Do you have anything to add to this story? Any ideas for interviews or angles we should explore? Let us know if you’d like to write a follow-up, a counterpoint, or share a similar story.
Thessaloniki: Stress and bullying caused a 57-year-old English teacher to have a stroke and die
Sofia Christidou, a 57-year-old English teacher with advanced qualifications including a PhD and postdoctoral experience, as well as proficiency in multiple languages, died on 7 March 2026 after suffering a haemorrhagic stroke. She was hospitalised in the ICU at Papageorgiou Hospital in Thessaloniki, where she passed away several days later. The incident occurred at the 3rd General Lyceum in Thessaloniki, where she taught English to multiple classes. She worked across three schools and eight classes in total. Many reports have linked her death to severe psychological stress resulting from prolonged workplace bullying.
According to the teacher’s official report, a small group of five to six students systematically harassed her for about five months, beginning in October 2025. Their behaviour was mainly in reaction to grades, exams, and her teaching methods. Specific incidents she documented include:
- Throwing objects during lessons, such as an open plastic bottle of chocolate milk (which soaked her clothes while she was teaching at the podium), full water bottles (one of which hit her in the back while she was writing on the board and another of which splashed her and the classroom), heavy books (including a German textbook), and pieces of paper.
- Verbal abuse and threats, including insults such as “bastard,” “moron,” and “idiot,” obscenities, and direct statements such as “Why don’t you leave here?” were clearly intended to force her out of the school.
- Other disruptive acts, including banging desks and chairs loudly (breaking one chair), mimicking animal cries and roars, exposing their buttocks (mooning her), dragging desks around, and blocking the classroom door so that she could not exit. One student was also allegedly seen hanging from the window in a show of contempt (a detail that was later distorted in complaints against her).
These acts endangered her “personal dignity and, in some cases, her physical integrity,” as she wrote. The physics teacher had to intervene twice due to the chaos.
Her family and lawyer emphasise that the bullying was targeted and relentless, with the explicit aim of driving her out of the school.
The Teacher’s Official Complaints and Requests
On 6 February 2026, she submitted a detailed three-page memorandum to the Ministry of Education and the Directorate of Secondary Education for Thessaloniki and Central Macedonia. The memorandum listed specific dates, times, and incidents, and requested immediate intervention. A key passage from her report states:
“The situation that has developed seriously offends my personal dignity and, in some cases, puts my physical integrity at risk… Their behaviour towards me is extremely aggressive, with the clear goal of forcing me out of the school. They have even said this to my face with the phrase, ‘Why don’t you leave here?’”
She also requested:
- The removal of the specific students involved
- Enhanced security measures, including a permanent police presence, X-ray and body scanners for bags, and the appointment of a full-time school psychologist
She had previously applied multiple times over a period of three years for a transfer to a university position and had filed defamation lawsuits. She had also reported related issues, according to some accounts, since around 2017.
The school director, Maria-Angeliki Margka, was aware of the problems and at one point entered the classroom to restore order. She acknowledged that certain students were causing “systematic problems” and required special pedagogical support.
However, instead of launching a full disciplinary or administrative investigation into the bullying, the administration referred the teacher herself to a health committee to evaluate her for “mental incapacity to perform teaching duties,” based on complaints from students and
parents. None of the protective measures she requested (police presence, scanners, psychologist) was implemented. Some articles describe this as a case of turning the victim into the perpetrator.
A counter-letter from parents (unsigned and claiming to represent some families) accuses the teacher of verbally and physically mistreating students—for example, using insults such as “bastard” and “whore,” kicking chairs and causing bruises, spitting, throwing objects at students, and allegedly suggesting suicide to one student. Parents filed
complaints against her, which led to the health committee referral and an ongoing investigation. The Parents’ Association condemned public accusations against students and threatened legal action over any false claims.
The Prosecutor of the Thessaloniki Court of Appeal has ordered a preliminary investigation into the teacher’s complaints, as well as into any prosecutable offences ex officio, while the Ministry of Education has ordered a sworn administrative inquiry to examine the full circumstances, school conditions, and the causes of her death. The Ministry stated that it is gathering all evidence with “seriousness and institutional responsibility” and urged restraint from premature judgments.
