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  • Proposed Guidelines For Student Handbook Review With CHR

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    SCAP1996
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    April 3, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Person: Gibby Gorres – 0917.362.7480 Student leaders with human rights body to ‘police’ schools, review student handbooks QUEZON CITY – A student group called on the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) today to monitor schools which may be violating students’ rights through their student handbooks. The agency is constitutionally mandated towards human rights protection and promotion under the Office of the President. An incident in Cebu City made national attention when St. Theresa’s College (STC) did not allow its students to attend the graduation rites because of Facebook “bikini” photos. Although the court ordered that the said students be made to attend their graduation rights, the school administration refused to honor the issued order. Another incident was reported in Infant Jesus Academy in Marikina City wherein 6 boys are denied of joining their graduation rites because of “kissing” photos on the same social networking site. Both institutions are Catholic schools. The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), a nationwide alliance of student councils and student political parties, tags both incidents as an “impingement on the personal and private affairs of the students”. SCAP said that the two incidents are not isolated but are two of the many instances wherein schools violate students’ rights. The student alliance claims that it regularly receives reports from students of various schools presenting similar dilemmas. “CHR has the constitutional mandate to police these institutions as they a, National Spokesperson of SCAP. “We urge CHR to review the student handbooks of these schools and see to it that school rules and regulations do not violate the rights of students and are in accordance with the law,” he added. Academic freedom SCAP maintained that Catholic academic institutions resort to punish their students in an unfair manner under the guise of academic freedom. “Schools are protected because of academic freedom. But academic freedom should not be used as an excuse to control students in this manner. Students’ personal space, which includes social networking sites such as Facebook, should not be governed by any school policy”, said Tejano. “The schools’ responsibility is to form their student and instill values in them. This role does not give them a license to punish students for what is in the realm of parental guidance. Academic freedom has limits,” he added. Constitutional rights prevail over student handbooks “Students’ rights are human rights and human rights are inviolable”, SCAP asserted. Not a single student handbook across the country has the power over the rights bestowed on any individual guaranteed by the constitution. In a previous statement, SCAP alleged that STC violated the students’ rights to freedom of expression and speech and several provisions in the Magna Carta for Women by causing psychological and emotional trauma. Students’ Rights Bill The group is also urging legislators that a national legislation on protecting students’ rights should be passed. Currently, several versions of students’ rights bills are pending under the House of Representatives and the Senate. “A bill protecting students is long overdue. We need to make sure that this generation is afforded a conducive environment for learning by securing their rights, within or without the campus,” SCAP concluded. #

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    April 3, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Person: Gibby Gorres – 0917.362.7480 Student leaders with human rights body to ‘police’ schools, review student handbooks QUEZON CITY – A student group called on the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) today to monitor schools which may be violating students’ rights through their student handbooks. The agency is constitutionally mandated towards human rights protection and promotion under the Office of the President. An incident in Cebu City made national attention when St. Theresa’s College (STC) did not allow its students to attend the graduation rites because of Facebook “bikini” photos. Although the court ordered that the said students be made to attend their graduation rights, the school administration refused to honor the issued order. Another incident was reported in Infant Jesus Academy in Marikina City wherein 6 boys are denied of joining their graduation rites because of “kissing” photos on the same social networking site. Both institutions are Catholic schools. The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), a nationwide alliance of student councils and student political parties, tags both incidents as an “impingement on the personal and private affairs of the students”. SCAP said that the two incidents are not isolated but are two of the many instances wherein schools violate students’ rights. The student alliance claims that it regularly receives reports from students of various schools presenting similar dilemmas. “CHR has the constitutional mandate to police these institutions as they a, National Spokesperson of SCAP. “We urge CHR to review the student handbooks of these schools and see to it that school rules and regulations do not violate the rights of students and are in accordance with the law,” he added. Academic freedom SCAP maintained that Catholic academic institutions resort to punish their students in an unfair manner under the guise of academic freedom. “Schools are protected because of academic freedom. But academic freedom should not be used as an excuse to control students in this manner. Students’ personal space, which includes social networking sites such as Facebook, should not be governed by any school policy”, said Tejano. “The schools’ responsibility is to form their student and instill values in them. This role does not give them a license to punish students for what is in the realm of parental guidance. Academic freedom has limits,” he added. Constitutional rights prevail over student handbooks “Students’ rights are human rights and human rights are inviolable”, SCAP asserted. Not a single student handbook across the country has the power over the rights bestowed on any individual guaranteed by the constitution. In a previous statement, SCAP alleged that STC violated the students’ rights to freedom of expression and speech and several provisions in the Magna Carta for Women by causing psychological and emotional trauma. Students’ Rights Bill The group is also urging legislators that a national legislation on protecting students’ rights should be passed. Currently, several versions of students’ rights bills are pending under the House of Representatives and the Senate. “A bill protecting students is long overdue. We need to make sure that this generation is afforded a conducive environment for learning by securing their rights, within or without the campus,” SCAP concluded. #

