Student stabbed biology teacher to death in Istanbul

On March 2, 2023, a serious incident occurred at the Borsa Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Istanbul. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

A 17-year-old student, F.S.B., attacked with a knife and took the life of biology teacher Fotima Nur Chelik.

As a result of the attack, another teacher and a student were injured. According to information, the suspect had been discharged from a psychiatric hospital two days before the incident.

He checked the school schedule and knew in advance where Fotima Nur would be. On the day of the incident, he entered the classroom and first attacked the teacher, then those who tried to stop him.

The deceased teacher had previously spoken about this very student at the Disciplinary Committee, warning that “our lives are in danger.” After the incident, classes at the school were suspended for one day and security measures were strengthened.

Teachers in all 81 provinces of Turkey held a one-day strike under the slogan “We do not want to die at school.” Turkey’s Minister of Justice Akin Gurlek and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan strongly condemned the incident and stated that the perpetrators will not go unpunished.

The late teacher Fotima Nur was laid to rest in her hometown of Konya. This event once again highlighted the serious need for attention to mental pressure among youth, social tension, and school safety issues in Turkey.