The Effect

The Effect

I used to have a student named once. She’s smart, outgoing, outspoken and hardworking. Teachers adore her. She was expected to be the class valedictorian when they graduate high school. She is also the daughter of a senior teacher in our school. She knew the teachers well as most are her mother’s close friends and some are even became her godparents. Needless to say, she was a teacher’s pet right from the get-go. Unfortunately for me, I was a new teacher then when I became her adviser and didn’t know any of the mentioned facts. I dealt with her as I usually dealt with any regular student and without any special reservations. At the end of the Fourth Grading period, she ranked 3rd in my class. This caused an unsettling uproar from the senior teachers in my school. There were negative reactions in escalating degrees, threats, and series of complaints. The records were scrutinized and were reviewed from top to bottom. But I stood my ground and sided with the rightful valedictorian. After much violent deliberations and confrontations, she eventually ranked 2nd and completed class Salutatorian. I knew that the adjustments were inaccurate but I was helpless. I was exhausted from arguing and constant bullying from my peers. The valedictorian, a marginalized student, also received battering. She was tagged as the “undeserving” and “favorite student”. On the other hand I was tagged as the “bias and incompetent” teacher.

The school must instill the value of equality. Regardless of gender and social status, all students must be given an equal chance to succeed. After all, our education system is anchored supposedly in meritocracy. R.A.7836, or the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act, states that it is the duty of a teacher to treat her students justly and impartially (Art.8 Sec.9). Teachers should also refrain from making deductions in students’ scholastic