Senate Bill Aims to Protect Teachers from 'Malicious' Accusations

• A senator has filed a bill seeking to protect teachers from malicious accusations and abuse.
• The measure also seeks to provide legal aid for teachers and other school staff.
• Sen. Grace Poe, author of Senate Bill 1189, said that the measure seeks to lay out ground rules in instilling discipline in the four walls of the classroom.

MANILA, Philippines—A lawmaker has filed a bill which seeks to protect public school teachers and personnel from “malicious” accusations.

Senator Grace Poe on Monday filed Senate Bill No. 1189 or the “Teacher Protection Act”, which aims to lay out specific ground rules for teachers on student discipline and classroom management.

Under the proposed measure, the Department of Education has to create a teacher’s manual containing policies and principles in classroom management.

The manual shall set out “the disciplinary action to be taken against students who are found to have made malicious accusations of child abuse against teacher and school staff.”

“Any act committed by a teacher or school staff pursuant to the disciplinary rules and procedure issued by the Department shall not be deemed as child abuse, cruelty, exploitation as denied in Republic Act No. 7610,” the bill released Wednesday read.

It also seeks to provide legal assistance for teachers and other school staff.

The development came three days after broadcaster Raffy Tulfo drew flak from netizens when he pressured a teacher to quit her job and give up her license on his television show.

The suggestion was made in the November 18 episode of “Raffy Tulfo in Action” after a 47-year-old grandmother complained about a teacher who asked her grandson to step out of the classroom over his failure to return his report card on time. The teacher admitted wrongdoing, apologized and explained that she just meant to teach her pupil a lesson on discipline.

Tulfo initially threatened to file child abuse charges against the teacher for ‘traumatizing’ the student, but changed his mind after the student’s parents proposed to deny the teacher career eligibility instead.

The Department of Education earlier said that it is already investigating the case.—CNN Philippines