After the armed attack attempt, educators became a unified voice.

On September 11 in Manisa, following an armed attack attempt by a parent against the school principal, education unions gathered and expressed their support for Principal Mustafa Örnek by stating, “We want a law against violence, not a condemnation message,” accompanied by applause.

Last Wednesday, in Şehit Ömer Halisdemir Middle School located in the Güzelyurt neighborhood of the Yunusemre district, a parent named S.T., upset over his child’s class repetition, first threatened Principal Mustafa Örnek over the phone and then arrived at the school in his vehicle. After insulting the principal, S.T. called him outside to the yard. When Principal Örnek came down, S.T. pointed a gun at him, which he had taken from his vehicle. Fortunately, the gun jammed when the attacker pulled the trigger. The bullet fired from the gun did not hit Principal Mustafa Örnek, and the weapon jammed during other attempts as well. S.T. then got into his vehicle and left the scene. It was reported that the police are continuing their efforts to capture the individual. After the incident, the Eğitim-Bir-Sen Manisa Branch held a press conference in front of the school, calling for an end to violence against educators. Members of the Türk Eğitim Sen Manisa Branch and the Anadolu Eğitim Sen Manisa Branch also supported the statement. Before the announcement, Principal Mustafa Örnek thanked his colleagues for their support.

“Security issues have been highlighted”

Halil Kallat, President of the Eğitim-Bir-Sen Manisa Branch and Provincial Representative of Memur Sen in Manisa, stated, “As representatives of the education community, we are deeply concerned and saddened by the distressing event that Principal Mustafa Örnek experienced on Wednesday, September 11. Our principal was called outside in the school yard with heavy insults and curses by a parent and subsequently faced an armed attack attempt. Thankfully, due to the gun jamming, neither our principal nor any education staff were harmed. It is evident that incidents of violence against education personnel have ceased to be isolated events and have unfortunately become a widespread societal issue. This heinous attack has once again brought to light the security issues faced by education personnel. As educators, instead of focusing on a better curriculum, pedagogical methods, and advanced goals for better education, we are compelled to discuss this wound today because of the inadequate solutions to the escalating social cost of violence. We cannot find a solution by closing our eyes to the problem right in front of us. The pains we experience today are the result of yesterday’s neglect and indifference. The pains we do not wish to experience tomorrow should not be the result of today’s indifference. The insufficient attitude we encounter every time we insist on drawing attention to violence against educators and presenting our solutions only serves to pour gasoline on the fire of violence,” he said.

Kallat noted that while education personnel are working hard to stop violence from paralyzing the society’s mind and understanding, it is ironic that they have themselves become victims of violence. He continued, “The fact that violence has reached a level that threatens education is escalating towards a dimension that will jeopardize our future, making it essential to find urgent and fundamental solutions. Under the principle of the right to life, as stated in international law and the constitution, it is the state’s obligation to prevent intentional and unlawful harm leading to death and injury. We want to remind that it is a requirement of being a rule of law to establish a legal and administrative framework to deter crime and to develop an enforcement mechanism to protect the right to life and prevent, suppress, and punish related violations. In this context, it is crucial to take criminal and legal measures against acts of violence stemming from the provision of public service in education. Education personnel urgently demand and expect the establishment of deterrent specific legal penalties against acts of violence directed at them, as well as legal arrangements that provide legal protection to those who are assaulted and harmed. As education unions, we express our condolences to our education community, hope that similar incidents will not occur again, and reiterate to the public that we will legally follow up on all forms of violence against educators.”

At the end of his statement, Kallat added, “We want the Teacher Profession Law to be brought to parliament and enacted as soon as possible and for deterrent measures against violence towards educators to be legally established without delay. Additionally, the absence of a staff or security personnel in schools as part of austerity measures further increases our concerns in this regard. Every school must have a security officer; this is essential, and I urge the authorities to implement this.”

Applause for Mustafa Örnek

Koray Özgürler, President of the Türk Eğitim Sen Manisa Branch, stated that despite being competitors unionically, they stand together after the act of violence, asking for a strong round of applause for Principal Mustafa Örnek. Anadolu Eğitim Sen Manisa Provincial Representative Yüksel Bayrak said, “First of all, I wish our principal a speedy recovery. It made us proud that all unions stood shoulder to shoulder. We must do our best to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.” The press conference concluded with applause in support of Principal Mustafa Örnek.