“They were throwing bottles, screaming like animals”: the report written by the teacher shortly before her death
While I was standing at the podium and teaching, a student (name) threw a plastic bottle filled with chocolate milk at me. The bottle was open, with the result that my clothes were drenched.
Then, throughout the entire teaching hour, she kept throwing papers at me, and at the end she threw a bottle filled with water, which fell to the floor and burst open, soaking both me and the classroom.
In previous incidents, while I was writing on the board, students had thrown at my back a full bottle of water as well as a heavy German-language learning book—actions that could have caused me serious bodily harm, given that I suffer from a fracture in the sacral bone.
The student (name) repeatedly exposed her buttocks to the entire class throughout the lesson, while openly declaring that her behavior was meant to show that she takes no one into account, especially not me.
Another student (name) dragged the desks and slammed the chairs against the floor, until the back of one chair broke. He insulted me with unprintable language and threatened that he would report me to his mother and to the principal.
The Parents’ Association of the school later issued a statement denying that the children had bullied the teacher and announced that it intends to take legal action against anyone spreading such claims, arguing that these allegations insult the students.
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No generation is born good or bad. Each generation reflects the society that shapes it. When institutions weaken and values become uncertain, young people grow up in confusion. Yet history shows that societies possess the ability to reinvent themselves. The real question is not what the new generation will do to the world, but what kind of world we hand over to them.
If you have never been near a neighborhood or provincial football field, you will never understand why the most receptive audience of the new doctrine-value established by what might be called Putino-Trumpism—“right is whatever power, violence, superiority and conquest impose”—is found among fans of the so-called Generation Z.
Likewise, for those who have not had the chance to enjoy the “sound” (we cannot call it a song) titled “Ferto,” which will represent Greece at the Eurovision spectacle, they will not fully understand what kind of youngsters these “Akylases” are.
Older generations used to say: “If at twenty you are not left-wing, you have no heart. If at thirty you still are, you have no mind.” And in many ways this held true. In the decades after the war and until the arrival of the new century—from the 1960s through the 1990s—it was almost impossible to be eighteen years old and completely apolitical or indifferent.
You had to know, or at least have an opinion about, what the Red Brigades did in Italy, what happened during May 1968 in France, and who figures such as Belogiannis, Lambrakis, and Petroulas were in Greece. Otherwise you risked social isolation in school or university circles.
Today the situation appears reversed. The pure expression of the philosophy and values of the “Z generation” is the spirit embodied in Ferto. Look at the depth of thought and the lofty message contained in these lines:
Bring it to me, bring it to me, bring it
I told you bring it
Bring it to me, bring it to me, bring it
Bring it to me, bring it to me, bring it
I want so many things that cannot be touched
I want glory, eternity and money
Selected clothes that are so expensive
So they shout my name out loud
And I want to dance, to dance higher and higher.
We are no longer speaking about the “American dream,” which was once embodied—even if ironically—by the now tragicomic president of the superpower. What we are seeing instead is a sickness: a mania, a passion for conquest, domination, and unrestrained hedonism.
If Donald Trump belonged to their generation, the “Z-kids” would probably vote for him overwhelmingly.
Let us come to the conclusion. The generation to which the promising students of the Thessaloniki school belong—the ones who allegedly drove their unfortunate English teacher to her grave—is, in a way, polytheistic. They worship Mammon, the internet, and video games, but they also take particular pleasure in sacrificing to the goddess of violence.
These are the deities of our era.
If you are not tough, violent, a conqueror, even ruthless, you will not “make it.” And that means you will never become the kind of “success story” celebrated in the culture of Akylas. No one will shout your name loudly.
Start at fifteen, then, so that even your parents may admire you. Throw a bottle of milk at your teacher in the classroom that reminds you that life is not only about “bring it to me,” but also about “give it.” Above all: give, offer, sacrifice.
And you will have the support of your parents, who—above all—care about your success. It does not matter how you reach the dream of Akylas.
Just conquer it.
