Teacher Mariana Hruzdzilovich fired for telling about Freedom Day reinstated to job

On March 31 in the evening, teacher of SOL Minsk education center Mariana Hruzdzilovich was introduced an order cancelling the previous order of dismissal.

Radio Svaboda reports about this. It should be reminded that English teacher was fired on March 25 for her response to an offensive remark about people celebrating Freedom Day.

Mariana Hruzdzilovich, wife of Radio Svaboda journalist Aleh Hruzdzilovich, has worked for the education center since August 1998. As the fired teacher told the Charter’97 press center, on March 24, students spoke about Freedom Day at the last lesson.

“A girl of 13, who is a member of a pioneer organization, said: ‘I know what Freedom Day is. It is when freaks are gathering and begin shouting,” Mariana Hruzdzilovich reminds. “I couldn’t not to respond to this and explained the children that the anniversary of the proclamation of the Belarusian National Republic is marked by normal intelligent people, who organize peaceful actions.”

According to Mariana Hruzdzilovich, the children listened to the story with great interest.

On March 25, the teacher had a meeting with the center administration. A manager responsible for education process told Mariana she was fired, because she had violated the organization statute. The administration said the student, disputed with the teacher, complained her parents, and her father is a colonel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Firing of Mariana Hruzdzilovich evoked protests of representatives of the Belarusian civil society and international community.