1. The Code of Professional Ethics for Public School Teachers Reporters: Roziel C. Borbon Magdalina B. de Guzman

2. Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers adopted and promulgated by the Board for Professional Teachers through Board Resolution No. 435, series of 1997, pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (e), Article II of RA No. 7836, otherwise known as the “Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994”

3. VIOLATION OF CODE OF ETHICS FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS Article XII, Section 1-- “ Any violation x x x shall be sufficient ground for the x x x revocation of x x x license x x x”

4. TEACHERS AS PROFESSIONALS Duly licensed professionals who possess dignity and reputation with high moral values as well as technical and professional competence. In the practice of their noble profession, they strictly adhere to observe, and practice this set of ethical and moral principles, standard and values. (Preamble, Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers)

5. “ Every teacher shall merit reasonable social recognition for which purpose he shall behave with honor and dignity at all times and refrain from such activities as gambling, smoking, drunkenness and other excesses, much less illicit relations.” (Code of Ethics, Article III, Section 3) “ A teacher shall place premium upon self-respect and self-discipline as the principle of personal behavior in all relationships with others and in all situations.” (Code of Ethics, Article XI, Section 2)

6. “ A teacher shall maintain at all times a dignified personality which could serve as model worthy of emulation by learners, peers, and others.” (Code of Ethics, Article XI, Section 3)

7. Joseph Santos vs. NLRC, Hagonoy Institute, Inc. “ As teacher, (one) serves as an example to his/her pupils xxx. Consequently xxx teachers must adhere to the exacting standards of morality and decency. xxx A teacher both in his official and personal conduct must display exemplary behavior.” He must freely and willingly accept restrictions on his conduct that might be viewed irksome xxx the personal behavior of teachers, IN AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM, must be beyond reproach xxx they must observe a high standard of integrity and honesty.”

8. To strictly honor contractual obligation with the School Art. VI, Sec. 6, Code of Ethics: “ A teacher who accepts a position assumes a contractual obligation to live up to his contract, assuming full knowledge of the employment terms and conditions.” TO ACT WITH HONOR:

9. As an EDUCATOR 1987 Constitution states: “ x x x The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.” (Article XIV, Section 1) DUTY OF TEACHERS (Based on Law)

10. As a PARENT Article 218 of the Family Code provides— “ The school, its administrators and teachers, x x x engaged in child care shall have special parental authority and responsibility over the minor child while under their supervision, instruction or custody.” Article 219 of the Family Code provides— “ Those given the authority and responsibility under (Article 218) shall principally and solidarily liable for damages caused by acts or omissions of the unemancipated minor.”

12. In short— “ A school, before promoting or graduating a student, must be sure that he/she (the student) is functionally literate to go through next higher level.”

13. To ensure Quality Education: 1) Must be COMPETENT and EFFICIENT Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers, Article IV, Section 2— “ Every teacher shall uphold the highest possible standards of quality education , shall make the best preparation for the career of teaching, and shall be at his best at all times in the practice of his profession.”

14. BP 232 (Education Act of 1982), Section 16 (2) provides— “ The teacher shall xxx be accountable for efficient and effective attainment of specified learning objectives xxx.” Code of Ethics further mandates that— “ Every teacher shall participate in the continuing professional education (CPE) program of the PRC, and shall pursue such other studies as will improve his efficiency, enhance the prestige of the profession, and strengthen his competence, virtue and productivity in order to be nationally and internationally competitive.” (Article IV, Section 3)

16. He didn’t find school too exciting But he wanted to do pretty well, And he did have some trouble with writing And nobody had taught him to spell. When doing arithmetic problems, Pretty good was regarded as fine; Five and five needn’t always add up tp ten, A pretty good answer was nine. The pretty good student was happy With the standards that were in effect, And nobody thought it was sappy If the answers were not quite correct. The pretty good class that he sat in

17. Was part of a pretty good school, And the student was not an exception; On the contrary, he was the rule. The pretty good school that he went to Was right there in a pretty good town, And nobody there ever noticed He could not tell a verb from a noun. The pretty good student in fact Was part of a pretty good mob, And the first time he knew what he lacked Was when he looked for a pretty good job. It was then, when he sought a position

18. He discovered that life can be tough; And he soon had this sneaky suspicion Pretty good might not be good enough The pretty good town in our story Was part of a pretty good state Which had pretty good aspirations And prayed for a pretty good fate. There once was a pretty good nation Very proud of the greatness it had, But which learned much too late, If you want to be great, Pretty good is in fact pretty bad.

