Updates (as of January 16, 2009):
- The Department of Education regional office has stopped the suspension of the four students.
- As of Friday (Jan. 16), the principal has sent feelers to the parent of one of the four students that the charges will be dropped provided the student apologizes and would promise never to blog again about the issue.
- The students’ blogs, which are the supposed subject of the suspension, have not been publicly published online. They are for private viewing. The link in the entry below has been erroneously attributed to them.
- The students will be going to school on Monday (Jan. 19)
- The students and their parents will be speaking in a press conference on Tuesday (Jan. 20).
An irate principal suspended four students of the Quezon City Science High School for 10 days over a blog that criticized her new policies in a move that is angering students, alumni and advocates of free speech.
If the students or parents don’t file an appeal, the ten-day suspension starts Monday.
The students were meted the 10-day suspension due to personal blogs critical of the QCSHS principal Dr. Zenaida Panti Sadsad. (N.B. This entry erroneously referred to this link but one of the four students has denied any role in it and said that this blog is not the subject of the suspension meted by Dr. Sadsad.)
While the local education office in Quezon City backed the students’ suspension, another report quoted a Department of Education undersecretary who urged teachers and administrators to respect students’ constitutional right to free expression.
DepEd Undersecretary Franklin Sunga told GMANews.tv that:
We have to be very careful about punishing students for what they are going to write because of the constitutional right of all persons, including the students, the right of the freedom of expression and of the speech. Public officials should not have onion skin. They should be more tolerant about criticism
Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte has not spoken on the issue.
Methinks, the students and parents can win their case if they file an appeal and even if Dr. Sadsad takes them to court. The students were merely exercising their constitutional right to free expression and this has been recognized by the Supreme Court.
In GR L-62270, the Supreme Court ruled that
Petitioners [students] invoke their rights to peaceable assembly and free speech. They are entitled to do so. They enjoy like the rest of the citizens the freedom to express their views and communicate their thoughts to those disposed to listen in gatherings such as was held in this case. They do not, to borrow from the opinion of Justice Fortas in Tinker v. Des Moines Community School District, “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate”
The court also stressed that “while, therefore, the authority of educational institutions over the conduct of students must be recognized, it cannot go so far as to be violative of constitutional safeguards.”
Methinks the students should exercise their right to appeal. They have been wronged and they must not suffer the unjust penalty of suspension for even one hour or one day.
The Commission of Human Rights, now led by Chairwoman Leila de Lima, would most certainly accomodate and assist the embattled students if they decide to seek the CHR’s assistance. Also on hand to assist the students are groups such as the College Editors Guild of the Philippines which has released a statement lambasting the suspension.
“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.
The CEGP also assailed the QCSHS administration for shutting down the student publications The Electron and Banyuhay and the axing of student publication adviser Mr. Rex San Diego.
Alquisola said that the blog raised valid and legitimate students complaints and added that the students only put put up the blog as a venue to air their demands.
Alquisola lamented the emotional, social and psychological effects of the suspension on the student: “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.”
well there are borders that define what’s freedom of speech and respect to their elders, especially this one — their principal. Placing a crosshair on the principal’s photo is not freedom of speech. It’s plain disrespectful.
Freedom of speech also covers criticism, parodies and lampoons.
It also appears that the students were also denied the basic right to due process.
If the suspension goes unchallenged, this will send chills down the spines of newbie bloggers.
Kung kagalang galang ang principal, dapat din galangin.
Baka kasi talagang authocratic ang principal ng sobra. Dapat sigurong i-seminar. Pero sabi nga you can’t teach old dogs new tricks.
right to due process must be exercise before giving such kind of judgement from among the student of Quezon City Science H/S. i believed that preventive suspension is a not a punishment or penalty for misconduct but is considered to be a preventive measure. i believed exercising the constitutional right to free expression also covers “MORAL OBLIGATION.
