AKEL on the disciplinary investigation against head teacher Georgios Gavriel
The disciplinary investigation ordered by the Education Ministry is directed against artistic creation and its content
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 28th September 2020, Nicosia
The accusations of the Ministry of Education against the head teacher Georgios Gabriel – as published today in the press – confirm that disciplinary investigation ordered by the Ministry is directed against artistic creation and its content.
The Ministry of Education has unearthed a 1969 law on “defamation of the education service” to justify the censorship and persecution of the teacher. How exactly has the educational service been defamed, by artistic works created and presented outside professional and educational grounds? It is evident that the disciplinary investigation was ordered and is being continued by the Ministry of Education, with the obvious aim of prosecuting the teacher, satisfying, among others, the Archbishop, who demanded the dismissal of the teacher.
The Ministry of Education is lying when it claims that it is not persecuting artistic expression and the content of artistic work. Besides, in its first announcement, the Ministry spoke about the “poor impression provoked by paintings”, “an insult of public sentiment” and “an atmosphere of intolerance within the school student community” etc.
AKEL reiterates that the works of the teacher are open to the free judgment of every citizen. However, the disciplinary investigation and the attempt to prosecute the artist by the Minister of Education and Culture of the Anastasiades government is unacceptable and refers to other eras.
We call on the Minister of Education to end the disciplinary investigation.
