Teachers' group urges DepEd to put an end to 'teacher shaming'
Published Nov 23, 2019 12:00 am
By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
A group of teachers has asked the Department of Education (DepEd) to take the necessary steps to “protect and defend” teachers and prevent other instances of “teacher shaming” as what happened to a 29-year educator in a local television public service program.
Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) (FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
This, as the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) welcomed the DepEd’s initiative to conduct an investigation involving a public school teacher, who was shamed on national TV.
For TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas, the case of the public school teacher who was humiliated on a live television phone patch - as well as other related incidents “should be taken seriously” by the DepEd. The group also called on Secretary Leonor Briones to “take the necessary steps to protect and defend our teachers as well.”
TDC noted that the said incident - which has become viral for several days now - is the cause of a “spontaneous and unanimous fury”of public school teachers with netizens on their side.
Teacher-shaming incident
In an episode entitled “Mommy, Ipina-Tulfo ang Pasaway na Teacher ng Kanyang Anak!” aired last Monday, November 18, host Raffy Tulfo acted on a complaint of a grandmother against the teacher of her grandchild for allegedly “shaming and hurting” a pupil.
The child’s parents also appeared on the show where they repeatedly asked for justice and demanded the revocation of the teacher’s license to teach. The host agreed with the parents and even said that the child may suffer trauma. He then called the teacher and put her on live phone patch conversation.
At the end of the interview, the host gave the teacher the options - either she voluntarily give up her job and license to teach or face the consequence of prison term because of child abuse. “The poor teacher, readily agreed (to the former),” TDC said.
On Friday, Tulfo was apologetic regarding the incident said that he will no longer pursue the case and will just facilitate the settlement of both parties. Citing sources from the teacher’s school in Manila, TDC said that the concerned teacher and the child’s mother “have already settled their dispute after a meeting with some DepEd-Manila officials .”
Not the end
For TDC, this may be the “end of the story” for the mother and the teacher but not for some since the incident is not an isolated case. “In many circumstances, teachers accused of violation of children’s rights have been subjected to harassment, intimidation, extortion, physical threat and some kind of media sensationalization,” Basas said.
Teachers, Basas noted, are “often left in a disadvantaged position whenever a case is filed against them.” He added that legal assistance - especially those of private lawyers is not readily available for teachers. “In some cases, teachers are forced to enter into unfair settlement or worse, resign or face the court battle,” he noted.
In light of this issue, TDC reiterated that teachers - in general - “would never want to cause any harm- physically, emotionally or mentally to the children” because part of the “main duty of our teachers is to teach and the teaching environment should be conducive - thus, some sort of discipline is necessary.”
However, TDC said that teachers are now “subjected to many regulations that are used or misused against them” such as the the RA 7610 or the "Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act,” the DepEd’s Child Protection Policy and other laws.
While teachers “recognize and respect” these laws, Basas lamented that “unfortunately, these laws are used to harass, threaten and intimidate the helpless teachers and in some cases, extort money from them.”
The TDC, Basas said denounces “old ways of disciplining children” - particularly physical, verbal and psychological punishment especially in teaching-learning situation. “We regard these methods of imposing discipline as outdated and ineffective,” he said.
As teachers, Basas noted that they want to ensure the welfare of schoolchildren “but it should not be at our expense” because “we have to take into consideration all the factors in school situation.”
What can be done
To help put an end to “teacher-shaming,” TDC made recommendedations for the consideration of the DepEd and other policy-making bodies.
Among the proposed measure is to reduce of class size to a maximum of 30 students per classroom and provision of sick and vacation leave benefits for classroom teachers.
Among the proposed measure is to reduce of class size to a maximum of 30 students per classroom and provision of sick and vacation leave benefits for classroom teachers.
TDC also suggests the creation of more Special Education (SPED) centers and hiring of SPED teachers based on the needs and the professionalization of school guidance and counseling system and hiring of registered guidance counselors with higher salary grade based on their qualification.
The group also bats for the institutionalization of alternative school discipline policies agreed by parents, teachers and learners and and amendment of certain penal provisions of RA 7610 especially in the school setting.
Moreover, TDC is calling for the protection of teachers from harassment, intimidation, physical threat, extortion, media sensationalization and assigning of a defense lawyer for public school teachers facing criminal charges.
Teachers, TDC said, should have massive training on Positive Discipline Approach and that a review of the DepEd Child Protection Policy - as well as crafting of another policy - to “help protect the teachers as well.”
