Belgrade school cancels graduation party over T-shirt slogans

Eighth-grade students at OŠ "Đuro Strugar" in Belgrade have been denied their traditional end-of-year celebration, traditionally held on the last day of classes, due to slogans planned for their T-shirts. The school's acting director, Zdravka Brkić Kojić, reportedly found the students' chosen message unacceptable, sparking frustration among students and parents.

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We were good students, but we will never be 'ćaci'.

The original slogan, "Bili smo dobri đaci, ali nikada nećemo biti ćaci" (We were good students, but we will never be 'ćaci' – a play on words implying they won't be 'old men' or 'stuck in the past'), was deemed inappropriate by the school administration. Dejan Kaličanin, a parent of an eighth-grader, told N1 that neither the students nor the parents understand the reason for the denial.

An attempt to compromise with a new slogan, "Kad porastem biću student" (When I grow up, I will be a student), was also rejected by the school. Kaličanin described the situation as an artificially created problem by the acting director, who has been in her position for only a few months. He characterized the T-shirt slogans as humorous and self-conceived by the students, who he believes are mature enough to understand current events.

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The celebration will not happen, and neither the children nor we parents understand why.

Kaličanin criticized the director's actions as "unpedagogical" and contributing to the erosion of educational institutions. He stated that the director threatened to call the police if students wore the T-shirts in the schoolyard. The teacher reportedly told the students they should not engage in politics, a claim Kaličanin disputes, arguing the director has politicized the entire situation. The school officially stated that students would attend classes for the first three or four hours, after which they could leave, but no celebration would be permitted in the schoolyard.

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When I grow up, I will be a student.

Parents have decided to stand by their children and organize their own celebration outside the school premises. Kaličanin noted that no one attempted to explain to the children why their chosen slogans were problematic. "They simply want to have a good time and celebrate the last day of their eight years of schooling," he concluded.

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The problem was artificially created by the decision of the acting director, who has been in that position for only a few months.