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    Proposed Guidelines For Student Handbook Review With CHR

    Uploaded by

    SCAP1996
    April 3, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Person: Gibby Gorres – 0917.362.7480 Student leaders with human rights body to ‘police’ schools, review student handbooks QUEZON CITY – A student group called on the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) today to monitor schools which may be violating students’ rights through their student handbooks. The agency is constitutionally mandated towards human rights protection and promotion under the Office of the President. An incident in Cebu City made national attention when St. Theresa’s College (STC) did not allow its students to attend the graduation rites because of Facebook “bikini” photos. Although the court ordered that the said students be made to attend their graduation rights, the school administration refused to honor the issued order. Another incident was reported in Infant Jesus Academy in Marikina City wherein 6 boys are denied of joining their graduation rites because of “kissing” photos on the same social networking site. Both institutions are Catholic schools. The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), a nationwide alliance of student councils and student political parties, tags both incidents as an “impingement on the personal and private affairs of the students”. SCAP said that the two incidents are not isolated but are two of the many instances wherein schools violate students’ rights. The student alliance claims that it regularly receives reports from students of various schools presenting similar dilemmas. “CHR has the constitutional mandate to police these institutions as they a, National Spokesperson of SCAP. “We urge CHR to review the student handbooks of these schools and see to it that school rules and regulations do not violate the rights of students and are in accordance with the law,” he added. Academic freedom SCAP maintained that Catholic academic institutions resort to punish their students in an unfair manner under the guise of academic freedom. “Schools are protected because of academic freedom. But academic freedom should not be used as an excuse to control students in this manner. Students’ personal space, which includes social networking sites such as Facebook, should not be governed by any school policy”, said Tejano. “The schools’ responsibility is to form their student and instill values in them. This role does not give them a license to punish students for what is in the realm of parental guidance. Academic freedom has limits,” he added. Constitutional rights prevail over student handbooks “Students’ rights are human rights and human rights are inviolable”, SCAP asserted. Not a single student handbook across the country has the power over the rights bestowed on any individual guaranteed by the constitution. In a previous statement, SCAP alleged that STC violated the students’ rights to freedom of expression and speech and several provisions in the Magna Carta for Women by causing psychological and emotional trauma. Students’ Rights Bill The group is also urging legislators that a national legislation on protecting students’ rights should be passed. Currently, several versions of students’ rights bills are pending under the House of Representatives and the Senate. “A bill protecting students is long overdue. We need to make sure that this generation is afforded a conducive environment for learning by securing their rights, within or without the campus,” SCAP concluded. #

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    STUDENT COUNCIL ALLIANCE OF THE PHILIPPINES

    All over the country to change it!


    #34-D Matulungin St., Brgy. Central, Quezon City 1100 Member Young Progressives Southeast Asia Observer International Union of Socialist Youth

    FOR: COMM. LORETTA ANN ROSALES Chairperson Commission on Human Rights RE: PROPOSED GUIDELINES ON THE REVIEW OF STUDENT HANDBOOKS Rationale and Specific Cases: The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is a constitutionally mandated agency tasked for the promotion and protection of human rights. The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides for the creation of the said body tasked to [i]nvestigate, on its own or on complaint by any party, all forms of political rights violations involving civil and political rights (Art. XIII, Sec. 7). Furthermore, Education Act of 1982 or Batas Pambansa 232, the State is mandated to [p]romote and safeguard the welfare and interest of the students by defining their rights and obligations, according them privileges, and encouraging the establishment of sound relationships between them and the other members of the school community. Given these general provisions on that aim to secure students rights and welfare, the Coalition for Students Rights and Welfare, an alliance of youth and student organizations in the country, have shown in their research that various violations on students rights and welfare are still happening across the country. In the recent cases involving high school students from St. Theresas College in Cebu City and in Infant Jesus Academy in Marikina, academic institutions may have violated several basic human rights of their students under the guise of academic freedom. STC, in particular, cited that their students have violated provisions of their Student Handbook such that students should not be posing and uploading pictures on the Internet that entail ample body exposure among numerous provisions that impede on the private and personal affairs of their students. STC argued through their counsel Romeo Balili that they are a Catholic school governed by the teachings of the Catholic Church. We have to see to it that values are formed. They also add that, We are not happy with the penalty but we are forced to impose it because we have to form the values of children. In St. Paul University in Tuguegarao, a young woman was forced by the administration to transfer to another school after getting pregnant. She recalls the incident as:

    tel. (+632) 435-82-27 www.scapnational.wordpress.com scap.neb@gmail.com

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    STUDENT COUNCIL ALLIANCE OF THE PHILIPPINES


    All over the country to change it!
    #34-D Matulungin St., Brgy. Central, Quezon City 1100 Member Young Progressives Southeast Asia Observer International Union of Socialist Youth