19. “ A teacher shall ensure that conditions contributive to the maximum development of learners are adequate and shall extend assistance in preventing or solving learners’ problems and difficulties.” (Article IV, Section 3)

20. In short— A teacher is expected to be efficient and competent in the performance of his academic duties at all times. Otherwise, A teacher who has consistently shows his inability to efficiently perform his duties and responsibilities, within a common performance standards should not be allowed to stay in school xxx. The MRPS provides as just cause of terminating a faculty— “ Gross inefficiency and incompetence in the performance of his duties xxx.” (Section 3 (a))

21. Hence, the SC held in Evelyn Peña vs. NLRC that— “ x x x schools can set high standards of efficiency for its teachers since quality education is a mandate of the Constitution xxx security of tenure xxx cannot be used to shield incompetence.”

22. 2) Must EVALUATE LEARNERS (i) Duty to give grades/evaluation “ Render regular reports on performance of each student and to the latter and to the latter’s parents and guardians with specific suggestions for improvement.” Section 16(3) of BP 232, TEACHER SHALL— and... Must promptly render or give grades. Otherwise, the unjustified or unreasonable delay in giving grades constitutes gross neglect of duty.

23. In the case of University of the East vs. Romeo A. Jader, the SC declared— “ It is the contractual obligation of the school (through the teachers) to TIMELY INFORM AND FURNISH sufficient notice and information to each and every student as to whether he/she had already complied with all the requirements xxx.” “ The negligent act of a teacher who fails to observe the rules of the school, for instance, by not promptly submitting a student’s grade is not only imputable to the teacher but is an act of the school being his/her employer xxx.”

24. In evaluating/giving grades the following rules of conduct must be observed— Code of Ethics provides— “ A teacher has the duty to determine the academic marks and the promotion of learners in the subject they handle. Such determination shall be in accordance with generally accepted procedure of evaluation and measurement on case of any complaint, teachers concerned shall immediately take appropriate action, observing the process.” (Article VIII, Section 1)

25. “ Under no circumstances shall a teacher be prejudiced nor discriminatory against any learner.” (Article VIII, Section 3) “ A teacher shall not accept favors or gifts from learners, their parents or others in their behalf in exchange for requested concessions, especially if undeserved.” (Article VIII, Section 4) “ A teacher shall base the evaluation of the learner’s work on merit and quality of academic performance.” (Article VIII, Section 6)

27. Code of Ethics provides— “ A teacher shall not xxx make deductions from their scholastic ratings as a punishment for acts which are clearly not manifestations of poor scholarship.” (Article VIII, Section 8) Thus, it is not a matter of discretion on the part of the teachers in the giving of the students’ grades, but rather it is a clear obligation for the teachers to determine student academic marks solely based on scholastic performance. For a teacher to do otherwise, would be serious academic malpractice or grave misconduct in the performance of his/her duties.

28. In Padilla vs. NLRC, SBC the Supreme Court said— “ This Court is convinced that the pressure and influence exerted by (a teacher) on his colleague to change a failing grade to passing one xxx constitute serious misconduct which is a valid ground for dismissing an employee.”

29. B. As a PARENT: Principal Duty to Exercise Parental Authority and Responsibility Article 218, Family Code provides— “ The school, its administrators and teachers xxx engaged in child care shall have special parental authority and responsibility over the minor child while under their supervision, instruction or custody.”

