DepEd blocks suspension of 4 students over blog

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) blocked on Friday a 10-day suspension ordered by the principal of the Quezon City Science High School (QCSHS) on four students as penalty for their posting a blog critical of her and other school officials. DepEd made the move on the complaint of the parents of two of the students, whose names have been withheld, according to Friday's "24 Oras," the early evening newscast of GMA. The National Capital Region (NCR) director of DepEd, Teresita Dimalanta, said her office would conduct a probe of the controversy to see if the students had broken any school rules. "We have to see the details, para naman [to be] fair," she said in an interview with GMA's Tricia Zafra. Education Undersecretary Franklin Sunga noted the significance of the case, saying: "The decision of DepEd on this is very important. We know for a fact that students nowadays use blogs to express their sentiments. If we are going to regulate this, how far are we going to regulate it?" One of the mothers who complained was satifisfied by the DepEd NCR decision, but said: "Hindi pa kami talagang jubilant. May probe bpa kasi kaming haharapin." ["We're not really that jubilant. Because we still have to face a probe."] The QCSHS principal, Dr. Zenaida Sadsad, said she was only implementing school rules. Prefers to keep the issue under control, she said she was willing to talk with the parents to iron things out. 'Campus repression' On Wednesday, "24 Oras" reported that Sadsad had suspended the four students for 10 days, an order approved by the Quezon City Schools Division. The next day, Thursday, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) reacted by calling the suspension "campus repression" and announcing that it might file a complaint against the school at DepEd and Congress. "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," CEGP national president Vijae Alquisola said in a statement issued on Thursday. Instead of punishing the students, the school officials should have encouraged the youth’s views as blogging "is a mere venue for students to air out their demands and democratic rights," Alquisola said. Sadsad said the blogs was damaging not just to school officials but to to the reputation of the school itself. She added that the blog entry caused alarm among their alumni. On top of that, Alquisola also chided the QCSHS for the alleged closure of the school’s official publication. He said the suspension reportedly brought on the closure of QCSHS' school publications - "The Electron" and "The Banyuhay." CEGP also called on DepEd to "intervene in the overkill of disciplinary measures." 'Onion-skinned?' On Wednesday, Education Undersecretary Sunga reacted to the news with a warning to educators’ against being "onion-skinned" in the face of criticism. He said educators should bear in mind the constitutional right of every person, including the students, to freedom of speech and expression. Alquisola acknoledged Sunga's statement, but said: "It falls short of acting on the injustice done to the students." CEGP said the emotional, social, and psychological effects of the suspension on the students should be studied. "It must surely be a blow to the young ones to be humiliated and treated in such a way," Alquisola said. "It also sends a wrong and chilling message to other students that in high school, freedom of speech and expression are not recognized." - GMANews.TV