Palace to teachers: Be professional, keep students out of online content

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday reminded public school teachers to maintain professionalism and refrain from posting online content that compromises the identities of their students.

Citing a statement from the Department of Education (DepEd), Palace press officer Claire Castro stressed that revealing students’ identities in their posts violates DepEd’s ethical standards and policies.

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“The Department of Education (DepEd) has taken note of several incidents involving public school teachers who use their profession as part of their online content,” Castro said at a briefing.

“In this regard, the DepEd reminded all public school teachers to avoid such practices and maintain professionalism in the workplace, whether inside or outside the four walls of the school,” she added.

The DepEd also told teachers to uphold their sworn duties and continue serving as good role models for their students.

“Teachers serve as second parents to young people, while schools serve as their second homes. Good manners are learned at home and further developed in school. So, that is the DepEd’s appeal,” Castro said.

Meanwhile, Castro said the Presidential Communications Office, through its Anti-Fake News Desk, has asked the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate and file appropriate charges against the individuals behind a Facebook page and website flagged for disseminating false information.

One of the accounts described itself as a satirical news page, but it had published false announcements of weeks-long class and work suspensions during the height of the southwest monsoon, or habagat, as well as inaccurate information about an initiative on advanced technology. /das