Jermuk School Principal Denies Threatening to Expel Student

Today, a video circulated online in which a student participating in a protest against the exploitation of the Amulsar mine in the town of Jermuk reported that the school's principal had communicated to her: “Tell your parents to come and write a request to expel you from school.” According to her, the principal sent older students to their classroom, who conveyed this message.

Ms. Arsenyan, the principal of the Jermuk educational complex, denied having threatened any student with expulsion in a conversation with us. “She is a 6th-grade student. Her class’s homeroom teacher sent two students to announce that the classes are in session and that we are working, and the children should participate in this. I do not even know this student. She is a very good student and a remarkable pupil; she got scared and started getting upset about this,” noted Ms. Arsenyan.

In another video that circulated online, a Jermuk student complained that the doors of one of the schools were locked, and students participating in the strike were unable to exit. Ms. Arsenyan mentioned that although the doors of their school are usually closed, they were open today and left to the students' discretion whether to participate in the strike or not.

The principal stated that her and the teachers' only objection is that students should not get involved in political actions. To the remark that this is an environmental protest, not a political one, Ms. Arsenyan remarked that it has already transformed into a political issue. “Students should be kept away from all this; let the parents participate, let the residents of Jermuk participate, let the teaching staff participate, let the staff of the health resort participate,” she said.

Ms. Arsenyan also stated that she would not be against organizing the protest on a Saturday or Sunday. “I would agree if a non-working day were chosen, provided that the students wanted to participate in that march with mature reasoning and not at the expense of classes. They call it a strike, but it is very good for the children that they simply avoid school,” she said.