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National Race Affairs Ministry
Uygar Gültekin 01.29.2015 01:03 NEWS
The `race code scandal' in minority schools continues despite a broad
public outcry. In the most recent case, two students were barred from
registering at Armenian schools. An official from the Istanbul
National Education Directorate made a statement, saying, `We are
checking the race status of the students'. Ä°smail Cem Halavurt, lawyer
of the parents of the students who were not admitted to the schools,
said, `The Ministry is committing a crime'.
A 5-year old student, whose father had been baptized at an Armenian
church, was registered at an Armenian nursery school. The school
administration notified the Provincial National Education Directorate
of new registrations according to the procedure. However, in the case
of one student, the Provincial National Education Directorate
responded with an official notification stating, `Investigation into
the status of the student has revealed that his/her race is not
Armenian, and that therefore his/her registration has not been judged
as appropriate'. The official notification went on to demand the
necessary notifications to be made to the parent of the student, the
cancellation of the student's registration, and the notification of
the Provincial National Education Directorate of the outcome.
In another case, a student was registered at an Armenian school where
his/her cousins had studied and graduated from, however the
registration procedure was blocked by the Provincial National
Education Directorate on the same grounds. The Ministry of National
Education issued a warning to the school administration and demanded
the cancellation of the student's registration. There are other
students who have faced similar incidents.
A National Education Directorate official who spoke to Agos regarding
the issue, said: `We first look at the birth certificate data, and
check the race data of the mother and father. If no race data exists,
the school will already be unable to accept the registration. That was
probably the cause of rejection in this case. We check the race status
of everyone, whether Armenian, Greek or Jew. We do not have a database
containing race status information. We request information from the
Civil Registry.'
In 2013, the National Education Directorate had rejected the
registration of a student who wanted to study at an Armenian school,
and the document of rejection had revealed that the State kept records
on its citizens according to race status. The official document
bearing the signature of a Deputy Director at the Istanbul Provincial
National Education Directorate stated that `exceptional' [`vukuatlı']
birth registries were marked with a secret `race code'. The same
document presented an example for the `race code', and included the
expression, `The race code of our Armenian citizens is 2'.
Leave it to schools
Garo Paylan, Member of the Education Commission of VADÄ°P, also reacted
strongly against the implementation of the Ministry of National
Education. Stating that the practice should be ended immediately,
Paylan also made a proposal: `There is absolutely no legal basis for
the Ministry of National Education to decide whether the children are
Armenian or not. The initiative on registration should belong to
schools. A commission formed of our School Heads, or our foundations
should make the decisions.'
There is an existing legal regulation on which students can study at
minority schools. The Special Educational Institutions Law No. 5580
defines minority schools as, `pre-schools, primary schools and
secondary schools founded by Greek, Armenian and Jewish minorities,
under the assurance of the Lausanne Treaty, and attended by students
who are citizens of the Republic of Turkey, and members of their own
minority'. The Ministry of National Education decides whether a
student can study at these schools.
Confusion reigns
This implementation of the Ministry of National Education has led to
confusion at Armenian schools as well. The criteria of the procedure
are neither clear nor open. The Ministry bears the authority to decide
who is Armenian, and who is not. There are students who have been
refused registry despite both families and students having been
baptized at Armenian churches. On the other hand, the registration of
some students whose birth certificate states their religion as Islam
has not faced rejection.
Ministry is committing a crime
Parents are now preparing to take the matter to court. Ä°smail Cem
Halavurt, lawyer of the families, reacts strongly against the
implementation of the Ministry of National Education. Halavurt, who
had also acted as the lawyer of the family whose child was barred from
registration on the grounds of the race code, said, `This procedure is
entirely against the law. It has no legal basis whatsoever. It is a
racist, discriminatory and arbitrary practice. The right to education
is being restricted. There are international conventions outlining the
right to education. In the previous case that we won, the court
clearly ruled that this was an illegal practice, stating that the
right to education was among the most fundamental rights that needed
to be protected. The administration had not only failed to make the
necessary legal arrangements following this decision, but it also
forces people to suffer at court. This is an illegal procedure and the
Ministry is committing a crime. This practice must be evoked
completely.'
