Let the teachers teach!
Teaching is a beautiful job. Indeed, a vocation, and not one for the weak-hearted. It is a job where one pours all they have into empowering young minds, and helping them to flourish. Educators have always been at the forefront of battles for human rights, contributing to the engine propelling society forward. We cannot, and will not, accept the maltreatment of those who chose this profession, those who care for the next generation. We, the undersigned teachers and lecturers, condemn the harassment of our colleagues in Iran and demand respect for the teacher in Iran. Teachers must be allowed to teach and all those arrested must be immediately freed.
We stand united with our brothers and sisters in Iran. Our line in the sand is the safety of students and teachers. Echoing the arrested educators: schools should be safe places for learning. Girls have the right to education. We are concerned for Ateke Rajabi, Farzad Safikhanpour, Fariba Anami, Mahmoud Behesthi langaroudi, Esmail Abdi, Mohammad Habibi, Mohammad Ghanati, Anisha Asadollahi, Aziz Ghasemzadeh, Soleiman Abdi, Omid Shahmohammadi, Hossein Ashrafi, Anoush Adeli, Mahmoud Seddighipour, Omid Shahmohammadi and many more activist teachers who have been arrested in recent waves of oppression. They have been mistreated, their human rights violated. And for what crime?
Our colleagues are asking for:
I. Safe schools:
An immediate stop to the poisoning of school girls- since November 2022 there has been more than 100 gas poisoning of schools in Iran. At least 2000 girls have been hospitalised and there have been many clashes between worried parents and members of the regime’s militia.
II. The right to be allowed to teach:
For the past 44 years, basijis have been spying and reporting to the government on every teacher and student action.
III. The right to have unions and trade associations, the right to assembly:
While local unions have existed in some form since the 1920s, national unions are a new concept in Iran and teachers are at the forefront of this. From the moment of inception all active members have experienced constant harassment and arrest under false charges.
IV. A living wage:
Many teachers live below the poverty line, and their meagre wages may go unpaid for months. Some are forced to supplement their earnings by becoming private taxi drivers or street hawkers.
These demands are their only crimes. For these they and their families have been subjected to constant harassment, maltreatment, and attacks by the government of Iran.
By signing this letter, we are letting you know that our colleagues are not alone. We, educators from UK, condemn their arrest and maltreatment, and demand their immediate release.
Let the teachers teach!