Teachers to Ivan Shyla: «Either we or you will be victims of educational system…”

The educational department of Salihorsk executive committee has reached an illegal decision to expel one of the leaders of the Young Front, Ivan Shyla, from the secondary school No.4 of Salihorsk.

Ivan Shyla, an 11th form pupil, has successfully passed 2 final exams, and was to pass the third one (English) today. However, as the Young Front member was told at the session of the educational department, though the decision comes into force only in 10 days, he would be cancelled from the list of pupils who are passing exams, the YF press-service informs.

“The decision of the commission is absolutely illegal,” Ivan Shyla said. “In May pedagogical council of the school adopted a decision to allow me passing all exams, as I have no problems with attendance and performance. Yesterday the council of teachers confirmed that decision. But on June 3, after a higher commission from Minsk arrived, all the 35 teachers who supported me unanimously yesterday, unanimously voted for my expelling based on my “activism and numerous detentions during street rallies”. Teachers fear dismissal, as the commission from Minsk has already dismissed an experienced school master and forced his assistant to be quit the job too. After the session some teachers told me: “Please understand, Ivan, that either we or you are to become victims of the system…”

Ivan Shyla states that if he won’t be given the school leaving certificate in the next few days, he will go to the court.

“I will bend every effort to insist on justice”, the Young Front member Ivan Shyla said. “These events, when an illegal decision to expel me is adopted hurriedly, three days before school-leaving certificates are issued, which in fact deprives me of any chance to enter a university, reflect two things. Firstly, they want to demonstrate all people that a person could be deprived of a right to work or study in just a few minutes. They demonstrate their false “power”, to show a cautionary example” other young activists. And secondly, it is a confirmation that for the last 14th years people known for their committed activism and who are not afraid to openly state their political position, have been being pressurized constantly”.