06.04.2026 12:21
Ekrem Kalkan, who established the Photography Academy at Sancaktepe Municipality, claimed that he was dismissed for not accepting the offered position due to his health condition and existing responsibilities, arguing that the process was unlawful. Kalkan, who views the closure of the academy as an institutional and societal loss, stated that he would take the matter to court.
Ekrem Kalkan, who stated that he has been serving since 2021 by establishing the Photography Academy at Sancaktepe Municipality, claimed that he was unlawfully dismissed from his position. Kalkan mentioned that they graduated more than 100 students over 9 terms, organized photography trips to different provinces, carried out projects in many districts of Istanbul, held exhibitions, and organized competitions. Expressing that they won more than 150 awards in national and international competitions, Kalkan said, “We achieved the FIAP world championship in 2025.”
"BECAUSE I DID NOT ACCEPT THE POSITION..." Kalkan, who stated that after the separation of the municipality president from the photographer, the municipality management wanted to work with him, noted that he did not accept this offer due to health issues and his current teaching position. Kalkan, who alleged that he was subjected to mobbing over the phone during the process, expressed that he was asked to accept the position at the expense of closing the academy and victimizing the students.
HE SAID HE WAS DISMISSED ON THE SAME DAY Kalkan, who stated that he assigned his student for a short-term solution and that he also worked on the weekend, later said that a report was filed against him for not accepting the position and that he was dismissed from his job on the same day.
Sancaktepe Mayor Alper Yeğin “MY WRITTEN APPROVAL WAS NOT OBTAINED” Kalkan emphasized that according to Article 22 of the Labor Law No. 4857, substantial changes in working conditions would only be valid with the written approval of the employee, stating that he was not given any written assignment and that his written approval was not obtained. Kalkan pointed out that the change of duty was imposed verbally, arguing that this is legally invalid.
“AN INSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIAL COLLAPSE” Kalkan expressed that the process experienced was not just a personal job loss, describing the closure of the academy as “an institutional and social collapse.” Highlighting arbitrary practices in local governments, Kalkan stated that public administrators should be personally responsible for the consequences of their decisions.
WILL TAKE IT TO COURT Kalkan, who stated that he would exercise his legal rights, expressed that the process is important in terms of merit, protection of public resources, and the reputation of art institutions, saying, “I believe that justice will eventually prevail.”