the issue that is internal to the school as one blogger said, would not have bothered us
if there was no suspension that was part of a TV news ](that is broadcast nation-wide and more accessible to
people)
I am still not familiar with the facts
but i was a graduate of qcshs thus the news caught my attention
blogging is the modern way of expression for all generations
who maximize it
in my time, in high school we had special names for our teachers – and that is part of our culture
we had complaints – but we only shared them among ourselves – batchmates, friends
not knowing whether we were right or wrong
the contents in one’s blog give’s us an opportunity to
DIALOGUE AND IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRUGGLE OUR IDEAS
what matters is that we communicate and we can look
forward to people giving attention to what we think
and that is better than students just becoming anarchists
I hope the students could be assisted in their appeal
What one writes is not one’s totality
Due process could arise if the principal
would be more objective and explain the aims
of her policies (to the students)
Fuedal values are being questioned by the young people
that is the essence of the new generation –
they have learned to question, they have overcome
my generation’s passive acceptance of truth
that a dominant person or class say
nowadays, youth all over the world have their own
way of being radical ,
they are critical in their own ways,
not in the ways we know before
but before we label such as such
the challenge is to Dialogue ( that is the
essence of democracy) which great philosphers
would want us to do.
and still one can choose
what thoughts and ideas to entertain
that could help you become a better individual
contributing to the humanization of the human beings
Thanks, these are just initial and not really organized
thoughts of a bothered alumna
Tonyo,
I’m just glad na hindi pa uso ang internet at blog nung magkaklase tayo. Kase kung uso na, hindi lang “….. should die” ang na-blog ng mga batchmates hehehe. Reminds me of the underground high school paper mo dati, teka me kopya pa yata ako, hanapin ko sa baul
Basahin ko lahat ng links at magsulat ako mamaya pagkatapos ko dito sa opisina.
Mali po yung ginawa nung principal. Biruin mo, blog, pinatulan.
dapat, hindi niya ginamit yung position nia para parusahan yung mga students.
Dapat kinausap nia yung mga students, other than that, wala dapat mga sanctions.
kahit “Placing a crosshair on the principal’s photo”, alam natin, it’s a sign of disrespectful, mali pa din yung ginawa ng principal.
sa nangyaring ito, bumababa ang pagtingin ng tao sa principal ng QC sci hs…
saludo ako sa inyo. maraming ganyan ang situation sa mga public schools. at nakakaawa lang ang mga estudyante. pero sa ginawa nyo. humahanga ako sa inyo. supporta ako sa inyo.
magandang araw
binasa ko ang ilang comments sa http://scientiaetvirtus.multiply.com/journal…. natawa ako…. karamihan ay hinaing at reklamo, yung iba patutsada, yung iba although hindi magandang sabihing “kill her”, pero siguro naman hindi ito talaga ang gustong gawin
bata pa sila, maari pa silang matuto kung pano ang responsableng paghahayag ng hinaing
sana lang, naging mas objective din sila. any complaint should be backed by solid and factual evidence, otherwise, mahina ang reklamo nila
pero si Sadsad, before suspending the students should have had the guts enough to face up to her accusers. alamin kung ano ba ang reklamo nila, imeeting ang magulang kasama ang estudyante at ilang “neutral” na testigo
at the end of the day, siguro dapat ang resolution nito:
1. ilahad ang lehitimong reklamo
2. imbestigahan ng DepEd kung may basehan ba
3. bigyang aral ang mga estudyante tungkol sa maayos at responsableng “blogging”. hindi dapat maabubo ang kalayaan ng magpahayag
Yusuf Germino
jeddah
Greetings!
Just to give a clarification.
These 4 students are not the same students who published the alleged critical blogsite nor any evidences present to prove that they are guilty of such connections with it.
The blogsite’s publisher that you mentioned is still unknown to the majority of QCSHS and to the people outside the campus.
For more info about what really is happening, refer to this link:
http://scientianherald.multiply.com/
Tonyo,
There was a comment left in my blog article that THAT link provided by Philippine Star is incorrect ( http://scientiaetvirtus.multiply.com) . According to the commenter:
“Only that of eufems.multiply.com had its concerned articles removed, but the three others whose contents are most likely preserved are that of mychaelmiravite.multiply.com, ihateflattery.multiply.com, and oneonesix.multiply.com”
Most of us are familiar with 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 captured some samples, it’s on my blog.
I’m not taking sides in this issue yet. I don’t know what the Principal’s side is, besides given that the blog mentioned is authored by yet an unknown person, that could be anybody. It will be a challenge to the investigator to find out who is that person. Who knows, he/she might not be a student for all we know. That could be anybody.
However, what i know is that, once you start espousing violence or death to someone else, that becomes a completely different ball game. In the United States, you’d be in a lot of trouble already given the so many violence in school here which I’m sure some of you guys are aware of, an example, the Columbine.
