MANILA, Philippines — Palace press officer Claire Castro on Wednesday stood by her remarks about some teachers allegedly setting an example of disrespectful behavior, saying those who misinterpreted her statements should be the ones to apologize.
This came after the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) pushed back against Castro’s comments, calling them insulting.
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On Tuesday’s briefing, Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is pushing to strengthen security in schools following the shooting incident at Ateneo de Zamboanga University.
“And one of the solutions we see here is that our young people should be guided not only by their parents, but also by their schools themselves,” she said.
“We have seen instances where some teachers themselves violate this kind of moral standard. At times, they teach their students how to be disrespectful, particularly toward elders or other people,” Castro continued.
But for Castro, there was nothing wrong with her assertions, saying they were meant only to remind educators of the importance of their role in shaping their students’ character.
“We just want to clarify, as there seems to be a misconception, misinterpretation, or misunderstanding regarding what we said yesterday. First and foremost, we are not blaming the teachers. This is simply a reminder to our esteemed teachers of their important role in shaping good character, especially among the youth,” she said at a briefing.
In explaining the basis for her comments, Castro referred to a viral video in which a teacher appeared to be teaching students insulting words directed at Marcos, as well as a heckling incident involving students in Davao City.
READ: DepEd Davao City apologizes after students heckle Marcos
“And to the ACT Teachers Party-List, this is not about blaming anyone. I hope we can put what I said in the proper context. This is not an attack on teachers,” she said.
“So, it’s really quite simple: our teachers can teach our students how to express themselves properly. If they have something to say against the government, that is their right. But teaching freedom of expression is different from teaching them how to exercise that freedom without resorting to insults or displaying improper behavior,” Castro continued, referring to the two incidents.
Castro said she would never disrespect teachers since her mother was also a public school teacher up until before she passed away.
She then turned the question on ACT, asking what actions the group had taken in cases where teachers were the ones exhibiting improper behavior toward their students.
“What have they done to help promote proper behavior among our youth? Let’s see whether they have condemned this particular teacher or the other teachers who engaged in teaching our students improper behavior,” Castro asked.
No apology
When pressed on whether she would apologize not only to ACT but also to teachers who may have been offended by her statements, Castro only said she acknowledges their feelings but maintained that her remarks had been taken out of context.
“That’s why, as I said, we acknowledge that their feelings were hurt, and I want to explain where their resentment may have come from because I never blamed the teachers. What I said yesterday was clear,” Castro said.
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“So, to those who were offended, this is my explanation to help ease your concerns, if any, because we simply need to put what happened in the proper context,” she also said.
According to Castro, those who misinterpreted her statements should be the ones to say sorry. She also questioned which part of her statement warranted an apology.
“So, perhaps the ones who should apologize are those who put my statement in the wrong context, because many are saying that no teacher taught anything wrong,” she said.
“I have shown you today examples of teachers who made mistakes, and that is precisely what we do not want our fellow Filipinos to emulate,” Castro added. /das