22 February 2006
Opinion: When teachers fight
THE PEN SPEAKS
Danny O. Sagun
TWO sets of documents were furnished us this week in connection with the administrative complaint against Principal Alfredo Calugay of the San Jacinto National High School filed by 20 teachers with the regional office of the Department of Education. One set goes against him while the other set speaks well of the beleaguered school head.
This paper, your favorite weekly this part of the country, earlier carried a story about the complaint filed with the office of the DepEd regional director. The more damaging part of the complaint, we think, was the claim that Calugay allegedly demanded money from new teachers ranging from P3,500 to P5,000 backed up by sworn affidavits.
If true, such allegations only confirm rumors long going around that money changes hands in exchange for plantilla teacher items ranging from P5,000 to as much as P30,000. The only problem is that nobody is willing to come out in the open. Who will, by the way, spill the beans and incriminate himself/herself?
Pangasinan Star being a proponent of fair reporting, carries in this week’s issue the side of the principal as gleaned from the documents he gave this writer thru officemate Briny. We want to stress here that we do not take sides. What we are after is the welfare of the students and the school itself which we think is now so affected by the seeming factionalism and infighting among the teachers and school personnel and even parents themselves.
Those identified with Calugay’s predecessor are now ranged against him while those who got rid of Principal Bautista are now enjoying his company. Both sides though seem to be “comfortable” with us, sort of a compliment to this writer. During Bautista’s time, her enemies sought our help as member of the fourth estate. Now, the other side is also reaching out to us.
Of the five head teachers in school, two are identified with Calugay, while the three heading the core subjects of English, Math, and Science do not see eye to eye with him. We learned that Math head Redentor Aquino is being petitioned by the PTCA for his return to his mother school, San Fabian NHS where he got his item. That’s the price he is getting for going against his boss. Marilou Mangapot of the English department is not getting necessary support for her projects like the recent English Olympics as Calugay seems to favor extra-curricular activities over academics. Science head Francisco Torres got the principal’s goat when he insisted to go on with his own project, Science Camp and Leaders’ Congress, despite Calugay’s cold reception to it.
That is, as far as reports reaching us to date goes. There could also be more than meets the eye in all these, we don’t know.
Not all school personnel there are complaining. In fact a manifesto of support was signed by some 35 teachers and employees, which only shows that the school personnel there are divided to the detriment of the institution and its students.
Why can’t DepEd act with dispatch on the administrative matters like that complaint against him? Until now the department has not disposed of the grave misconduct case he is facing in his former station, Benigno Aldana NHS in Pozorrubio. He was reported to have been in involved in another controversy during his stint in Balungao. Now he is facing this case in his present assignment in our humble town.
We were informed (and he is bragging about it, we were told) he is not new to facing cases filed either in court or his department as he has been the subject of every sort of complaint in all his stations. He must be setting a record of sorts, we must say.
We hope though that our small town which is not bereft of talented professionals including educators may very soon be blessed with a dedicated principal who hails from that town itself. Most important, one who can unite the factions within.
Danny O. Sagun
TWO sets of documents were furnished us this week in connection with the administrative complaint against Principal Alfredo Calugay of the San Jacinto National High School filed by 20 teachers with the regional office of the Department of Education. One set goes against him while the other set speaks well of the beleaguered school head.
This paper, your favorite weekly this part of the country, earlier carried a story about the complaint filed with the office of the DepEd regional director. The more damaging part of the complaint, we think, was the claim that Calugay allegedly demanded money from new teachers ranging from P3,500 to P5,000 backed up by sworn affidavits.
If true, such allegations only confirm rumors long going around that money changes hands in exchange for plantilla teacher items ranging from P5,000 to as much as P30,000. The only problem is that nobody is willing to come out in the open. Who will, by the way, spill the beans and incriminate himself/herself?
Pangasinan Star being a proponent of fair reporting, carries in this week’s issue the side of the principal as gleaned from the documents he gave this writer thru officemate Briny. We want to stress here that we do not take sides. What we are after is the welfare of the students and the school itself which we think is now so affected by the seeming factionalism and infighting among the teachers and school personnel and even parents themselves.
Those identified with Calugay’s predecessor are now ranged against him while those who got rid of Principal Bautista are now enjoying his company. Both sides though seem to be “comfortable” with us, sort of a compliment to this writer. During Bautista’s time, her enemies sought our help as member of the fourth estate. Now, the other side is also reaching out to us.
Of the five head teachers in school, two are identified with Calugay, while the three heading the core subjects of English, Math, and Science do not see eye to eye with him. We learned that Math head Redentor Aquino is being petitioned by the PTCA for his return to his mother school, San Fabian NHS where he got his item. That’s the price he is getting for going against his boss. Marilou Mangapot of the English department is not getting necessary support for her projects like the recent English Olympics as Calugay seems to favor extra-curricular activities over academics. Science head Francisco Torres got the principal’s goat when he insisted to go on with his own project, Science Camp and Leaders’ Congress, despite Calugay’s cold reception to it.
That is, as far as reports reaching us to date goes. There could also be more than meets the eye in all these, we don’t know.
Not all school personnel there are complaining. In fact a manifesto of support was signed by some 35 teachers and employees, which only shows that the school personnel there are divided to the detriment of the institution and its students.
Why can’t DepEd act with dispatch on the administrative matters like that complaint against him? Until now the department has not disposed of the grave misconduct case he is facing in his former station, Benigno Aldana NHS in Pozorrubio. He was reported to have been in involved in another controversy during his stint in Balungao. Now he is facing this case in his present assignment in our humble town.
We were informed (and he is bragging about it, we were told) he is not new to facing cases filed either in court or his department as he has been the subject of every sort of complaint in all his stations. He must be setting a record of sorts, we must say.
We hope though that our small town which is not bereft of talented professionals including educators may very soon be blessed with a dedicated principal who hails from that town itself. Most important, one who can unite the factions within.
