Mayor Wants His Name on School, Desperately

school links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 7 June 2011)

The process that has aggravated the administration and students of
Büyükçekmece Grammar School in Istanbul started with the naming of
the school after Dr. Hasan Akgün, the four-time mayor of the district,
because of contributions he began making to the school in 1996. But
municipal council member Ibrahim Bilgin objected to this and made an
appeal to the Istanbul Administrative Court, starting a battle over the
name.

The court decided that the school should continue to carry its old name,
Büyükçekmece Grammar School, but Akgün appealed to the governor
anew and had the school's sign taken down. So the school's name became
Dr. Hasan Akgün M.L. Grammar School. At this point, Bilgin went to
the Danıştay (a higher court), which confirmed the administrative court's
decision. The school's sign was taken down once again.

But Akgün had the new sign taken down by filing a protocol at the
governor's office, showing as the reason that he was having repairs made
at the school.  The school's new name became Dr. Hasan Akgün
Curriculum Laboratory Grammar School. Not to be outdone, Bilgin
appealed to the Ankara 15th Administrative Court and had the
Büyükçekmece Grammar School sign raised once again.

What had become a matter of pride for Akgün lead him to make another
effort. He had a sports arena constructed in the school's yard and went
to the governor's office in December to sign a protocol to have the
school's name changed again in January. But Akgün's sign lasted just
four months because the court's latest decision was to have the
Büyükçekmece Grammar School sign put up yet again. Two weeks ago
the sign with Akgün's name on it was removed.

These days the school's students don't know what answer to give when
asked 'what school do you attend?'  No new sign has been put up in
place of the latest one taken down. The school's principal explained that
'we don't have money to have a sign made.'

Akgün characterized Bilgin, who brought him to court, as his 'political
enemy.' He said that 'the Akgün family has made nearly 2 million TL in
contributions to the school up till now, in the framework of a protocol
signed at the governor's office. The protocol's conditions are clear. The
school's sign must show my name. I made this assistance not as mayor
but as a family. If the protocol's conditions are not put in place I will take
action to recover the nearly 2 million TL we have invested thus far.'

As for Bilgin, he stated that 'it's not ethical for a sitting mayor to use
municipal funds for this and to put his name on the school, as well.'