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/
The blog:
http://scientiaetvirtus.multiply.com/journal
Is NOT their blog. Their blogs were published in their own private Multiply.com accounts. That blog is owned by an anonymous Scientian hiding in a pseudonym “Lawrence Agoncillo”
Anyway nice blog Tonyo!
I just updated the post today. Thanks everyone who pitched in information.
Regardless of the possibility that folks are commenting on the issue based on what they have seen on the anonymous Multiply site http://scientiaetvirtus.multiply.com/, the countermeasure sought by Zenaida Panti Sadsad is blatantly retaliatory. In my personal capacity as a Psychology major, I could proceed to discuss about the futility of punishment (specifically out-of-school suspension) as means of modifying a student’s behavior (e.g. increased aggression in the punishee, hence the failure to reduce misbehavior), pero the issue here goes beyond the efficacy of punishment: mas mabigat na usapin rito ay ang outright violation of students’ constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression. The penalty which Sadsad wishes to enforce can in no way change the root of the issue which brought about such behavior from the students in the first place.
Matagal nang publication ang electron at banyuhay. Why remove it from Que Sci? Is the school under dictatorship rule?
Freedom of Speech! One can not be sanctioned for giving its own opinion.
This is blog, man!
Better remove the principal instead!
Hindi dapat nagfofocus yung principal sa pagsusupend at pagpapatahimik sa mga batang nagbigay lang naman ng tapang ipahayag kung anong sa tingin nila ay mali. Dapat eh nagfofocus sya sa pag-intindi kung ano ang mali at ayusin ito. The fact na merong mga tumutuligsa sa kanya, ibig sabihin eh may mali talaga.
The principal is really twisted. Even if they did say those things against her the fact of the matter is they did not say it inside the school premises so the problem would really be out of her hands.
@anonymark
Students have constitutional rights to free speech and free expression inside and outside of school.
The authorities should have given the students due process. As complainant, Dr. Sadsad should have not involved herself in any way in the investigation of her complaint. Clasic example siya ng “judge, jury and executioner all rolled into one”.
@Kahel
I agree with you. The DepEd must trash the suspension altogether and investigate why students have been compelled to write those articles in the first place.
I am a student of Quezon City Science. I confirm that http://www.scientiaetvirtus.multiply.com is not the site that made the 4 students to be suspended. Also, I think there’s a rational explanation why they did those blog posts. Another, they, the students who were suspended and also many of the students, won’t blog on something if there isn’t something to blog on.
Moreover, it is the first time in Quesci’s (that’s what we call QCSHS) history that this thing happened. So other people should not create an impression of students of quesci or Xientians as bad students.
Most of us students of QCSHS were concerned about what impressions others would create on us. I am just clearing our name that we are actually good, intelligent, and responsible students.
Lastly, I, maybe along with the other Xientians, know our rights, although rights have their limitations still I think what the 4 students, I know them since 2 of them were my batchmates, have rational basis of doing such blogs. They are merely cricizing some things that they think is wrong. There’s nothing wrong with that?
“wala silang i-bloblog kung wala naman silang nakikitang pwedeng i-blog”…
Mostly, what we, bloggers, see is what we blog.
Salamat!!
Go Kisay.
Go Scientians.
just want to answer sadsad’s points…
“Mapanira raw ang mga blogs sa mga guro at pati sa eskwelahan, at labag daw ito sa code of discipline ng mga estudyante sa paaralan”
QCSHS STUDENTS HANDBOOK
IX. CODE OF DISCIPLINE
Students’ rights
Students have the rights to:
-express their views and opinions on matters that affect them
-present/air their grievances and concerns to school authorities and to except prompt resolution to said grievances/concerns
“Isang pindot, all over the world, nababasa. And it is against our school, the school principal and even the teacher”
Sabihin na nating mapanira nga ito. Wala naman silang isusulat sa kanilang blog kung wala silang nais isuslat. Isusulat nila ito ayon sa kanilang nakikita, maganda man ito o pangit. Sinulat nila ang kanilang saloobin sa magandang pamamaraan. Ang kanilang mga blog regarding the QCSHS issue ay for private viewing lang po sa mga contacts nila. Hindi ito makikita ng buong mundo katulad ng sinasabi ng aming minamahal na principal. Ang maaari lang ay ang blog ni “Lawrence Agoncillo” (scientiaetvirtus.multiply.com). Iyan po ay hindi pagmamay-ari ng apat na estudyanteng nasuspend.
