A school in Alytus, Lithuania’s sixth biggest town, has been paralysed by protests continued over the dismissal of an ethics teacher, deepening divisions within the school community and drawing the attention of national education officials.
About 20 teachers out of nearly 80 at Alytus Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas Gymnasium did not hold classes on Wednesday, expressing support for the dismissed teacher, Meilė Platūkienė. The gymnasium has temporarily switched to remote learning.
Acting principal Aleksandras Kirilovas said Platūkienė was fired for repeated violations, including a documented incident of violence against a student. Two internal investigations were conducted. After the first, the teacher received a warning. Following the second probe, she was dismissed on Monday.
Teachers participating in the protest described the investigations as biased.
“The investigation commission did not say anything about Meilė Platūkienė. Not a sentence about recommending her dismissal or disciplinary action,” said Loreta Mazėtytė, chair of the school’s teachers council.
Platūkienė herself denied the allegations.
“I really was not violent,” she insisted, arguing this was an unfair characterisation of her actions.
“I can no longer express criticism, humour, sarcasm or remarks – everything has been turned into the word ‘violence’,” Platūkienė said.
The school community has split into two opposing camps. Students called police to the scene as some of their teachers cancelled classes.
Vice Minister of Education, Science and Sport Jonas Petkevičius visited both the school and the municipality. He proposed forming an independent commission and said the ministry would delegate a representative.
“Regardless of how this ends, the school will clearly need psychological assistance for both students and teachers because the level of conflict is enormous,” Petkevičius said.
Loreta Šernienė, head of Alytus Education and Sports Department, said the matter should be resolved through legal channels. She noted that the teacher has the right to appeal to the Labour Disputes Commission and expressed confidence in the work of the internal commission and the acting principal.
The National Education Agency has turned to the State Labour Inspectorate to determine whether any violations occurred in terminating the teacher’s employment contract.
Meanwhile, Education, Science and Sport Minister Raminta Popovienė urged the municipality to resolve the crisis quickly and restore the normal education process.
“The educational process is not taking place, and no one seems to be finding a solution,” Popovienė said. “As the founder [of the school], the municipality should take the initiative and seek agreements.”
More than 100 teachers from various schools, along with parents and students, gathered Tuesday at the municipality building ahead of a meeting between union representatives and Alytus Mayor Nerijus Cesiulis.
After the meeting, Cesiulis said he could not influence the acting principal’s decision.
“In a state governed by the rule of law, a mayor cannot exceed his authority,” he said, responding to union proposals that the principal reconsider the decision or that the commission revise its conclusions.
The education workers’ union is demanding that the teacher be reinstated and that a new independent investigation be conducted.
Union chair Andrius Navickas alleged that the acting principal improperly influenced the commission’s work despite not being a member and accused him of misconduct during meetings. The union has also called for the principal’s suspension.
Some teachers said they plan to continue boycotting classes if no resolution is reached.
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