Salihorsk school administration threatens Young Front activist

• 5.06.2008, 15:57

Ivan Shyla, unlawfully expelled from a Salihorsk school deputy head of the Young Front, received a telephone call from the school and was asked to refrain from claims to a prosecutor’s office and court.

In other case both Ivan and other pupils could face problems, a representative of the administration of school No. 4 said him on the phone, Radio Svaboda reports.

Ivan Shyla also told when he and Krystina Samoilava were waiting for a shared taxi to Minsk, militiamen came up to them and asked when an action of solidarity with boy would take place.

Having received no answer, militiaman remained to stay at some meters, until they made sure Ivan and Krystina had gone away.

Deputy head of the Young Front Ivan Shyla thinks such nervous reaction of the authorities proves they feel the decision taken is unlawful and response in the society concerning their actions is negative.

It should be reminded that the educational department of Salihorsk executive committee reached an illegal decision to expel one of the leaders of the Young Front, Ivan Shyla, from secondary school No.4 of Salihorsk for “active public activity.” The school administration stood against this decision.

Headmaster Volha Syankova retired in protest, and head teacher Alena Semchankova was dismissed for “bad work,” after that the rest teacher voted for Ivan Shyla’s expulsion.

It’s worthy to add that it happened before the last final exam in English, the young man was to take on 4 June. In order to prevent the youth activist Shyla from passing the final exam, militia guards were sent to his school.