“Maraming mga bata, mga alumni namin, will go to the school, diba? Ask the teachers, ‘oh ma’am bakit nagkakagulo raw dito? Yung ibang makakabasa, akala totoo’
Marahil ang ilan sa mga lumalabas sa blog ay hindi nga ito, ngunit mabilis naman itong napabulaanan ng ibang Scientian. Karamihan sa mga nakasulat sa mga naglipanang blogs ng mga ISKOLAR NG BAYAN, mga SCIENTIANS, ay pawang naglalaman ng KATOTOHANAN. Isunusulat nila kung ano ang nakikita nilang mali at kailangan ng pagbabago. Ang pagboblog ang naging daan ng mga Scientians upang mailabas ang kanilang saloobin. Mga matatalinong kuru-kuro sa mga nangyayari sa kanilang minamahal na alma mater.
Hindi ba’t hindi naman magkakaroon ng isyu kung wala itong pinagmulan? Walang usok kung walang apoy. Ilan sa mga magagaling na principal ng Kisay ay sina Sir Rocena at Dr. Lera. Naging laman din naman sila ng mga blogs ng ilang Scientians. Ngunit ano ang nilalaman nito? Mga papuring iginagawad ng mga Scientians sa kanila. Ang respeto ay hindi hinihingi, ito ay pinaghihirapan upang makamit.
“Matatalino sila eh, given na, matalino sila, kaya puso na lang ang kailangan nating dagdagan, kasi filled up na ang isip”
Meron bang matatalinong estudyanteng hindi kikilos? Meron bang matatalinong estudyanteng hindi na lang kikibo sa nakikita nilang mali? Meron bang matalinong estudyanteng hahayaan na lang masira ang respetadong pangalan ng QCSHS? Kung ang lahat ng sagot diyan ay WALA, iyan ba ang walang PUSO?
salamat.
Students should always be allowed to express their opinion and resentments in excersing their rights to speech or press excercised with great responisibility. The Principal, as a devoted Leader and proponent of justice and liberty, could have listened and internalized what the students are trying to voice out.
I heard the news last week and immediately nag flashed back the most horrified, heartbreaking experiences ko when you undergone almost the same thing with the MSHS principal. I know she also learned about the news. I hope she knows how to use the internet and surf your blogs para ma feel niya na she is still lucky dahil wala pang blog nuon. Anyway just continue doing what you love to do (being involved with journalism). We are proud of you. Ang galing yata ng anak ko!(Syempre mana sa mama diba?)
that’s clearly infringement on their right to free speech and expression. does anyone know what punishment should be afforded to a person who does this? I’m pretty curious. anyway, these students had the right to publish these blogs, also considering that it was in a private forum. based on how I see it, the school did no investigation and just suspended them right away, and that (as the other poster had mentioned) is taking away their right to due process. also note the statement coming from the student where he was rudely interrupted by the principal every time he attempted to explain.
Anyway, if parodying and having dissenting opinions are to be considered disrespectful and must be dealt with the way the principal decided, should we then suspend editorial cartoonists and opinion writers?
As far as I’m concerned they were just expressing valid opinions regarding the changes which, they found, were not benefiting them and their high school experience. What’s so wrong with that?
People keep on focusing on the way these kids have expressed their grievances..
Remember. they’re KIDS!
High school students, 13-17 years old…
They are prone to making jokes like that..
But that does not mean that their complaints are without merit..
A proper investigation reveals that this issue with the blogs is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the incompetency of our principal.
Resign Sadsad!
have you heard of the term BRANDING, it affects not only the person in the blog but the entire unit, the school. Blogging has consequences, yes it can be a way of expressing your right of free speech PERO pag mayroon ng judgmental opinion to discredit a person’s esteem, then blogging is already considered a form of bullying or defamation na can lead to suspension or dismissal from school or at work place. Nonetheless it can impinge on a libel case. People have to recognize that there is a fine line that separates free speech and blogging.
Update: Quesci Batches ’09 and ’10, together with the current Quesci varsity, have been banned by Sadsad from participating in the Quesci Inter-batch Basketball League. Reason: Jizzer Lawrence Co (Batch ’09) was identified as one of the concerned Xientian alumni who held a protest action against Sadsad’s reinstatement last June 15, 2010.