Regarding the investigation initiated upon learning from the media that high school students in Leskovac protested against the announcement of the Pride Parade in that town, the Protector of Citizens called the attention of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development to the need to provide trainings for employees in educational institutions on accessing the LGBTI community related content.
“We believe that conducting the trainings to build tolerance and raise awareness of stakeholders in the education system about the rights of LGBTI people is of utmost importance and we wish to support the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development in this process “ the Protector of Citizens said.
Following the information from the media that a group of about 200 high school students in Leskovac protested in March 2020 against the announced holding of Pride Parade in that town, the Protector of Citizens initiated an investigation to control work regularity and legality of the relevant ministry.
The Ministry informed the Protector of Citizens that it had asked all high schools in Leskovac to determine whether their students had participated in the protest and to initiate educational and disciplinary proceedings against them, after which they learned that students from three schools had missed classes.
The relevant Ministry’s response to the Protector of Citizens reads that it drew the attention of schools to the obligation to inform the competent social welfare center and the police after the participation of individual students in the protest has been determined, and that legal procedures have been initiated against the students who took part in the protest.