Greek education authorities have dismissed a high school principal in the Athens suburb of Chalandri after complaints that she pressured students to perform manual chores in exchange for deleting their absences from school records.
The removal order was issued by the Education Ministry’s secretary general following reports and parent complaints about the alleged practice at a local vocational high school. A formal administrative investigation is now underway to examine the claims.
Students and parents said the principal asked teenagers with high absence records to carry out physical work on school grounds. One student said a group agreed to dig a drainage trench to prevent flooding at the school in return for having absences removed, but claimed the absences were never erased.
A parent told Greek television that the principal entered a classroom, selected five students who were at risk due to excessive absences, took them outside and instructed them to dig a ditch. Other parents alleged that students were given tools such as hoes and rakes to dig channels in the schoolyard without supervision or parental consent.
Additional complaints from parents describe what they see as unfair disciplinary practices. One mother said her son received a two-day suspension after being blamed for missing restroom keys during a break.
The case gained wider attention after being highlighted by a national television program. According to parents, they had previously reported the principal’s behavior to authorities, and disciplinary proceedings were already pending.
Separately, parents recalled an incident last December at the same school during a student protest, when teachers allegedly used bolt cutters to break chains placed on the school gate, resulting in a student being injured. One student said his fingers were hurt during the incident and that he was later mocked.
Alongside the principal’s dismissal, authorities have launched a new administrative inquiry to fully investigate the latest student complaints.
