Baha’i student Dorsa Allahverdi expelled from University

Dorsa Allahverdi, a freshman student of Agricultural Machinery Engineering, was expelled from the Gorgan University.

The Association Against Educational Discrimination Web site reports that on 21 November 2011, Dorsa Allahverdi finds out over the phone that due to an “incomplete file”, she has to go to the Education Evaluation Organization. On 23 November, she is told at the Education Evaluation Organization that she has been expelled from the university because of her belief in the “Baha’i Faith”.

The report further added that in 2011 alone, over 20 Baha’i students were expelled from different universities such as the Isfahan University of Technology, Shiraz University and Sharif University. Among those expelled are Ruhollah Tashakor, Bashir Tashakkor, Alborz Nourani, Ava Tavakoli, Mona Momeni, Orkideh Aghai, Hannaneh Kanani, Hooman Rahmanian, Malika Vazirzadeh, Noura Sahrangi, Farnood Jahangiri, Pouya Mohammadi, Shideh Abadi, Delara Darabi, Sahba Mottahedin, Samira Gholami, Shima Ranjbar, Shadi Moeddi and Negar Salehi.

It is worth noting that dozens of other Baha’i students were also barred from entering university this year due to the same “incomplete file” reason.
Regarding this issue, Dorsa Allahverdi has written the following text:

On September 10, 1390, I woke up at 6 AM with anxiety. I had not seen the names of those admitted to universities on the web site of the Education Evaluation Organization. I was wondering whether or not I had been admitted. Perhaps I am among those with an “incomplete file”! Or else… It was a strange feeling…. Soon after that … God, what am I looking at?

Dorsa Allahverdi – Agricultural Machinery Engineering – Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources – Daytime

I have been admitted! A cry of joy … A moment that is familiar to many. I went over the future in my mind, and planned a beautiful future for myself because I thought I have now fulfilled my lifelong desire to get into college. I immediately checked the sites to find out about the registration process and the required documents.

September 14

Finally, registration day. I am so excited. Now is the time to start building a new future for myself and to give a vivid color to my life’s desire. But I also was worried that history would repeat itself. I remembered that day years ago. The day they announced the list of those admitted to the magnet high school and when, unbelievably, I didn’t see my name among those admitted! Since I was certain I had answered correctly to all the questions on the test. After much legwork, I found out about the existence of my report card. When I went to school and received the official report, the school official explained: “It is really unfortunate. Your ranking even without the quota system is way higher than the next highest ranking student admitted with the advantage of the quota system and I truly regret to lose a student such as yourself.”

I too regretted that I lived in a country that, despite its’ motto “Seek out knowledge from cradle to grave” and its tradition of “Seek knowledge even if it is in China”, I was being so unfairly deprived from studying at a school that I had every right to. But I was not very surprised. I was just one of hundreds of Baha’is who had been deprived of their inalienable rights. Anyway, I had now found my way into the university. I went through the registration process with some confusion, because in the registration form there were no “Baha’I” or “other religions” options in the box for religion. And since I didn’t want to lie about my religion, I was forced to check “other denominations” and specify the Baha’I Faith (which is not a sect but a religion) in the description field.

Finally came the first day of my first semester and I continued my education with enthusiasm. Higher education … higher education … the common wish of all young people and their families. The first two months passed in the blink of an eye and I went through each day thinking that after four years I would graduate as an engineer to serve society. Sometimes I would think back to the advice my high school principal (I was one of the few Baha’is who ,for middle school, went to a magnet public school) gave me: “you have taken a spot away from other kids who would be studying here instead of you! Because you are not going to get into any university anyway. This school is for those students who have a future in higher education, not you…. “And now, I wished he was here to see where I am.

But, on the other hand, I was worried. Is this going to be my last day in college? And finally, on November 21, in a telephone conversation, I was told that in order to fix my “incomplete file” problem, I would have to go to the Education Evaluation Organization in Tehran. It was interesting that, in order to make sure there is no “incomplete file” in my situation, I had asked the Education Evaluation Organization several times about it and every time I had been assured that there is nothing missing in my case. And now, after the telephone call, I found out that the only problem with my file was that I am a Baha’i.

Two days later, November 23, we went to the Education Evaluation Organization. Fortunately, or unfortunately, they frankly told us that I had been expelled from the university for being a Baha’i and that I don’t have the right to a higher education. I wrote a letter asking for my right to a college education and I requested that they look into my case. Although I knew that it would be no use. But, in my heart, I prayed: “Oh God … adorn the rulers with justice and the religious leaders with fairness …”.

Source: Human Rights House of IRAN