FOR A teacher to lose her life allegedly due to emotional distress caused by harsh treatment from a superior is unacceptable, a lawmaker here said Tuesday.
Councilor Pilar Braga, city council committee chair on education, expressed her concern over the death of Tibagon Elementary School (Pantukan North District) teacher Marjorie Espinosa Llanto-Bolde on Sept. 19.
“Our teachers dedicate their lives to shaping the minds and futures of our children, often at great personal cost,” Braga said in a privilege speech.
She stressed that as the backbone of society, teachers’ mental and emotional health should be a priority.
While she commends the Department of Education for conducting the investigation, more has to be done especially in prevention for similar incidents to recur.
“I call on this council to push for stronger policies that safeguard our teachers from harassment, humiliation, and emotional abuse. We must ensure that our schools are places of respect, dignity, and support for both students and teachers,” she added.
The councilor said the leadership should be held accountable for fostering a positive and nurturing environment in schools and not to diminish the worth of a teacher by the ‘careless words’ of a superior.
She added let the incident was a “wake-up” call to the public that teachers be provided respect they deserve.
The late teacher, as claimed by her family, died suffering from “unbearable stress” after being insulted by the school principal.
She was insulted for not keeping an eye on her grade two pupils where one pupil bled after the head hit the bench while dancing, which prompted the mother to report to the principal.
DepEd XI already summoned the principal regarding the death of the teacher.
