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we have all gone a long way.
Mar. 26th, 2009 03:14 pmWe have all gone a long way.
Two weeks ago, there was an angry, illogical, and not-very-well written letter. It was about allowing people who got a grade of 5 in math to take the removal exams so they could get one last chance to graduate. It claimed that the adjustment the teachers made to the students' tentative grades were unfair, because this adjustment did not give everyone the chance to take the removals. It was posted on the Batch 09 PTA Yahoo Group. (That was back when their archives were public, when students could look at what their parents were talking about and laugh at the occasional misspelled word or grammar mistake, when anyone could get the useful information regarding events in the school without having the privilege of mucking everything up. It was a wise move, keeping the PTA archives public- not only did it enable kids check their schedules in the middle of the night without waking up their classmates, it also showed the world that their group had nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to hide.)
Since said letter was angry and contained insults towards two very well-loved math teachers, it spread. Its being on a public domain probably helped, as did the mention of lawsuits and the fabled "norture" which will in time no doubt become a Pisay legend. It ignored several facts, among which was the fact that the kids complained about the teachers' tests and not about the teachers, and the fact that Batch 09 has been infamous for kicking out the teachers that showed any sign of incompetence (or at least for complaining about them until their parents start filing lawsuits to get their kids to shut up). It also ignored basic grammar rules, but that's beyond the point.
The letter did nothing, really, save for insult the Almighty Math Unit and earn the ire of everyone who read it while in possession of his or her mental abilities. (Many parents agreed with the writer of the letter, though, which certainly says something.) The students who got a 5 did not take the removals, the parents blustered, the graduating students practiced their grad song, and all was well with the world.
Well, that was before the list of graduates was finalized, the teachers walked out, and the petition started.
The people who failed 1/3 of their subjects in the fourth year were allowed to graduate. The rules say they should not have been allowed to. The people who got 5s were not allowed to graduate. The rules say they should not have been allowed to. The current ruling is Pagbigyan mo na ang mga na-1/3 rule, pinagbigyan na nga sila ng trustees. Or even, dapat ipa-graduate yung mga naka-5, para fair.
That would be okay, if we took the same considerations for those who were kicked out for the same reasons every year.
That would even be okay if the Board of Trustees determined that their grades went down the toilet for a real reason and that a Board should be human sometimes, and if the teachers agreed with the Board in this respect.
But things didn't work that way. It is not known why the Board decided to ignore the testimonies of teachers and students and decide to bend a rule that has previously been implmented without mercy.
It's not likely to be because of compassion. I don't know if it has anything to do with previously mentioned angry parent's lawyers, though.
---
This is how schools work:
The teachers are there to teach both textbook lessons and life lessons. The students are there to learn from their teachers, teach their teachers, think, ask, and live. The Admin is there to make rules that make sense, and make sure that breaking them has consequences. They say it's to uphold standards, but I think it's because having a bunch of intelligent creatures too proud to bother to listen to the standards of others around you is bad for your health.
When the Admin doesn't do its job, there has to be someone to bribe, coerce, and prod it into doing so. In this case, it's the students. Are they being unfair? No, because the Admin is supposed to keep things fair. Are they being selfish? Not really- I don't think anyone wants those who should be kicked out to be kicked out just because they'd look awful in the grad pics. Proud? Yes, but then again most acts of goodness are really just acts of vanity.
Interpret as you will. I just think that this means the protesting students did learn after all.
---
Ah, and yes. Hindi ko sasabihing huwag niyong awayin si Jejo. Sige, awayin niyo siya. The more violent the words and reasons, the better. Discussions tend to turn into fights and vice versa, and it'd be a shame to nip them in the bud.
But it'd be nice if your arguments consisted of something other than swearwords and insults. Logic will be a necessary tool in the future, and you may as well practice using it. Good grammar and a wide vocabulary would be a pleasant surprise, but I'm not counting on it.
Two weeks ago, there was an angry, illogical, and not-very-well written letter. It was about allowing people who got a grade of 5 in math to take the removal exams so they could get one last chance to graduate. It claimed that the adjustment the teachers made to the students' tentative grades were unfair, because this adjustment did not give everyone the chance to take the removals. It was posted on the Batch 09 PTA Yahoo Group. (That was back when their archives were public, when students could look at what their parents were talking about and laugh at the occasional misspelled word or grammar mistake, when anyone could get the useful information regarding events in the school without having the privilege of mucking everything up. It was a wise move, keeping the PTA archives public- not only did it enable kids check their schedules in the middle of the night without waking up their classmates, it also showed the world that their group had nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to hide.)
Since said letter was angry and contained insults towards two very well-loved math teachers, it spread. Its being on a public domain probably helped, as did the mention of lawsuits and the fabled "norture" which will in time no doubt become a Pisay legend. It ignored several facts, among which was the fact that the kids complained about the teachers' tests and not about the teachers, and the fact that Batch 09 has been infamous for kicking out the teachers that showed any sign of incompetence (or at least for complaining about them until their parents start filing lawsuits to get their kids to shut up). It also ignored basic grammar rules, but that's beyond the point.
The letter did nothing, really, save for insult the Almighty Math Unit and earn the ire of everyone who read it while in possession of his or her mental abilities. (Many parents agreed with the writer of the letter, though, which certainly says something.) The students who got a 5 did not take the removals, the parents blustered, the graduating students practiced their grad song, and all was well with the world.
Well, that was before the list of graduates was finalized, the teachers walked out, and the petition started.
The people who failed 1/3 of their subjects in the fourth year were allowed to graduate. The rules say they should not have been allowed to. The people who got 5s were not allowed to graduate. The rules say they should not have been allowed to. The current ruling is Pagbigyan mo na ang mga na-1/3 rule, pinagbigyan na nga sila ng trustees. Or even, dapat ipa-graduate yung mga naka-5, para fair.
That would be okay, if we took the same considerations for those who were kicked out for the same reasons every year.
That would even be okay if the Board of Trustees determined that their grades went down the toilet for a real reason and that a Board should be human sometimes, and if the teachers agreed with the Board in this respect.
But things didn't work that way. It is not known why the Board decided to ignore the testimonies of teachers and students and decide to bend a rule that has previously been implmented without mercy.
It's not likely to be because of compassion. I don't know if it has anything to do with previously mentioned angry parent's lawyers, though.
---
This is how schools work:
The teachers are there to teach both textbook lessons and life lessons. The students are there to learn from their teachers, teach their teachers, think, ask, and live. The Admin is there to make rules that make sense, and make sure that breaking them has consequences. They say it's to uphold standards, but I think it's because having a bunch of intelligent creatures too proud to bother to listen to the standards of others around you is bad for your health.
When the Admin doesn't do its job, there has to be someone to bribe, coerce, and prod it into doing so. In this case, it's the students. Are they being unfair? No, because the Admin is supposed to keep things fair. Are they being selfish? Not really- I don't think anyone wants those who should be kicked out to be kicked out just because they'd look awful in the grad pics. Proud? Yes, but then again most acts of goodness are really just acts of vanity.
Interpret as you will. I just think that this means the protesting students did learn after all.
---
Ah, and yes. Hindi ko sasabihing huwag niyong awayin si Jejo. Sige, awayin niyo siya. The more violent the words and reasons, the better. Discussions tend to turn into fights and vice versa, and it'd be a shame to nip them in the bud.
But it'd be nice if your arguments consisted of something other than swearwords and insults. Logic will be a necessary tool in the future, and you may as well practice using it. Good grammar and a wide vocabulary would be a pleasant surprise, but I'm not counting on it.