TDC also asked the policy-makers to ensure that “no teacher will be put in a disadvantaged situation” should they make any policy for the welfare of children. “We must, at all times be sure that the rights and welfare of teachers be protected in the same weight as we protect the children,” Basas ended.
Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) (FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
This, as the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) welcomed the DepEd’s initiative to conduct an investigation involving a public school teacher, who was shamed on national TV.
For TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas, the case of the public school teacher who was humiliated on a live television phone patch - as well as other related incidents “should be taken seriously” by the DepEd. The group also called on Secretary Leonor Briones to “take the necessary steps to protect and defend our teachers as well.”
TDC noted that the said incident - which has become viral for several days now - is the cause of a “spontaneous and unanimous fury”of public school teachers with netizens on their side.
Teacher-shaming incident
In an episode entitled “Mommy, Ipina-Tulfo ang Pasaway na Teacher ng Kanyang Anak!” aired last Monday, November 18, host Raffy Tulfo acted on a complaint of a grandmother against the teacher of her grandchild for allegedly “shaming and hurting” a pupil.
The child’s parents also appeared on the show where they repeatedly asked for justice and demanded the revocation of the teacher’s license to teach. The host agreed with the parents and even said that the child may suffer trauma. He then called the teacher and put her on live phone patch conversation.
At the end of the interview, the host gave the teacher the options - either she voluntarily give up her job and license to teach or face the consequence of prison term because of child abuse. “The poor teacher, readily agreed (to the former),” TDC said.
On Friday, Tulfo was apologetic regarding the incident said that he will no longer pursue the case and will just facilitate the settlement of both parties. Citing sources from the teacher’s school in Manila, TDC said that the concerned teacher and the child’s mother “have already settled their dispute after a meeting with some DepEd-Manila officials .”
Not the end
For TDC, this may be the “end of the story” for the mother and the teacher but not for some since the incident is not an isolated case. “In many circumstances, teachers accused of violation of children’s rights have been subjected to harassment, intimidation, extortion, physical threat and some kind of media sensationalization,” Basas said.
Teachers, Basas noted, are “often left in a disadvantaged position whenever a case is filed against them.” He added that legal assistance - especially those of private lawyers is not readily available for teachers. “In some cases, teachers are forced to enter into unfair settlement or worse, resign or face the court battle,” he noted.
In light of this issue, TDC reiterated that teachers - in general - “would never want to cause any harm- physically, emotionally or mentally to the children” because part of the “main duty of our teachers is to teach and the teaching environment should be conducive - thus, some sort of discipline is necessary.”
However, TDC said that teachers are now “subjected to many regulations that are used or misused against them” such as the the RA 7610 or the "Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act,” the DepEd’s Child Protection Policy and other laws.
While teachers “recognize and respect” these laws, Basas lamented that “unfortunately, these laws are used to harass, threaten and intimidate the helpless teachers and in some cases, extort money from them.”
The TDC, Basas said denounces “old ways of disciplining children” - particularly physical, verbal and psychological punishment especially in teaching-learning situation. “We regard these methods of imposing discipline as outdated and ineffective,” he said.
As teachers, Basas noted that they want to ensure the welfare of schoolchildren “but it should not be at our expense” because “we have to take into consideration all the factors in school situation.”
What can be done
To help put an end to “teacher-shaming,” TDC made recommendedations for the consideration of the DepEd and other policy-making bodies.
Among the proposed measure is to reduce of class size to a maximum of 30 students per classroom and provision of sick and vacation leave benefits for classroom teachers.
Among the proposed measure is to reduce of class size to a maximum of 30 students per classroom and provision of sick and vacation leave benefits for classroom teachers.
TDC also suggests the creation of more Special Education (SPED) centers and hiring of SPED teachers based on the needs and the professionalization of school guidance and counseling system and hiring of registered guidance counselors with higher salary grade based on their qualification.
The group also bats for the institutionalization of alternative school discipline policies agreed by parents, teachers and learners and and amendment of certain penal provisions of RA 7610 especially in the school setting.
Moreover, TDC is calling for the protection of teachers from harassment, intimidation, physical threat, extortion, media sensationalization and assigning of a defense lawyer for public school teachers facing criminal charges.
Teachers, TDC said, should have massive training on Positive Discipline Approach and that a review of the DepEd Child Protection Policy - as well as crafting of another policy - to “help protect the teachers as well.”
TDC also asked the policy-makers to ensure that “no teacher will be put in a disadvantaged situation” should they make any policy for the welfare of children. “We must, at all times be sure that the rights and welfare of teachers be protected in the same weight as we protect the children,” Basas ended.