Her written report serves as the primary documentation of the incident. Multiple sources confirm the existence of videos showing bullying inside the classroom, with students throwing objects and creating significant noise. One such video was reportedly uploaded online but quickly removed. The family’s lawyer, Haralambos Apostolidis, has publicly
urged any students who recorded incidents to submit the footage to the authorities.
The Reactions
Her boyfriend, Marios Ieromnimon, stated to Greek media: ‘Her family and I are determined to take legal action against those responsible for the death of our beloved Sofia.’
Her uncle, Dimitris Kostopoulos, said: ‘Her death is linked to what was happening at school… Students and parents are tarnishing her memory and will be sued.’ “The family had been preparing to file complaints for dereliction of duty against the principal and the Secondary Education Director, but the prosecutor acted first. They now plan to submit evidence as witnesses and seek moral vindication,” he added.
The death has shocked the educational community across Greece. Teachers’ unions such as OLME, PASYD, and the 3rd ELME of Thessaloniki expressed their sorrow and
demanded better protection for educators, noting that school violence now targets teachers as well.
They highlight systemic problems: overcrowded classrooms, a lack of psychologists, inadequate security measures, and widespread exhaustion among staff. Teachers have stressed that “educators are not disposable” and have called for police presence, security scanners, and more psychologists in schools facing serious problems.
The tragic death of teacher Sofia Christidou in Thessaloniki has understandably shocked the Greek society and brought to light a dark, often overlooked aspect of the Greek educational system: the psychological and physical violence that teachers may face within their own classrooms.
The rising levels of misconduct and disrespect in schools call for a multifaceted and realistic response. The following points outline a framework that could serve as the basis for meaningful change:
What is best for Greek society:
- Restoring the prestige of the teacher: Society at large, and parents in particular, must stop devaluing the role of the teacher. Teachers must once again be recognised as central pillars of character formation, not merely as “employees” who transmit knowledge.
- Meaningful collaboration between family and school: The home is the primary setting for socialisation. Parents must set boundaries and teach respect, acting as allies of teachers rather than as their critics or as “defence attorneys” for any misbehaviour on the part of their children.
- Zero tolerance for a culture of violence: A broader cultural shift is needed away from the glorification of “tough-guy” behaviour, lawlessness, and the rule of the strongest, and toward the active promotion of empathy and mutual respect.
What students should and should not do
What they should do:
- Respect boundaries and others: School is a microcosm of society. Understanding that they are dealing with a person who works, contributes, and deserves respect is one of the most fundamental lessons for their adult lives.
- Break the silence (bystander intervention): Students who witness abusive behaviour toward teachers or classmates must speak up. Silence and apathy fuel bullying and normalise violence.
- Assert themselves and disagree with reasoned arguments: Critical thinking and disagreement are not only legitimate but desirable in school, provided they are expressed in a civil manner and through dialogue.
What they must not do:
- No use of violence (physical or psychological): Throwing objects, constant interruptions, insults, and systematic psychological harassment are disruptive—and often criminal—behaviours, not “teenage pranks” or signs of “rebelliousness.”
- Do not confuse intimidation with acceptance: Violence toward teachers is often used as a way to impress peers. Undermining this distorted peer-reward mechanism is essential.
What the authorities must do:
- Legal and administrative protection for educators: Teachers often feel unprotected, fearing complaints and lawsuits from aggressive parents or indifference from school administrators when they impose disciplinary measures. The authorities must provide them with immediate legal support and clear, consistent administrative backing.
- Strict protocols and meaningful consequences: A clear, enforceable framework for addressing violence in schools is needed. Impunity or excessively “lenient” consequences only exacerbate the problem. When a student crosses the line, immediate disciplinary measures must be taken, with corresponding accountability—legal and financial where appropriate—assigned to their guardians.
- Permanent psychosocial support in schools: Suppression alone is not enough. The permanent presence of psychologists and social workers is needed in every school to support both teachers under pressure and students exhibiting problematic behaviours, so that problems can be addressed at their root.
- Crisis management training: Teachers must receive specialised and ongoing training (not just theoretical seminars) on how to manage extreme tensions, behavioural problems, and crises in the classroom.
When a teacher breaks down under the weight of pressure, disrespect, and abuse in their workplace, it reflects a systemic failure. Above all, the school must be a completely safe space for everyone.
Written by
©2026 PulseZ. Design & developed by Matrix Internet Opens in a new tab