CEGP Slams Suspension of Quezon City Students Over Blog
The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) today cried foul over the suspension of four students from Quezon City Science High School as punishment for publishing a blog critical of the school’s principal and administration.
The blog, http://scientiaetvirtus.multiply.com, contains articles and images against QCSHS Pres. Zenaida P. Sadsad’s policies as well as the students’ gripes over irregular lunch hours, required subjects, among others.
The suspension of the four unidentified students also reportedly brought on the closure of QCSHS’ school publications, The Electron and The Banyuhay.
The school paper’s faculty adviser, Mr. Rex San Diego, who is deemed close to the students, was reported to have been axed from his position by Pres. Sadsad.
“It is disturbing to learn that high school students, in their very young
age, are being subjected to this kind of campus repression, their right to freedom of speech and expression undermined,” said CEGP national president Vijae Alquisola.
Alquisola added, “The students’ complaints are valid and legitimate, and their putting up the blog merely a venue to air out their demands and democratic rights. Was the QCSHS administration so threatened by a bunch of high school kids that it resorted to the outright violation of their rights?
In these times, young people should be encouraged to voice out their views, not sanctioned and censured into silence.”
Alquisola also said that the emotional, social and psychological effects of the suspension on the students should also be considered. “It must surely be a blow to the young ones to be humiliated and treated in such a way. It also sends a wrong and chilling message to other students that in high school, freedom of speech and expression are not recognized.”
The CEGP also called on the Department of Education to ‘intervene in the overkill disciplinary measure’.
“While the DepEd issued a statement addressing school faculty and
administrations not to be ‘onion-skinned’ to criticisms, it falls short of
acting on to the injustice done to the students,” Alquisola said.
The CEGP is mulling over filing a complaint in behalf of the students before the DepEd and Congress over the suspension of the students and the closure of the school papers. ###
*Reference:*
*Vijae Alquisola, 09162034402*
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There was a comment left in my blog article that THAT link provided by Philippine Star is incorrect. According to the commenter:
Curiously, we all know about freedom of expression and all that. However, here’s a question: does that cover espousing violence and death? At least that’s what I saw and read on the blog http://scientiaetvirtus.multiply.com
I’m not taking sides in this issue yet. I don’t know what the Principal’s side is. However, what i know is that, once you start espousing violence, that becomes a completely different ball game.
On the other hand, there needs to be some training and education on these kids on how to blog properly instead of writing some incendiaries.
My blog article is here: http://reynaelena.com/2009/01/16/quezon-city-science-high-school-students-vs-principal-zenaida-sadsad/
Freedom of speech comes with responsibility. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, and yes, everyone is free to publish in any manner or form.But, I agree, once you agitate for violence or even jokingly mention killing, that is another issue altogether. In the US, no matter how old, students are arrested at any hint or threat of violence, whether in their blogs, diaries,verbal rants. The same vigilence should apply to any institution. After all, Columbine can happen anywhere, anytime.
Para sa lahat to simply understand. Para skin mali ang suspension. Magulang din ako at may nagaaral na anak. Private pa nga anak ko at 1 sa pinakmahal na tuition fee in Metro Manila. Problemado naman ako sa disiplinary nila. Dapat and DEP ED may evaluation every end of the year private or public for you to evaluate all teachers. Hindi lang dapat student ang dinidisiplina teacher din. Hindi lahat ng teacher ay tama ano nmn ang laban ng istudyante sa mas matanda at mas powerful pa sa kanila sa loob ng klase. Naging studyante din ako pero public school, kaya nga hindi ko pinasok ang anak ko sa public dhil ibang klase rin ang mga nging teacher ko may favoratism. Kso ganun din ang private pero sa school ng anak ko hindi ganyan kgrabe. Pinapaalm muna smin ang problema before doing an action. Them we are the one who will decide. Hindi talaga nawawala ang favoratism. Khit nmn sino tao na pakiramdam nya ay nasisira sya ng isang tao. Kung may power gumawa ng khit ano mkaganti lang gagawin. Sa anak ko minor lang bringing prohibited gadgets lang pero yun iba inaalow. Anyway medyo malayo na ko. Isa lang masasabi ko. Tao lang ang ngbibigay ng kahulugan masyado malayo ang isisp ng mga bata ito sa pricipal nila. And 75% percent of their time ay nsa school nila 5 days a week ang pasok let say 7 ang pasok at ang uwi ay 3pm. Kids only have time with their parents from 4pm till 10pm let us say pero common parents have their own duties. only sat and sunday lang sila nkakapagbonding and in 12 months majority of all kids are in school. SO no further question. Sana mbasa ng dep ed to. try to study the period of all childred between with thier parents and school. Environment is only a minimal percent. Kya nga we send our children to learn. Sino rin ba ang ngtulak sa mga bata if they are happy wla sanang ganto. 1 lang yan principal na yan may edad narin compare sa ilang bata ang nasuspendi. Mas mga pagasa pa sa kanila khit pa sabihin na nting siraulo yan. May school nga ako nabalitaan ngpakamatay ang 1 student dhil depress na sa mgulang ndepress pa sa teacher. Kaya ngpakamatay. Sana magkaron din ng evaluation ang teacher from students. Ganun din ang teacher sa student to be fair.
I learned about the blog and got information na hindi daw yun ang blog ng students who got suspended. I dont know which is which ika nga sa kaso na ito. But this is a precedent case. However, we all should be looking deeper into the case and know both sides, hindi yung gagatong pa.
I agree with eric bongon and reyna elena. We do have our freedom of speech but we should be responsible in blogging and commenting. Malaya kang sabihin ang criticisms mo, just make it constructive and helpful towards attaining solutions, hindi yung gagamitin mo yung for character assassination.
There is a difference between a constructive criticism and character assassination. There is a difference between a talk and a rant.
Check the blog, yung free scientian sa multiply.com. Honestlym I find it distasteful and makes me wonder kung sino ang may gawa talaga nito, kung isa ba siyang estudyante ng kisay or what. DEPED should look deeper into these case as well as CEGP and CHR.
All I know is that a position whether in politics or government service is not forever. Baka naman may nag-udyok sa mga bata na gumawa ng ganitong klaseng blogs. I think an inquiry on the mastermind should be done. Sana maparusahan ka. Hindi iyo ang QCSHS.
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