30. “ A teacher shall recognize that the interest and welfare of learners are his first and foremost concern, and shall handle each learner justly and impartially.” (Article VII, Section 2) Code of Ethics states—

31. Parental Authority to Discipline “ As parents, the teachers shall use discipline not to punish but to correct, not to force, but to motivate; and not to obey with rigid cadence, but to choose to follow the right way. Hence, teachers cannot generally use methods of punishing or such degree of penalties that a good mother or a good father would not likely use on her/his own children.”

35. Anita Y. Salvarria vs. Letran College, et al. (296 SCRA 184) The Supreme Court declared-- “ Petitioner contended that her dismissal was arbitrarily xxx, having been effected without just cause, on the premise that the solicitation of funds xxx was initiated by the students and that her participation was merely limited to approving the same. xxx”

36. If there is one person more knowledgeable of xxx policy against illegal exactions from students, it would be xxx Salavarria. Hence, regardless of who initiated the collections, the fact that the same was approved or indorsed by petitioner, made her ‘in effect the author of the project.’”

37. “ xxx (Department of Education) considers the act of teachers in xxx contracting loans from parents of their students xxx not only serious misconduct but xxx violation of students’ right to be free from involuntary contribution xxx.” - USEC Nachura, 13 Feb. ‘98

38. Parental Responsibility The student / pupil while in school, is in the custody and hence, the responsibility of the school authorities as long as he is under the control and influence of the school, whether the semester has not yet begun or has already ended.

39. In Amadora vs. CA , the Supreme Court said-- Even if the student is just relaxing in the campus in the company of his classmates, x x x the student is still within the custody and subject to the discipline and responsibility of the teachers x x x.

40. Hence-- A teacher required to exercise special parental authority but who fails to observe all the diligence of a good father of a family in the custody and care of the pupils and students, shall be held liable for gross neglect of duty.

41. “ The Court takes this opportunity to pay a sincere tribute to the school teachers, who are always at the forefront in the battle against illiteracy and ignorance. If only because it is they who open the minds of their pupils to an unexplored world awash will the magic of letters and numbers, which is an extraordinary feat indeed, these humble mentors deserve all our respect and appreciation.” Justice Isagani A. Cruz Chiang Kai Shek School vs. CA G.R. No. 58028, April 18, 1989

42. Halley’s Comet A memorandum, as it goes down the chain of command in an educational institution.

43. SUBJECT : Operation Halley’s Comet FROM : Chairman of the Board of Trustees TO : The President Tomorrow evening at approximately eight (8) p.m., Halley’s Comet will be visible in this area, an event which occurs only once every seventy five (75) years. Have the students fall out in the football field in uniforms and I will explain this rare phenomenon to them. In case of rain, we will not be able to see anything, so assemble the students in the auditorium and I will show them film of it.

44. FROM : The President TO : Vice President for Academic Affairs By order of the Chairman of the Board, tomorrow, at eight in the evening, Halley’s Comet will appear above the football field, if it rains, fall the students out in uniforms. Then lead them to the auditorium where the rare phenomenon will take place, something which occurs only once every seventy five years.

45. FROM : Vice President for Academic Affairs TO : College Dean By order of the Chairman of the Board, in uniform, at eight o’clock in the evening tomorrow, the phenomenal Halley’s Comet will appear in the auditorium. In case of rain in the football field, the Chairman of the Board will give another order, something which occurs once every seventy five years.aria

46. FROM : Dean of College TO : Academic Coordinators Tomorrow at eight o’clock in the evening, the Chairman of the Board will appear in the auditorium with Halley’s Comet, something which happens every seventy-five years. If it rains, the Chairman of the Board will order the COMET into the football area in uniform.

47. FROM : Academic Coordinators TO : Department Heads When it rains tomorrow at eight in the evening, the phenomenal, seventy-five year old Chairman Halley, accompanied by the President will drive his Comet thru the football field area theater in uniform.

48. -END-