FROM THE PARENTS

The strike, which was initiated by a group of Turkish teachers at the beginning of February, is largely interpreted in the media and public opinion through the lens of "teacher grievances." However, the loss of rights suffered by our students, many of whom have had empty classes for 2.5 months and whose graduations and international university admissions are at risk, is unfortunately being ignored.

"A SCHOOL IS NOT A FACTORY, AND A STUDENT IS NOT A PRODUCTION OBJECT"

Schools are not any kind of commercial enterprise or factory. The addressee of a strike in a factory is the employer; however, the direct and heaviest bill for a strike in a school is paid by the students whose constitutional right to education is taken away from them. It is unacceptable for the education of our children, who were admitted to this school by entering the top 1% of Turkey's most successful students, to be interrupted. We would like to remind you that just as the right to strike is a constitutional right, so is the students' right to education.

We are watching with sadness the attitude displayed by the striking teachers against the temporary teacher assignments made by the Ministry of National Education (MEB) to stop our children's loss of education. Trying to prevent the assigned teachers from entering the school and the psychological pressure applied to both these colleagues and our children is incompatible with the identity of an educator. The lawsuits filed against official institutions to ensure that classes remain empty show that the issue has moved beyond a search for rights and has turned into a process that holds the students' future hostage.

THE CLAIM THAT SALARIES HAVE NOT BEEN RAISED FOR 4 YEARS AND THE REALITY OF EURO-BASED SALARIES

The perception created in the media that "teachers have not received a raise for 4 years" does not fully reflect the truth. The salaries of Turkish teachers within the Italian High School are paid by the Italian Government in Euros. It is also not a rational approach to compare our teachers, whose income in Turkish Lira increases every month due to the rise in the exchange rate, with their Italian colleagues who have expat status. According to international labor standards, salary differences arising from status differences for personnel assigned from abroad are natural all over the world.

We fear that the harsh approaches displayed by the parties towards each other throughout the process will cause permanent damage to the school's traditional labor peace. We are of the opinion that while the element of 'trust', which is the main pillar of an educational institution, has been damaged to this extent, it will be difficult for our children to return to their old productive days without being affected by this tension. Our priority is for this uncertainty to end as soon as possible and for the educational climate to be re-established with peace.

In conclusion; we, as the Italian High School Parent-Teacher Association, Class Representatives, and parents, are not on the side of either the administration or the union in this process. We are only and solely on the side of our children. Our only demand is for our children to return to their quality education as soon as possible and to build their future without remaining in the shadow of this process.

We announce this to the public with our respects.

Italian High School Parent-Teacher Association and Class Representatives

News Source: 12punto