Chants and whistles rang out on Camden High Street as TEFL Workers’ Union members made noise and showed their solidarity with Emek.
Today saw the launch of the TEFL Workers’ Union public campaign to support Emek, a Turkish teacher who alleges she was unfairly dismissed as a result of “native speakerism” at the TopUp Learning / TTI.
Emek worked at TopUp for a number of years, always a popular and successful teacher. Despite this, she alleges that owner Sam Malafeh suggested she “rebrand” as a native speaker, even going so far as to list Emek as a “native speaker” on the company’s website.
According to TEFL Workers’ Union rep Aidan Byrne-Sarno,
“So-called ‘native speakerism’ has no place in education. Teachers should be judged on their skills, experience and care for students, not on whether they fit a narrow idea of what an English teacher is supposed to sound like.”
Things reached a head when Emek alleges she was accused of attempting to “steal” students after briefly speaking Turkish with them. She was sacked without due process a short time later.
But the TEFL Workers’ Union isn’t about to sit idly by and let discrimination or violations of workers’ rights go unchallenged. That’s why this morning at around noon, a group of union members gathered in front of the school with banners, leaflets, and a collection of chants calling out the school and its owner, Sam Malafeh.
The workers and residents of Camden were enthusiastic, with many stopping to take leaflets and photos, have a chat, and even take supportive videos for their social media. Camden is one of the most multicultural areas in Europe, a fact that wasn’t lost on Emek:
“I teach English as someone who had to fight for English herself. That means I understand my students in a way no textbook can teach.
I’m proud to be a Turkish English teacher. I should never have been made to feel that my accent or background made me less valuable.”
The message of the union to owner Sam Malafeh is clear: This isn’t going away. Whether in the street or in the courtroom, the union is here to hold you to account.
More actions are scheduled to demand justice for Emek, so keep an eye out for ways you can show your support. If you work in a language school and have a boss who isn’t respecting you or respecting the law, it’s [email protected] to speak to an organiser.