Iranian Teachers' Unions: Government Focuses on Suppressing Teachers Instead of Fighting Corruption

On Thursday, May 2, the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions criticized the "security forces and judiciary" of the Islamic Republic, calling for the release of imprisoned teachers and the lifting of judicial sentences against labor activists in the country. In a "resolution" issued on the occasion of a protest gathering of teachers in Tehran and other regions of Iran, the council stated that security forces and the judiciary "have resorted to suppressing and threatening demanding teachers instead of fighting embezzlers and corrupt individuals, condemning them to exile, suspension, dismissal, and imprisonment." Among the demands raised in the resolution of the teachers' gathering are the "freedom of imprisoned teachers and the lifting of sentences of dismissal, suspension, early retirement, and electronic ankle monitoring of labor activists." Just one day before the publication of this resolution, Iranian intelligence agencies summoned at least 17 teachers and teacher labor activists in the city of Sanandaj. According to HRANA, the news agency of human rights activists in Iran, government agents obtained a "commitment" from those summoned not to participate in the teachers' protest on May 2. In another part of the resolution, the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions emphasized that teachers in Iran are "more than ever under pressure to achieve rights and justice for themselves and their students." The council stated that "the rising prices and inflation caused by mismanagement, sanctions, corruption, and embezzlement have emptied the people's table," warning that this situation has "deprived teachers and students of the motivation for education and learning." Teachers' unions in Iran have been seeking an increase in teachers' salaries and those of retired educators for years, alongside other demands such as free education. The government of Ebrahim Raisi claimed in 2022 that it had implemented the ranking law that would increase the salaries of official teachers. However, the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions and other teachers' organizations continue to protest the manner of implementing this law. Additionally, there are reports of a group of teacher labor activists being deprived of the ranking law. Free education for all students, the elimination of university entrance exam quotas, the removal of educational discrimination, ensuring safe educational environments for students, and eliminating any gender discrimination, as well as addressing patriarchal views in textbooks, are other issues raised in the resolution of the teachers' gathering on Thursday. Khamenei's advice to teachers: Students should be justified about enmity and slogans of death against countries. Summoning at least 17 teacher labor activists in Sanandaj. Open data from Iran: The minimum monthly wage for teachers in Iran is about $159.