Make them proud of you.
Diotima now has the floor, to explain in her own way how she sees the world when Generation Z takes control of it, and when the older generations of idealists have already departed from life.
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On March 11, 2026, a disturbing account emerged describing the experience of a school teacher who reported repeated acts of humiliation and aggression by students during her lessons. According to the report, while she was standing at the podium teaching, a student threw a plastic bottle filled with chocolate milk at her. The bottle was open, and its contents spilled over her clothes. Throughout the lesson, the same student continued throwing papers at her, and eventually hurled another bottle, this time filled with water, which burst open on the floor, soaking both the teacher and the classroom.
The teacher also described earlier incidents. While she was writing on the board, students had thrown a full bottle of water at her back and even a heavy German-language textbook. Such actions could have caused serious bodily harm, especially given that she was already suffering from a fracture in the sacral bone.
In another episode, a student reportedly made an obscene display toward the class during the entire lesson, openly stating that the gesture was meant to demonstrate that she respected no one—especially the teacher. Another student dragged desks across the floor and slammed chairs until one chair broke. He insulted the teacher with offensive language and threatened to report her to his mother and to the school principal.
Following the circulation of this account, the school’s Parents’ Association issued a statement denying that the students had bullied the teacher and announced their intention to take legal action against those who spread such claims, arguing that these allegations insult the students.
This incident became the starting point for a broader reflection on contemporary youth culture. The commentary that followed argued that the episode is not simply about a classroom conflict but reflects deeper cultural changes. According to this interpretation, the most receptive audience for the modern doctrine that “might makes right”—a value allegedly reinforced by political and cultural trends around the world—is found among segments of what is commonly called Generation Z.
In past decades, young people were often expected to be politically aware and ideologically engaged. From the student movements of the 1960s to the social struggles of the late twentieth century, youth identity was frequently linked to collective ideals and political debate. A young person who remained completely indifferent to political and social questions risked isolation among peers.
Today, however, the cultural landscape appears different. The dominant messages in popular culture often revolve around visibility, wealth, recognition, and personal success. In the commentary referenced in the original text, even a contemporary song lyric becomes symbolic of this cultural shift: a desire for fame, luxury, and public acclaim. The dream is no longer simply the “American Dream” of opportunity through effort; it is increasingly portrayed as an immediate pursuit of recognition, dominance, and pleasure.
From this perspective, modern society appears to worship new “gods”: money, online visibility, digital entertainment, and sometimes even the spectacle of violence. In such an environment, the argument goes, young people may learn that respect, patience, and service to others are less rewarded than assertiveness, provocation, and the pursuit of attention.
Yet it is important to approach such interpretations with caution. Every generation in history has been criticized by the one before it. The youth of the 1950s were accused of moral decline because of rock music. The youth of the 1970s were blamed for radicalism and social upheaval. Later generations were criticized for television, video games, or the internet.
The deeper issue may lie not in a particular generation but in broader structural changes. Schools today often struggle with a paradox: the traditional authority of teachers has weakened, but no equally effective framework of respect and responsibility has replaced it. When institutions lose legitimacy and families feel compelled to defend children unconditionally, conflicts can escalate instead of being resolved.
Thus the episode described above may be less a story about a “bad generation” and more a reflection of a society in transition. Young people are growing up in a world marked by economic uncertainty, digital saturation, rapid cultural change, and declining trust in institutions. These conditions inevitably shape attitudes and behavior.
History also suggests that generational identities evolve. Many individuals who appear rebellious, indifferent, or superficial in adolescence become pragmatic, responsible adults later in life. As members of Generation Z move into adulthood, they will likely redefine their values in response to new responsibilities—work, family, and social participation.
Therefore, the future shaped by this generation will not necessarily be dominated by cynicism or aggression. It may instead produce new forms of cooperation, new understandings of community, and new balances between technology and human values. The essential challenge for any society remains the same: to cultivate respect, responsibility, and a sense of shared purpose across generations.