Conscious female teachers and professional behavior.

Mohammad Habibi

The 17th of Ordibehesht month was the third nationwide gathering of teachers in the academic year of 93-94, which was held in a magnificent and coordinated manner across the country. The extensive organizational order and the teachers’ commitment to silence during recent protest gatherings have been a display of unity and solidarity within the profession, which on one hand has closed the door to any political exploitation of internal movements and on the other hand has transformed the grassroots movement of teachers into a leading force in civil movements within Iranian society. Even security pressures and the government’s dual approach have not affected this unity and coordination.

The government of management and hope, on one hand, recognizes the protests of teachers officially, and on the other hand, displays an opposing approach by pressuring union activists. Just one week before the 17th of Ordibehesht gathering, there were significant security pressures on some union activists, especially members of the Tehran Teachers’ Guild Board of Directors. Summoning, interrogation, and threats against influential members of the Tehran Guild to enforce unjust judicial rulings, which they have faced in the past due to their union activities, are examples of this opposing approach. Some of these members were forced to resign and announce it on social media just two days before the gathering. It seems that these pressures were mainly to prevent the magnificent 17th gathering. However, the widespread presence of teachers showed that today, the teachers’ movement is not limited to a specific person or group. But the significant point of the 17th of Ordibehesht gathering was the strong presence of female teachers and their

In other words, unlike the past, today the presence of female teachers in the protest movement is not merely passive. Many female teachers have had a significant and active presence in planning and organizing protests over the past year. While the main tool for coordination among teachers in recent gatherings has been social media, especially Telegram and Viber groups, many of these virtual groups are organized, managed, and led by female teachers. This effective and dynamic action of female teachers has been to the extent that in some provinces of the country, such as Tehran and Kurdistan, the final resolution was read by female teachers. Sahar Zahoori, a union activist from Tehran who read the final resolution of the 17th of Ordibehesht gathering in front of the parliament, says about the presence of female teachers in the 17th gathering:

“The presence of women in the recent gathering was better compared to previous gatherings. However, considering the 4-fold ratio of female teachers to male teachers, the presence of women is undoubtedly very low. But the trend is improving and the acceptance of expressing dissent and declaring personal and professional positions by female colleagues is also increasing.”

Shiva Amali, along with teachers and activists in Kurdistan, also evaluates the presence of women in professional activities as more noticeable compared to previous years.

“The presence of women teachers in recent gatherings and protests, compared to other professional and social protests in the past, is a cause for great hope. Female teachers, in terms of quantity, make up a significant percentage of the educated society, and this percentage is even higher in some areas such as Tehran, where it includes over 70% of the educators in this major city. In recent gatherings and protests, although in some regions like Kurdistan, female teachers have had a more prominent presence compared to previous years, and in central trade union organizations in some areas, they have been actively involved in professional activities, their social participation and presence is still limited compared to their widespread population.”

The presence of female teachers in professional activities, while women make up a significant portion of the country’s cultural population, is a sign of significant changes in the field of education. This is because such presence can not only increase awareness and improve the quality of women’s participation skills, but also provide a platform for their presence in major educational decision-making processes.

The magic of appearance emphasizes the necessity of women’s presence in professional activities.

“Undoubtedly, the maximum presence of women will have remarkable results for professional activities and trade associations. More than half of the cultural community is made up of women, and their participation will have a significant impact on advancing the goals of these associations and increasing their self-confidence. The social activities and presence of women in society will bring attention to the issues faced by this group in society. I hope that the self-confidence of women will increase and they will have maximum participation in professional activities.”

Shiva Ameli also sees the participation of women teachers in social fields as a catalyst for individual and social transformations. In her view, “the more women participate in professional activities, the more it provides the opportunity to neutralize traditional and stereotypical roles that have been predetermined for women, and in this way, female teachers can bring out their hidden and true abilities for themselves and for society more than ever before. The reality is that every small step of women’s participation in social fields is not only a step towards saving women from social, economic, and gender-based constraints, but ultimately it is a limited movement towards saving the entire human society from existing misfortunes.”

Despite all of this, there are still numerous structural and mental barriers, both at the societal level and among female teachers, that hinder the quantitative and qualitative expansion of women’s presence. Part of these obstacles and common problems for all Iranian women in entering social arenas, and others are due to the lack of awareness among female teachers about their ability to have an impact on the educational structure of the country.

“Sahar Zohoori also examines the responsibilities of female teachers inside and outside the home, and identifies some of the obstacles that arise from traditional societal attitudes and others that stem from security pressures in educational environments.”

“The obstacles in the way of women are caused by the traditional view of society towards women. A mindset that has taken away the courage to express opinions and beliefs from women, and of course, fear of authority and perhaps fear of domination. Women’s lack of awareness of their true rights and pressures and threats that have been imposed on teachers by the system in recent years have made women less courageous to participate in professional activities. These obstacles are partly related to the system and partly to the personal views of women who think that their main responsibility is to be a mother and they should only dedicate themselves to their family and spouse.”

According to Shiva, the patriarchal structure of Iranian society also plays a significant role in creating barriers for women teachers to participate in social activities.

The indices of this lack of participation must be understood in the structures of male dominance and the imposed gender roles that reproduce gender inequalities within the framework of institutionalized and culturally-social patterns. These same institutionalized patterns and discriminatory and accepted customs, which consider the determination of the social, economic, and political fate of society as a masculine matter, have taught that the fate of a society must always be determined by men. Under the influence of such an approach, the special, main, and accepted role of women in society is to fulfill the stereotypical functions of traditional society, namely taking on roles such as motherhood, wifehood, etc. in the family.

In summary, as mentioned by this professional group of teachers:

Economic, legal, customary, cultural, religious limitations, as well as women’s self-perception and factors such as these, all together in reproduction and influencing each other, diminish the role of women in social participation.

Despite all the difficulties and numerous problems, the gradual growth of female teachers’ presence in professional activities and their increasing interest in participating in social spheres has been very promising.

As Shiva says, “Just as an agent.”

“There are limitations, but we should not see them as obstacles that will always block our path. We must think about them, overcome them, and it is crucial to make fundamental changes in the patriarchal mindset and traditional foundations in order to move forward from the current situation. Taking essential steps towards increasing awareness and creating a sense of necessity for women to have a qualitative and quantitative presence in social spheres.”