MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Grace Poe filed a bill to protect public school teachers and staff from "malicious accusations" of child abuse and compel the Department of Education to provide support on such cases.
Poe filed Senate Bill 1189 or the “Teacher Protection Act” that seeks to “institutionalize measures to implement in all public schools clearly defined regulations for teachers on student discipline and classroom management.”
The filing was done after radio personality Raffy Tulfo publicly shamed a teacher, who was accused of allegedly maltreating a student, and pressured her to quit her job and give up her license.
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The proposed measure also states that “an act committed by a teacher or school staff pursuant to the disciplinary rules and procedure issued by the Department shall not be deemed as child abuse, cruelty, exploitation as denied in Republic Act No. 7610 or the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.”
DepEd is also tasked to issue a teacher’s manual that covers the following:
- The school’s rules and regulation to be observed by teachers with respect to students, whenever inside its premises or outside it
- Permissible, appropriate and effective responses and interventions that will address violations of school rules and regulations, including but not limited to communications to parents, counseling, reprimand, and detention at each level and repetition of offense, to be administered by teachers, school head and other school staff
- A clear description of the disciplinary procedure and clear designation of the authorities competent to investigate, purpose and apply the responses and interventions
The manual “shall set out, among the others, the disciplinary action to be taken against students who are found to have malicious accusations of child abuse against teacher and school staff.”
It also aims to compel DepEd to extend protection to teachers and other personnel, not limited to legal assistance and representation, in cases related to discipline and classroom management.
Poe, in her explanatory note of the bill, stressed that public schools provide education to millions of students. “The classroom serves as venue of formation for the children where teachers spend their careers teaching not only knowledge but values as well,” the senator noted.
Poe also raised that “the ambiguity of permissible teacher conduct in the context of student discipline and classroom management hurts the school system.”
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'Raffy Tulfo in Action' episode draws uproar on social media
In the episode of “Raffy Tulfo in Action,” the family of the Grade 2 student complained about teacher Melita Limjuco who allegedly maltreated the child. Tulfo, in a phone call, asked the teacher if she would rather face charges or agree to have her license revoked.
Limjuco agreed to the latter, drawing backlash on social media from teachers and supporters who condemned Tulfo’s action.
DepEd on Sunday said the Tulfo’s “on-the-spot compromise” is against the agency’s policy and deprived Limjuco of her right to due process.
Incidents of child abuse are not subject to compromise under DepEd’s Child Protection Policy.
The department added: “On the other hand, teachers are entitled to due process, which was not given to her during the program.”
Tulfo on Monday said he is not “anti-teacher.” — Kristine Joy Patag with reports from Gaea Katreena Cabico