The Teachers’ Combative Intervention has denounced the investigation, describing it as a blatant attempt to criminalise opinions and restrict intellectual freedom in education.

Allegations of political interference

The complaints stem from a claim by the secretary of the local New Democracy Prefectural Committee, alleging that the event’s interpretation of historical events and the speakers invited were inconsistent with the party’s principles. The Teachers’ Combative Intervention argued that such actions represent unwarranted political interference in the educational system.

“The government’s party organisations have no right to interfere in the operation of schools,” the group stated. They further criticised the decision by the Directorate of Secondary Education (DIDE) of Imathia to initiate the investigation, calling it an overreach aligned with ruling party interests.

The school event in question

The event was organised to commemorate Greece’s resistance against fascism on October 28, 1940. Teachers sought to highlight the anti-fascist and patriotic struggle, focusing on Veria’s local history and its liberation by ELAS (the Greek People’s Liberation Army) in 1944. Historian Alekos Hadjikostas presented historical documents recognising ELAS’s role—an event officially acknowledged by the Veria municipal authority in 2016.

Adding to the controversy was the invitation of Aleida Guevara, who was officially in Greece as part of the Greece-Cuba Friendship Parliamentary Group. Guevara’s participation reportedly aggravated critics aligned with the ruling party.

Condemnation of political motives

The Teachers’ Combative Intervention accused the government of attempting to rewrite history and criminalise dissent. “This persecution exceeds the limits of even bourgeois legality,” the group said, likening it to post-civil war tactics aimed at suppressing leftist narratives and intimidating public dissent.

They also criticised the DIDE Imathia for complying with political demands, stating that the investigation was unjustified. “The reactionary attitude of DIDE highlights the government’s broader agenda of instilling discipline and fear in education, while silencing academic freedom,” the group claimed.

Wider implications

This case forms part of what the intervention group sees as a broader campaign to control educational content, restrict trade union and political freedoms, and impose a culture of fear in schools. They highlighted other instances, such as the penalisation of teachers in Heraklion for participating in strike action and recent legislative measures undermining job security and tenure in the education sector.

A call to action

The Teachers’ Combative Intervention urged solidarity and collective resistance against what they called the “criminalisation of ideas” and the increasing authoritarianism in education.

“No retreat, no tolerance for censorship and repression,” the group declared, calling for united action to defend democratic freedoms in schools and beyond.

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