Greek justice cracks down on anti-vax parents filing lawsuits against teachers

Some parents refuse to comply with the law that requires their children to wear masks and take self-tests

Greek justice intervened to put a “brake” on incidents of parents filing lawsuits against teachers who banned their children from access to the classroom lessons, in accordance with the law, due to the parents’ denial to make wear maks or take Covid-19 self-tests, as the Joint Ministerial Decision (JMD) mandates.

The phenomenon of parents suing teachers has been rising lately, and the prosecutors want to deter similar practices by the parents.

According to the current law, in order for students to take part in classroom lessons and activities, they must present evidence of self-test and wear masks, requirements educators have to enforce. The JMD was passed to protect public health in the context of the Covid-19 measures.

The Deputy Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Evangelos Zacharis, ordered the local prosecutors of appeals and first instance courts throughout the country to investigate, whether the actions of the anti-vaccine parents constitute criminal acts and, if approved, act accordingly.

The Ministry of Education, which also covers the legal costs of teachers in case of lawsuits threw its full support behind the teachers facing lawsuits. Minister of Education, Niki Kerameos, referring to the incident with the lawsuit against teachers in Kaminia, stressed: “All bodies have been instructed to protect these people.”

A negative father filed a lawsuit … 2.7 million euros to a director

A parent from the 2nd primary school of Thermi, who was taken to court following the Prosecutor’s intervention after suing a teacher, appeared unwavering to pursue the matter legally, saying he would be ‘imposing’ a 2.7 million euros fine to the school principal.

He arrived at the school today, Wednesday, without his child, who, as he said, will stay at home and is expected to return to school on Monday (27/9).

“I came here today to impose fines to both the school principal and Mrs. Kerameos and whoever else is in charge,” he said, speaking on television. “I will go in and look for the principal, I will announce our contract and I will present a fine of 2,700,000 euros for the headmaster only. The rest will receive bigger amounts. I will file a lawsuit because of the illegal and criminal acts committed by teachers and the Ministry of Health,” said the father.