DAYS after a video of Sto. Niño Parochial School (SNPS) salutatorian Krisel Mallari went viral on social media after school officials tried to interrupt her speech during their graduation, the alumni of the school have expressed support for the institution, saying that a person’s character is more important than grades of one’s report card.
BACKSTORY: Watch: Salutatorian speech interrupted by QC school execs
“One lasting lesson that has remained with us SNPS alumni is that, ‘The essential thing is not knowledge, but character.’ (Joseph Le Conte). As working professionals in various fields, we know that character is as important, if not more important, than the numbers on the report card. And as parents ourselves, we acknowledge that teachers function as second parents, responsible for the behavior of minors under their care,” the alumni of the Quezon City-based school said in a statement in an article published on CBCP News.
In her speech, Mallari insinuated that she was a victim of the unfair policies of the school and that she was cheated out of being named as the school’s valedictorian.
READ: QC valedictorian tells Krisel Mallari, top award ‘not for you’
The graduates of the school also said that Mallari’s attack on the school was uncalled for.
“We, alumni of SNPS, issue this statement to express our full support to our beloved Alma Mater, its administration, faculty, and staff, amid uncalled-for attacks on an educational institution that has strived to build a good reputation for the past five decades,” the statement from the SNPS alumni read.
They also praised the school for providing “excellent Catholic education” for nearly 50 years.
The Department of Education has already stepped in on the case as they have launched their own investigation on the issue.
The video, which showed how Mallari was stopped from delivering her “welcome remarks” went viral on social media, with the school drawing flak from netizens.
On its part, the school has explained that they only stopped Mallari from delivering her speech because it was different from the one that they have approved. They have also denied the accusations made by the student. AC
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