    Noong nabuntis ako, pumapasok pa din ako and then noong 6 months ko na siyempre may mga nakakapansin and then yung isang Instructor ko, tinanong niya ako eh natakot na ako, starting nun hindi na ako pumasok kasi natakot na ako. Dahil hindi na nga ako pumapasok naghinala na yung mga classmates ko hannggang sa nalaman na ng whole administration yung tungkol sa akin. Pinatawag na ako ng dean ko ganun din yung boyfriend ko. Ayun nga may pinapirma siya sa akin na parang nagsasabi doon na hindi na ako babalik sa St. Paul. The St. Paul University systems student handbook provides that unmarried pregnant women are to be automatically expelled from the institution. Republic Act 9710, however, describes violence against women (VAWC) as any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life specifically referring to [p]hysical, sexual, and psychological violence occurring within the general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women, and prostitution (RA 9710, Sec. 4). The Magna Carta for Women also specifically provides that [e]xpulsion and nonreadmission of women faculty due to pregnancy outside of marriage shall be outlawed. No school shall turn out or refuse admission to a female student solely on the account of her having contracted pregnancy outside of marriage during her term in school (RA 9710, Sec. 13). The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and the Department of Education (DepEd) have remained complacent on these issues for the reason that the education system is highly deregulated. No specific and single legislation have been passed by the Congress that addresses students rights and welfare violations. Objectives: Except for the Ateneo de Manila University, there is no local Magna Carta for Students provided in Philippine academic institutions. A local Magna Carta for Students is crucial for it ensures that the student handbooks are agreed upon by the administration and the student body as a product of consultative processes and mechanisms to ensure students rights within the campus. Student handbooks in majority of the schools are crafted without the concrete participation of the student council. The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, the largest student council and student political party formation in the country, forwards proposed guidelines on the
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    tel. (+632) 435-82-27 www.scapnational.wordpress.com scap.neb@gmail.com

    STUDENT COUNCIL ALLIANCE OF THE PHILIPPINES


    All over the country to change it!
    #34-D Matulungin St., Brgy. Central, Quezon City 1100 Member Young Progressives Southeast Asia Observer International Union of Socialist Youth

    review of student handbooks for secondary and tertiary levels in academic institutions, both private and public. Specifically, the initiative aims to achieve the following: 1. Through the Commission on Human Rights, ensure a proactive Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education in securing that schools rules and regulation do not impede on the rights of any citizen. 2. Release a list of common school rules and regulations enshrined in the student handbook that can be considered draconian or that which violates students rights and welfare. 3. Recommend to the regulatory bodies concerned (CHEd or DepEd) the repeal of specific student handbook provisions in specific schools. Proposed Program of Action: Memorandum of Agreement A memorandum of agreement is to be drafted and signed with the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education for the initiative to be headed by the Commission on Human Rights. A specific technical assistant officer has to be appointed responsible for inter-agency coordination. Information Dissemination The concerned regulatory bodies are tasked to mandate secondary tertiary schools to submit their respective student handbooks for review by the Commission on Higher Education. Review Proper The Commission on Human Rights is to consolidate the provisions stipulated in the student handbook and hold a consultation with youth and student groups for comments and recommendations. The CHR however, has the legal mandate to review the student handbooks under the lens of the following: Bill of Rights, 1987 Philippine Constitution; Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Magna Carta for Women; and all other local and international human rights instruments.

    Recommendations CHR is to release a recommendation that lists the specific provisions in the student handbooks that are to be repealed to the agencies concerned.
    tel. (+632) 435-82-27 www.scapnational.wordpress.com scap.neb@gmail.com DRAFT COPY

    STUDENT COUNCIL ALLIANCE OF THE PHILIPPINES


    All over the country to change it!
    #34-D Matulungin St., Brgy. Central, Quezon City 1100 Member Young Progressives Southeast Asia Observer International Union of Socialist Youth

    Memorandum Orders CHEd and DepEd are to release a memorandum order to be circulated in the concerned academic institutions ordering the repeal of draconian rules and regulations.

    tel. (+632) 435-82-27 www.scapnational.wordpress.com scap.neb@gmail.com

    DRAFT COPY

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