A teacher submitted his resignation after bullying from students, highlighting problems in the education sector and bringing back memories of the sudden death of an English teacher in Thessaloniki which demonstrates how school bullying has spiraled out of control. A STAR TV program sheds light on a new case involving mathematics teacher Kostas Stavropoulos, who faced severe bullying from students and indifference from the responsible authorities.
How it all began – The bullying report and complaints from parents
On October 25, 2024, the teacher submitted a report to the Directorate of Secondary Education of Achaia, describing a series of violent incidents from students at the school where he worked. As he notes, “I fear for my life,” while describing attacks, objects being thrown at him, and even stone-throwing during his supervision duties. Particularly serious was the incident where a student burst into a teachers’ meeting and moved threateningly toward him. “He came in and lunged at me to hit me,” he describes. At the same time, he speaks of daily phenomena of delinquency at the school, such as electronic cigarette use, dangerous games, and students’ refusal to comply with teachers’ instructions.
However, just days after his report, complaints were filed against him by parents of students, while the school’s administration accused him of disrupting the school unit’s operation. Instead of investigating the violent incidents, the file was forwarded to the prosecutor’s office with questions about his mental state. “They presented me as potentially dangerous, on the verge of psychiatric disorder,” he emphasizes. Eventually, the prosecutor ruled that there was no reason for involuntary hospitalization and the case was archived. “I’m not crazy after all. The prosecutor said so,” he characteristically notes.
“The supervision duties were a paycheck of terror”
The educator describes supervision duties as a “paycheck of terror,” noting that he was attacked without being able to protect himself. “When I went toward the kids who were smoking, I received stones from behind,” he reports. He also denounces that the incidents weren’t given the necessary importance and attention: “He threw a stone to split my head open and the response was that ‘he apologized.'”
Despite his vindication, the teacher resigned, citing “brutal and slanderous assault on his personality.” As he states: “I left because I cannot tolerate being slandered behind my back after 27 years of service. I will take legal action and see it through to the end.” Relatives of the deceased teacher in Thessaloniki maintain that the incidents are similar. “There was savage bullying and inaction from the authorities,” her partner reported, while her father spoke of “gradual character assassination.”
