In Astrakhan, school principal accuses officials of persecution on political grounds

In the city of Astrakhan, Nadezhda Gogoleva, Principal of the School No. 74, a member of the regional branch of the party "Fair Russia", accuses the leadership of the City Committee on Education and Science in an attempt to dismiss her on far-fetched grounds.

On November 30, 2010, at School No. 74 in Astrakhan an unidentified man sprayed a pepper gas out of a spray can. As a result, 13 pupils were brought to a toxicological ward of the hospital. In this late May a fire broke out within the walls of the school.

According to Nadezhda Gogoleva, Principal of the School No. 74, the children suffered as a result of provocation arranged by her political opponents. An arson attack on the Deputy Principal's office had been committed. "The experts issued a confirmation that it was arson. However, the law enforcement bodies still did nothing; the investigations presented a zero result," said Nadezhda Gogoleva in her interview to the "Caucasian Knot".

The leadership of the City Committee on Education and Science repeatedly tried to dismiss Nadezhda Gogoleva. After the first dismissal, she successfully challenged the Committee's order in the court. On July 12 she was dismissed again; however, later the dismissal order was cancelled. "I received no criticism, no complaint against my work in the principal's position. My age is eligible for this job. For what reason they dismiss me?" Nadezhda Gogoleva wonders.

According to the woman, the cause of oppression is her affiliation to the oppositional party "Fair Russia". "A counterbalance between me and the local authorities occurred, with me on the one side and them – on the other: I'm on the one hand, they are on the other. A precipice developed between me and the Mayor. People are afraid to litigate with the authorities. I was the only person who went to the court and won the lawsuit," Nadezhda Gogoleva says.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent addressed the press service of the Astrakhan's Mayoralty to help arranging an interview with Suriya Magerramova, the head of the Committee on Education and Science of the city of Astrakhan. However, the head of the Committee refused the meeting.