Cyprus-Forum.com

[simonwjones]

AQ, could you please use the "Quote" button instead of copy & pasting previous post. It's very difficult to read.

Hey, you've knicked my signature man. Think of something on your own.

Maybe you nicked mine

Nah, I know I didn't.

[Xybadog]

AQ, could you please use the "Quote" button instead of copy & pasting previous post. It's very difficult to read.

Hey, you've knicked my signature man. Think of something on your own.

Maybe you nicked mine

Nah, I know I didn't.

I've changed mine Simon. I tend to change it every couple of weeks anyway. Just coincidence I had same one. Didn't think it was a big deal, sorry!!

[simonwjones]

AQ, could you please use the "Quote" button instead of copy & pasting previous post. It's very difficult to read.

Hey, you've knicked my signature man. Think of something on your own.

Maybe you nicked mine

Nah, I know I didn't.

I've changed mine Simon. I tend to change it every couple of weeks anyway. Just coincidence I had same one. Didn't think it was a big deal, sorry!!

Good man, thank you

[JimB]

Same paper, reported on the same day. Different school.

Wonder if this one can be attributed to reconciling change in culture and environment?



School threatens to scrap graduation if nationalist vandals fail to own up
By Alexia Saoulli
(archive article - Thursday, May 15, 2008)

THERE will be no graduation ceremony for English School leavers this year unless the culprits of a recent vandal attack step forward.

“The school’s senior management team (SMT) has made a decision that unless those who did it own up or some others say who did it, there will be no graduation ceremony,” said Kyriakos Vassiliou, the new chairman of the recently appointed school board.

Asked whether he thought the threat would hold, Vassiliou said: “we’ll see when the time comes”.

He added: “My strong desire is that we find a way to have a graduation, but the decision rests upon the pupils to take the right course so that they can have a graduation. I would expect those who had done it to take the initiative.”

Earlier this month, Greek nationalist graffiti was found sprayed across the Nicosia fee-paying school’s walls. ‘The English School is Greek,’ said one slogan. Others targeted specific teachers.

“Maybe they are afraid to come forward because they think the school will deal with them vindictively, or will ruin their futures, or will report them to the police. I can assure you this will not happen. The school will deal with it and will not go to the police. But they will be punished because they have done something very, very bad and they should know it. If they didn’t realise it then, then they should know it now; I hope they know it,” Vassiliou said.

The May 2 incident was the latest in a series of racist outbursts dating back at least two years. So far there has been little reaction to the threat. Many students believe it’s simply hotheaded and petty.

“As if they won’t let us graduate. My dad would never stand for that. He said it’s going to be one of the proudest days of his life,” said one youth.

Regarding racist outbursts, the school’s SMT has been blamed for turning a blind eye and for failing to encourage students’ respect for fellow classmates’ differences.

In 2006, a group of Turkish Cypriot students enrolled at the school were beaten up by students from a nearby gymnasium, and earlier this year the school’s Turkish Language room was defaced. There are approximately 90 Turkish Cypriot students at the school.

In order to combat the problem, Vassiliou and the new board, which convened on Monday, have promised to implement changes to the school.

Among the measures are a series of recommendations by US expert Dr Laurie Johnson, who was in Cyprus in 2006 and 2007 and prepared a report to promote a culturally responsive school ethos.

On Monday, Vassiliou said the board had convened and discussed the issue of vandalism on a more general level.

“There was an exchange of opinions concerning vandalism and how best to deal with it. Some suggested the heavy handed way and others a milder treatment,” he said.

But no decisions were reached pending a three-member committee report on the decision. The role of the committee, which was appointed by the board but will allow anyone else who wants to take part to join, is to look into the wider problem of vandalism. The report will then be presented to the board and decisions about how best to deal with the phenomenon will be reached.

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008

[simonwjones]

Every country has racism but the introduction to this topic is rubbish. I think it's a war to see who can get the most posts on one topic. The stuff that was mentioned goes on in cities in UK not in Polis for peet sake

[JimB]

The below quote taken from the above article demonstrates the mentality that allows this crime to continue.

“Maybe they are afraid to come forward because they think the school will deal with them vindictively, or will ruin their futures, or will report them to the police. I can assure you this will not happen. The school will deal with it and will not go to the police. But they will be punished because they have done something very, very bad and they should know it. If they didn’t realise it then, then they should know it now; I hope they know it,” Vassiliou said.

THEY SHOULD BE BLOODY AFRAID THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT.

IF YOU LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT YOU CONDONE THESE ACTS.

REPORT THEM TO THE POLICE.

CHARGE THEM WITH RACISM AND INCITING RACIAL HATRED.

EXPEL THEM.

RUIN THERE LIVES - THEY HAPPILY DO IT TO OTHERS.

WHO GIVES THESE IDIOTS THE RIGHT TO ABUSE OTHERS FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THEY HAPPEN TO BE 'DIFFERENT'?

Every single one of you who ignores it or turns there back on it.


Shame on each and every one of you who allows this to go on unchallenged. You know who you are.

[repulsewarrior]

...i've enjoyed this thread so far, thank-you.

[cyprusgrump]

I smell something large and brown here!!!

.... well if it was small and brown it may have been your brain

No bad, not bad at all...

Shouldn't an old man like you be tucked up in bed with Co-co and a crossword?

Pension day tomorrow isn't it?

Is that the clown?

Perhaps you were thinking of Cocoa?

[Niki]

I smell something large and brown here!!!

.... well if it was small and brown it may have been your brain

No bad, not bad at all...

Shouldn't an old man like you be tucked up in bed with Co-co and a crossword?

Pension day tomorrow isn't it?

Is that the clown?

Perhaps you were thinking of Cocoa?

A fetish for clowns!! Takes all sorts!!

[Niki]

99% of the Cypriot people I have met have not been racist towards me, a few have but more in an indifferent way rather than outright aggression.

Compared to many other countries I think Cyprus is tolerant. I do wonder sometimes if there is an underlying contempt behind the smiles with some.

Best just not to let it bother you. I can't understand why a group of youths would be so aggressive unprovoked, this is unusual here although not unusual in the UK!