# Three teachers in Srbobran fired for suspending classes Category: Persecution Period: from Feb 2025 Outcome: No one investigated (as of 8 Jul 2025) On 28 May 2025, Jasmina Crveni, principal of the Svetozar Miletić Gymnasium and Vocational School in Srbobran, fired three teachers, among them Slavica Filipović, who had suspended classes from 25 February to 22 April in support of the student protests, even though they had already returned to teaching. The union NSPRS called the dismissals „a political act“, and the principal did not answer whether the decision was politically motivated. The dismissals became final in July, and the teachers announced they would sue; the outcome of the court case is not known. ## Classes suspended in support Slavica Filipović taught Serbian language and literature at the Svetozar Miletić Gymnasium and Vocational School in Srbobran for 24 years. Together with two colleagues, a maths teacher and a computer science teacher, she suspended classes from 25 February to 22 April 2025 in support of the student protests; they were the only teachers in the municipality to do so. According to her, they came to school every day, and they extended the suspension by a week only after disciplinary proceedings were opened against them. ## Fired after returning to class On 28 May 2025, principal Jasmina Crveni handed them decisions terminating their employment for a „serious breach of work duty“, even though they had already returned to teaching. The school board rejected their appeals in June, and the dismissals became final in July. All three had permanent contracts and had worked at the school for more than two decades; Filipović said she would receive no salary while the court case is ongoing. ## Union: a political act by the director The union NSPRS called the dismissals “a political act” by the director, whom it describes as a prominent member of the SNS, and Filipović says the school board members from the SNS voted for the dismissals. The fired teachers and protesters also claim that the director does not hold a headteacher's licence. The director did not answer the question of whether the decision was politically motivated. Several protests in support were held in Srbobran. ## The first such dismissal in Serbia According to Danas, this was the first case in Serbia of teachers being fired for suspending classes. The teachers announced a lawsuit; the outcome of the court case is not known. A similar pattern was later repeated at the Jovan Jovanović Zmaj Grammar School in Novi Sad (a separate affair). ## Participants - [Jasmina Crveni](https://odgovornost.rs/en/osobe/jasmina-crveni): She fired three teachers because they stopped work from 25 February to 22 April; the union calls it a political act (responsible) - [“Svetozar Miletić” Grammar and Vocational School (Srbobran)](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/gimnazija-svetozar-miletic-srbobran): The school board rejected the appeals and upheld the dismissal of three teachers who had suspended classes in support of the students (responsible) - [Independent Union of Education Workers of Serbia (NSPRS)](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/nsprs): He called the dismissals political and unlawful and demanded that the School Board annul the decisions (oversight and the public) - [United Education of Serbia](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/udruzena-prosveta-srbije): She called the dismissals the face of a system that does not tolerate moral courage, signed even after the teachers had returned to work (oversight and the public) - [Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement (MASA)](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/masa): She called the teachers victims of the regime's revenge and demanded that the dismissal decisions be withdrawn (oversight and the public) ## Victims and others harmed - [Slavica Filipović](https://odgovornost.rs/en/osobe/slavica-filipovic) ## Sources - [Vreme: Crackdown on the disobedient: three teachers from Srbobran fired over teaching stoppage](): 28 May 2025 - [N1: Protest in Srbobran: disciplinary proceedings against three teachers over full work stoppage](): 19 May 2025 - [Radio Slobodna Evropa: 'Disbelief and sadness': A teacher on being fired over the suspension of classes](): 30 May 2025 - [Danas: Are three Srbobran teachers the first victims of the teaching stoppages in schools?](): 29 May 2025 - [N1: Three teachers fired at Srbobran grammar school over teaching stoppage](): 28 May 2025 - [021.rs: Three teachers at Srbobran grammar school fired over teaching stoppage: they had permanent contracts](): 28 May 2025 - [Danas: Revenge on rebellious educators: three teachers at the Srbobran grammar school are the first in Serbia to be fired for supporting students](): 8 Jul 2025 - [N1: “Both the headteacher and the whole SNS overplayed their hand”: three teachers fired for supporting students in the blockade](): 29 May 2025 - [N1: Supporting students cost some their jobs: did the headteacher who fired three teachers work without a licence?](): 29 May 2025 - [N1: NSPRS union: Reverse the dismissals of teachers in Srbobran, protest outside the grammar school today](): 29 May 2025 - [Nova.rs: Who is the principal who fired the Srbobran teachers: Often seen at an SNS stand, students left her a sandwich with a message](): 29 May 2025 - [021.rs: United Education on the dismissal of teachers in Srbobran: If we stay silent, tomorrow there will be no one left to teach](): 30 May 2025 - [N1: MASA: Dismissed teachers – “the latest victims of the regime's revenge”](): 30 May 2025 - [N1: Citizens in Srbobran protest over dismissed teachers, one says she would always support the students](): 20 Jun 2025 - [N1: Srbobran grammar school's School Board rejects teachers' appeal against dismissal decision](): 24 Jun 2025 - [Autonomija: School Board rejects appeals against dismissal of teachers in Srbobran](): 25 Jun 2025 --- Source: Odgovornost, https://odgovornost.rs/en/afere/srbobran-nastavnice-otkaz As of: 4 Nov 2026 Licence: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)