Castro gets flak for remark on teachers

MANILA, Philippines — Palace press officer Claire Castro is evading the bigger issue of her insult to educators as she attempts to dismiss teachers’ outrage as a misunderstanding, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers said yesterday.

On Tuesday after the school shooting incident in Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Castro said some teachers set bad examples and teach students to be disrespectful.

Castro yesterday justified her remarks and declined to apologize, saying it was meant as a reminder to teachers of their vital role in molding children’s character and values.

In a statement, the ACT said that what Castro called a misunderstanding is a legitimate and collective response from educators across the country who were directly insulted by the Palace’s sweeping insinuation that teachers are teaching children to become ill-mannered.

The teachers’ group said it is equally disturbing that those in power want to police how teachers express their outrage.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio urged Castro to retract her statement and apologize.

Teachers’ Dignity Coalition chairman Benjo Basas said the shooting incident cannot be reduced to the actions or supposed failures of teachers alone.

“This is a time for compassion, accountability and concrete action to strengthen school safety, not for blaming teachers,” Basas said. – Daphne Galvez