The Education Minister absolves racist attitudes in advance
Statement by AKEL C.C. member and MP Giorgos Koukoumas
29th June 2021, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia
The Education Minister’s reaction to the allegations of racist and anti-pedagogical behaviour by a high school Headmaster in Larnaca reveals where the root of the problem lies.
A headmaster has been denounced for the umpteenth time for racist and authoritarian behaviour against Secondary school children. Nevertheless, the Education Minister not only decides that there is no problem whatsoever, but attempts – provocatively – to minimize the whole issue to petty politics. Investigations against teachers for artwork created outside school are something the Minister of Education and his government know how to order with excessive zeal. As to racism that victimizes children, not only does he not in truth carry out any investigation, but he absolves in advance the alleged perpetrators. No one should forget that the same stand has been adopted by this specific Minister in relation to other well-known incidents of racist and/or authoritarian behaviour in our schools.
The truth is that the Minister and those in power are not bothered by these ideological concepts and behaviours. That is the big problem.