Halavurt pointed out that a new system where the decision on
registrations is left to schools could be introduced: `The initiative
should be left to the school. School heads should decide which student
to accept, and this obstacle should be lifted. Students and their
parents must not be made to suffer at court houses.'
http://www.agos.com.tr/en/article/10385/national-race-affairs-ministry
Uygar Gültekin 01.29.2015 01:03 NEWS
The `race code scandal' in minority schools continues despite a broad
public outcry. In the most recent case, two students were barred from
registering at Armenian schools. An official from the Istanbul
National Education Directorate made a statement, saying, `We are
checking the race status of the students'. Ä°smail Cem Halavurt, lawyer
of the parents of the students who were not admitted to the schools,
said, `The Ministry is committing a crime'.
A 5-year old student, whose father had been baptized at an Armenian
church, was registered at an Armenian nursery school. The school
administration notified the Provincial National Education Directorate
of new registrations according to the procedure. However, in the case
of one student, the Provincial National Education Directorate
responded with an official notification stating, `Investigation into
the status of the student has revealed that his/her race is not
Armenian, and that therefore his/her registration has not been judged
as appropriate'. The official notification went on to demand the
necessary notifications to be made to the parent of the student, the
cancellation of the student's registration, and the notification of
the Provincial National Education Directorate of the outcome.
In another case, a student was registered at an Armenian school where
his/her cousins had studied and graduated from, however the
registration procedure was blocked by the Provincial National
Education Directorate on the same grounds. The Ministry of National
Education issued a warning to the school administration and demanded
the cancellation of the student's registration. There are other
students who have faced similar incidents.
A National Education Directorate official who spoke to Agos regarding
the issue, said: `We first look at the birth certificate data, and
check the race data of the mother and father. If no race data exists,
the school will already be unable to accept the registration. That was
probably the cause of rejection in this case. We check the race status
of everyone, whether Armenian, Greek or Jew. We do not have a database
containing race status information. We request information from the
Civil Registry.'
In 2013, the National Education Directorate had rejected the
registration of a student who wanted to study at an Armenian school,
and the document of rejection had revealed that the State kept records
on its citizens according to race status. The official document
bearing the signature of a Deputy Director at the Istanbul Provincial
National Education Directorate stated that `exceptional' [`vukuatlı']
birth registries were marked with a secret `race code'. The same
document presented an example for the `race code', and included the
expression, `The race code of our Armenian citizens is 2'.
Leave it to schools
Garo Paylan, Member of the Education Commission of VADÄ°P, also reacted
strongly against the implementation of the Ministry of National
Education. Stating that the practice should be ended immediately,
Paylan also made a proposal: `There is absolutely no legal basis for
the Ministry of National Education to decide whether the children are
Armenian or not. The initiative on registration should belong to
schools. A commission formed of our School Heads, or our foundations
should make the decisions.'
There is an existing legal regulation on which students can study at
minority schools. The Special Educational Institutions Law No. 5580
defines minority schools as, `pre-schools, primary schools and
secondary schools founded by Greek, Armenian and Jewish minorities,
under the assurance of the Lausanne Treaty, and attended by students
who are citizens of the Republic of Turkey, and members of their own
minority'. The Ministry of National Education decides whether a
student can study at these schools.
Confusion reigns
This implementation of the Ministry of National Education has led to
confusion at Armenian schools as well. The criteria of the procedure
are neither clear nor open. The Ministry bears the authority to decide
who is Armenian, and who is not. There are students who have been
refused registry despite both families and students having been
baptized at Armenian churches. On the other hand, the registration of
some students whose birth certificate states their religion as Islam
has not faced rejection.
Ministry is committing a crime
Parents are now preparing to take the matter to court. Ä°smail Cem
Halavurt, lawyer of the families, reacts strongly against the
implementation of the Ministry of National Education. Halavurt, who
had also acted as the lawyer of the family whose child was barred from
registration on the grounds of the race code, said, `This procedure is
entirely against the law. It has no legal basis whatsoever. It is a
racist, discriminatory and arbitrary practice. The right to education
is being restricted. There are international conventions outlining the
right to education. In the previous case that we won, the court
clearly ruled that this was an illegal practice, stating that the
right to education was among the most fundamental rights that needed
to be protected. The administration had not only failed to make the
necessary legal arrangements following this decision, but it also
forces people to suffer at court. This is an illegal procedure and the
Ministry is committing a crime. This practice must be evoked
completely.'
Halavurt pointed out that a new system where the decision on
registrations is left to schools could be introduced: `The initiative
should be left to the school. School heads should decide which student
to accept, and this obstacle should be lifted. Students and their
parents must not be made to suffer at court houses.'
http://www.agos.com.tr/en/article/10385/national-race-affairs-ministry