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Teachers: Leaders of Learners
“Raving Rage”
Teachers: Leaders of Learners
“Raving Rage”
By Angelique Adiova Balatan
In Filipino culture, discipline is a cherished virtue instilled in children from a young age, shaping their minds and character. This commitment to nurturing future leaders extends to schools, where teachers serve as second parents in students' second homes. However, this important role doesn't grant teachers the right to behave or speak destructively.
An issue arose in the Philippines when a public high school teacher in Metro Manila went live on one of the famous social media platforms as she scolded the whole class. According to the live video of the high school teacher, whose identity was not disclosed publicly, her students were disrespecting her, which led her to react with rage.
The high school teacher from the said viral video stated that she did not take and pass the board exam just to be disrespected by mere students who had not yet proved anything in life. She expressed her rage and disappointment to the class by spitting phrases such as, “Wala kayong mararating,” and even called them “Hindi matalino,” “Ingrato,” and “Ugaling Iskwater.” Showing how the students do not know their boundaries, which received various reactions from the public, dividing people’s stands and opinions.
According to ASEC. Francis Cesar Bringas from the Field Operations Department of the Department of Education, the teacher heard a certain group of students talking about her regarding their personal issues. There were videos and blogs posted by users defending the teacher, saying that her reaction after being disrespected was valid and a natural reaction. Saying that the teacher did the right thing to discipline her students. There are even commenters who shared the famous Filipino phrase, “Kami nga noon,” comparing the way of disciplining back then to now, as they take the side of the teacher. In addition to that, the Philippines’ current Vice President, Sara Duterte, stated that the teacher is just a human who is also feeling frustrated. Also siding with and defending the teacher’s way of teaching discipline.
However, some users online stood for the high school students, who have received a lot of destructive and offensive words from the teacher, saying that the behavior of the teacher was very unprofessional and too harmful for the students. Since the teacher left a lot of downgrading statements to the whole class, making her students feel worthless and pessimistic about their futures, she violated the DepEd Child Protection Policy or Department Order No. 40, S. 2012. Some even pointed out how unprofessional her approach was to the students who disrespected her. And she even stated that respect is not given based on one’s profession, but based on how one acts and treats others. There are a lot of ways to discipline a student without hurting them psychologically.
Regardless of how her students acted, it does not justify her degrading and insulting every student inside that classroom and even putting it on a live video, letting the public watch her unprofessional behavior. Considering that she is a licensed professional teacher, she should have resolved the problem in a very professional and righteous way, where no one—not even a single student, should feel insulted and degraded.
The role of a teacher extends beyond helping students master math problems, historical facts, scientific concepts, and similar subjects. Teachers also serve as role models and guides, leading students toward a bright future. Therefore, teachers must distinguish between asserting authority and offering a supportive environment. This awareness helps them uplift their students rather than unintentionally demotivate or burden them.
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