On December 20, Kraków officials released a statement suspending Principal Mariusz Graniczka of XLIV High School after he reportedly told a student to shave his head during class.
Kraków: School Scandal – Principal Sent Student to Hairdresser
On December 20, the city of Kraków issued a statement suspending Mariusz Graniczka, principal of XLIV High School, after reports that he directed a student to go to a hairdresser and come back with a shaved head during lessons.
The suspension, effective from November 24, was upheld by the Disciplinary Commission for teachers in the Małopolska Voivodeship, which found no procedural flaw apart from the lack of a formal notice on the suspension’s duration.
Mayor Suspends Principal After Reported Incident
Mayor Aleksander Miszalski suspended Graniczka following a complaint from the Małopolska Education Inspectorate regarding the teacher’s conduct toward a student.
The inspectorate said the principal’s action could constitute a violation of the Teacher’s Charter (Article 6 §§ 1 and 5), which safeguards student dignity, safety and rights.
Mayor Expresses Shock Over Principal’s Actions
The mayor noted that suspensions cannot extend beyond six months unless a criminal or disciplinary proceeding is ongoing, prompting Kraków to set the suspension’s end date to May 24 2026.
In a statement, Miszalski said: “I am shocked and appalled by the principal’s conduct at XLIV High School. The school is not a private estate, and the principal has overstepped boundaries, even encouraging ideological indoctrination and political appeals within the school.”
Alumni Parents Defend Principal
In the days following the suspension, parents of the school’s alumni wrote to the school urging restraint, claiming the criticism was fueled by personal biases and incomplete information.
They stated that the principal had always prioritized students’ welfare and they called for measured, responsible, honest opinions and decisions concerning the respected educator and administrator.