Harassment from a 26-year-old civil servant to students! Teachers explained one by one in the petition.

The students, teachers, and parents at Rize Central Gülbahar Hatun Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School filed a complaint with the Rize Provincial Directorate of National Education, alleging that H.T., who has been serving as a civil servant for 26 years, harassed some students. In response to the complaints, the Ministry of National Education announced that H.T. has been suspended and an investigation has been initiated by the governorship.

"IGNORED WARNINGS BY ENGAGING IN PHYSICAL CONTACT"

On June 10, teachers submitted a petition to the school administration regarding the matter. The petition stated, "H.T., who works as a civil servant at Gülbahar Hatun Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, engages in physical contact with our female students, which amounts to harassment. Despite the warnings and complaints made over the years, he continues this behavior. As our school is a girls' high school, it deeply disturbs us, the teachers, that the existing lack of affection among our students is being exploited in this way. In accordance with the Child Protection Law and due to the violence that the family may inflict on the child, we request that necessary legal sanctions be imposed on the civil servant named H.T., while keeping our student's identity confidential. We, the teachers, also request that the necessary actions be taken to prevent other girls from being subjected to such repeated treatment."

"INVESTIGATION INITIATED, STAFF SUSPENDED"

After the issue was shared on some social media platforms, the Rize Provincial Directorate of National Education made a statement announcing the suspension of the staff member at the center of the allegations.

In the statement, it was said, "A complaint was received by our Provincial Directorate of National Education (on Tuesday, June 25, 2024) regarding H.T., a staff member at Rize Central Gülbahar Hatun Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, who engaged in actions and behaviors that exceeded the intended purpose towards the students. The complaint was evaluated by our directorate, and on the same day, an investigation was initiated by our governorship, and the mentioned staff member was suspended. The issue is being followed up by our governorship, and the public will be informed about the developments separately."