Vilnius
On October 3, 1980, Andrius Tučkus, a first-year psychology student in the history department of Vilnius State University, who with his friends had helped out on a collective farm near Kėdainiai, was summoned by B. Sudavičius, university prorector for academic matters, who was temporarily acting as rector. When the youth presented himself, he was greeted with, "So, you're a believer? Maybe you even wear something holy around your neck?" "Why is it wrong for me to be a believer? The Soviet Constitution guarantees freedom of conscience," replied the student boldly. "You can seek freedom of conscience elsewhere but not here at the university," Sudavičius arrogantly replied. Tučkus was immediately read a letter signed by the rector stating that for actions and beliefs incompatible with the morals of a Soviet student, for signing slanderous documents, for anti-Soviet activity, for "indecent" behavior at Sasnauskas's and Terleckas's trial, it had been decided to expel him from the university. Being aware of who makes the decisions in our society, Tučkus telephoned the security police and asked them to explain why he was being expelled from the university. The call was taken by Second Lt. A. Bimbyris, who did not try to explain and connected him with Lt. Col. Baltinas. He arrogantly confirmed, "We are expelling you!" but yet had enough "political sense" not to include the youth's religious convictions among the reasons for the expulsion. Baltinas promised to "allow" him to study psychology the following year if he withdrew from all activities and renounced his friendship with the nationalists.
Josvainiai (Kėdainiai Rayon)
On the afternoon of February 28,1980, funeral services were conducted for the elderly [Mrs.] Mikalina Vasylienė. Because they attended the funeral services and sang religious hymns, the following Josvainiai Secondary School students had their deportment grades lowered to unsatisfactory: [Miss] Roma Bernotavičiūtė (grade 2C; homeroom teacher: [Mrs.] Abukauskienė), [Miss] Lilijana Silkaityte (grade 5B; homeroom teacher: [Mrs.] Kudavičienė), and [Miss] Genutė Brigytė (grade 5A; homeroom teacher: [Mrs.] Kaminskienė).
Biržai
On August 27, 1980, Principal Konradas of Biržai Secondary School no. 2 stopped grade-8A student Virginijus Meškauskas in the hallway and brought him to his office. The principal scolded the student for wearing a cross around his neck and asked him where he had gotten it. Virginijus explained that he had found the cross and now wore it out of respect. Without a word, the principal tore the cross from the student's neck. He has yet to return it.
Šiupyliai (Šiauliai Rayon)
On June 18, 1980, a religious festival in honor of St. Anthony was held in Šiupyliai. As the girls were putting on their processional clothes, Communist Youth League Secretary [Miss] Vida Pilibaitė arrived and began to terrorize them, "Don't you dare put those on! If you do, I'll tear them off!" ranted Pilibaitė. Father Antanas Ylius arrived, and asked Pilibaitė to leave the churchyard.
Šaukėnai
Alvydas Rakauskas, a tenth grader at the Šaukėnai Secondary School, earned straight "A's" in 1980. The school principal wrote the student a letter of commendation, but the teachers council decided that Rakauskas's behavoir could only be graded "satisfactory" because he attends church. Alvydas is also being harassed by the security police for this reason.
Janapolė (Telšiai Rayon)
On April 7 and 8, 1980 (the second and third days of Easter), Janapolė Secondary School Principal Pranas Savickas summoned the children who serve at mass and, using both kindness and threats, attempted to persuade them not to go to church. The following children were summoned individually: grade 8 student Ričardas Lenkauskas; grade 6 student Vaclovas Aleksandravičius; grade 5 student Romas Dapsevičius; and grade 3 student Kęstutis Sieba. Despite the threats, cajoling, and intimidation, the children replied,"We'll continue to go to church, as in the past!" Ričardas Lenkauskas was interrogated by the principal for twenty-seven minutes, who threatened, "If you go to church, we won't accept you into the ninth grade. We'll send you to a trade school." Later, the student's mother was summoned to the school three times. Amazed, she asked the principal, "Is my child doing something bad? Is it a crime to serve at mass? I can only tell you this: he has gone to church in the past and will continue to do so. And he will serve at mass!" Principal Savickas shouted in a great rage, "We don't need such students!"
Kaunas
In September 1980 group leaders at the P. Mažylis Medical School warned the students that the number of scholarships would be greatly reduced. A maximum of twenty students per group would receive scholarships based on financial need and grades.
The president and the secretary of Group III of the third-year pharmacy course drew up a list of twenty students and presented it to the school's Communist Youth League Committee for confirmation. They were told that students who did not belong to the Communist Youth League would not receive scholarships. When the girls began to explain that [Miss] Staselė Sipavičiūtė was the top student in the group with just a few "B's" and the financial need of [Miss] Liuda Liutvinaitė was great (Liuda also has only a few "B's"), they were told that the girls have made no commitment to society, that they are good students, but if they want to receive scholarships, they must join the Communist Youth League.
This particular group has six girls who are not members of the Communist Youth League. In 1979 they were pressured to join. The girls said they would not join the Communist Youth because they were believers. They were then threatened with the loss of their scholarships, with expulsion from the dormitory, and even with expulsion from the school. The Communist Youth League Committee has kept at least part of its promise; scholarships were awarded only to Communist Youth League members.
