PHOTO by Villamor Visaya Jr.
REINA MERCEDES, Isabela – A grade school teacher has been reviled on social media over a viral video of her spanking and lashing out at pupils, who were participating in a scouting jamboree last October 12.
Teacher Madeline Reyes-Tambacasan, of the Cutog Grande Elementary School, and principal Mario Agacer declined to meet with local reporters to explain why the children were berated and punished, saying they will wait for the Department of Education to address the issue.
But on Tuesday, school officials met with the parents of the students who were punished in the video. The parents complained that Tambacasan did not offer them an apology.
The viral video – shared 800 times – was uploaded by a certain Gerald Santos, who said: “This is my way of helping our hapless students as the parents are fearful of a backlash from the teacher if they complain.”
Some of the parents said they were ready to file charges against Tambacasan.
“Had she asked for forgiveness, we would have reconsidered our plan to sue her,” Elsa De Luna, 51, said Wednesday.
Another mother, 51-year-old Myrna Bonangan, said Tambacasan should have controlled her temper.
“My son was a victim here. My nephew witnessed how [Tambacasan] spanked and berated the children. I don’t think she would lie about that,” Bonangan said.
One of the pupils exhibited signs of mental trauma.
“My son has not stopped trembling. I have been giving him soup to calm his nerves,” said 36-year-old mother Laarni Galutera.
Tambacasan had always struck the community as being kind, said Cutog Grande village councilor Virginia Aguilar. She blamed her pregnancy for her irritability and for the outburst caught on video.
The Reina Mercedes social welfare office has scheduled a meeting with the parents to offer their children some counseling and stress debriefing sessions. /kga