Trigger Warning: This article discusses topics related to abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
A teacher and class adviser has been removed from her position after allegedly abusing her students in a school in Lubao, Pampanga.
The incident was caught on video, which has gone viral on social media and picked up by media outlets.
Teacher in Lubao, Pampanga caught on video allegedly abusing students
In the video, the female teacher could be seen pulling the hair of her students and hitting them while in class.
According to a report by Saksi on May 21, the victims were three male students who are in Grade 9, aged around 13 to 15 years old.
Police Lt. Col. Dedrick Relativo, Chief of Lubao Police Station, said, "Itong ating adviser ay nag-outrage kasi itong mga estudyate na mga biktima natin ay nagkaroon ng mga heated arguments. So makikita sa viral video, those victims were subjected by the adviser for physical abuse and verbal abuse."
One of the students' parents lamented, "Masakit bilang isang nanay na sinasaktan ng ibang tao ang anak mo, na ganun kabrutal na pananakit. Tsaka teacher pa no, syempre sila yung tumatayong pangalawang magulang kapag nasa school."
According to an ABS-CBN report, the teacher was given three days to explain herself. The Schools Division of Pampanga said the teacher has already been relieved of her duties. Several investigations are also ongoing, including one by the Commission on Human Rights.
Verbal and physical abuse of children is a violation of the Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.
The Act underscores the State's duty to protect children from abuse, neglect, and discrimination, and to intervene when caregivers fail in this duty. It emphasizes prioritizing children's best interests in all actions, aiming to ensure their welfare and opportunities for a fulfilling life, as per international conventions.
The three students are undergoing psychosocial counseling by the Municipal Social Welfare Office of Lubao. They will also go through a psychological evaluation to assess the effects of the incident.
Meanwhile, the Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) has reiterated its call for the Department of Education to review its Child Protection Policy, saying it is biased towards students, leaving the teachers at a disadvantage.
The group defends that teachers are only human and sometimes cannot control their emotions. In March, they shared the same sentiments when a teacher allegedly livestreamed her sermon to her students on social media platform TikTok.
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