Samos students face legal action following school occupations

Students in Samos occupied two middle schools and a general high school to protest decisions regarding the merger of school departments. The protesters cited concerns over classroom capacity, safety, and the quality of education, noting that classrooms measuring 45 to 50 square meters would become overcrowded with 24 to 25 students per class. They also highlighted the impact on specialized subjects and the need to consider the island's specific conditions following a strong earthquake.

Following the occupations, six underage students were referred to the justice system on charges of disturbing the peace and disrupting public services, while their parents face charges of neglect of supervision. Although the student council initially planned to continue protests, the occupations ended on Thursday, October 1st, and schools have since reopened. In response to the legal proceedings, the local teachers' union, ELME Samos, announced a three-hour work stoppage.