Tuesday, April 05, 2005

why are there rules?

As expected, the comments in my previous entry about our policy on long hair are two sided. Svelte, transcience, and my co-teacher Joyce, while not admitting that such a policy should be regarded as sound, agree impliedly that it should be followed. On the other hand, the more radical ones, or should I say the "liberals" like Renan, Cerridwen who intimated to me
her feelings on the subject via email as she couldn't post a comment (like i do with most of the sites these days) and the ever outspoken Sassy are totally questioning the validity of the policy. To paraphrase my online and real time friend,Sassy, such a policy runs contrary to the freedom of expression of students. A valid argument, of course.

"So, why do we have such a policy?" you may ask? Many teachers, me included, when asked without warning would probably answer, (and that is because they were caught off guard) "for good grooming purposes!" But then, thinking about it, that is not a valid answer. Hmmm, I can just hear the "pilosopos" beaming with pride and arguing heatedly, "so was Jesus Christ unkempt, then?"

Again, before I proceed, I'd like to start with a disclaimer lest students reading my blog would use this against me. What I am about to say is my own personal opinion and as such, could be at best, a source of a lively discussion, but never to be taken as gospel truth. I have no power to speak in ex-cathedra, hahaha.

Nevertheless, what is clear to me is that inspite of what I believe in, I have been given the duty of custodian of discipline in a school setting, of discipline standards set by the student handbook which I cannot alter and do anything but to observe, enforce and keep. That said, I shall proceed.

My Malaysian friend, Bayi, who is well-known to Filipino bloggers said it best when he commented,

There is a place and a time for everything. At school the students learn discipline and keeping to the rules. Being able to discipline oneself puts the
person in good stead when the need arises and gives him a cutting edge if the other competing parties are not.

Keeping long hair for the sake of doing it is not creativity. If there is no valid reason (what could the reasons be when one is a student?), they are merely rebels without a cause. And when one's a student in high school, it is not the time to be such.


I tend to agree a hundred percent. Freedom is not without boundaries. As we all live side by side, belonging to a social structure dictated by social norms, culture and mores, there are certain rules we have to follow. Freedom should not be used wantonly and at everyone's whims and caprices. Together with freedom is responsibility.

Imagine a world where everybody is free to do anything at will. Chaotic right? It will be a world where one can do as he/she pleases. Where one can park his/her car at any spot, where one can throw his/her garbage anywhere, where one can steal another person's belonging, and worst, where one is free to kill another. That cannot be. Of course, one might argue that this is not what is meant by freedom. But why not? Total freedom, right? Ergo, free for all.

Fortunately, that is not the case. We have set a standard behavior based on our experiences and traditions. Are they all sound? Maybe not, but still, they are accepted standard behavior. Okay, maybe not a good example as non-conformists will always argue that cultural traditions and beliefs are passe. But must we forget that these are the keystones to more organized laws such as those enacted by congress? There you go! Try to disobey the law and surely, there will be repercussions.

How do we learn to follow these rules then? First, by learning how to follow simple ones! The haircut policy may sound trivial and irrational to some, but nevertheless, a standard has been set and such has to be obeyed. Otherwise, we will always find ways and means to go about evading the rules, finding justifications for our actions no matter how wrong they may be. That's what every rude drivers are good at. That's how every ill-mannered, ill-bred persons live.

Don't get me wrong. I am all for academic freedom! I have grown my hair to shoulder length before as it was the fad at the time. And yes, i felt free. But that was in college when I can already distinguish right from wrong and that I was ready to face the consequences of every course of action I take. High school is different. AS teachers in high school, we are supposed to dig a deep foundation for the individual to build his/her character on so that he/she can be ready to face the harsh realities of a very violent world as a result of the ways of "undisciplined" men and women who give in to their weaknesses because they did not know any better.

44 comments:

Rachelle Grace said...

naku tito, medyo emotional ako sa topic na 'yan right now kasi my sis is sort of in trouble now because of some strict rules sa school. i can't disclose the details eh pero ang basic story 'yung teacher nagmamatigas at ayaw silang palampasin, being very technical and rigid despite diplomatic attempts, over something na hindi talaga sinasadya ng mga estudyante (my sis included).

so ang masasabi ko sa issue, rules indeed are meant to be followed. but those who make and implement the rules should also see to it that the rules do not unnecesssarily and unfairly condemn people. kasi syempre, rules were made for an orderly society. but order isn't everything. there needs to be a balance between justice and concern for the well-being of others/compassion.

the tricky thing nga lang is having enough of both.

pero don't get this the wrong way ha, opinion about the issue in general and my sis' case ito. sa iyo naman i don't think you are being too strict. nakakainis nga lang yung nang-"BS" na yun.

Apol said...

anong pake mo, sa long hair ko? hehehe!

sa high school siguro ok lang. pwedeng its about discipline. pero kung pati sa college implement yan? lokohan na yun. last year, they tried to implement that sa FEU (yata). as expected nagprotesta yung mga long hair =)

tintin said...

(aka pinayhekmi)

I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis of the situation. The world is made of people who follow the rules. The smart ones, learn later how to break them!

As for the errand boy, pweh! I hate parents who think their golden child(ren) is/are above the rules.

Jhun Billote said...

hello tito rolly...i've read your previous post a few days back and honestly i really didn't know how to react.

Alam natin rules are rules and we have to respect it, either you are the follower or the implementor. creating rules are deliberated and formulated to guide us, organize things and makes us learn to accept and fulfill responsibilities.

the reason i couldn't comment, agree or disagree previously was that i too have committed rules then. but it is a learning experience, once you'd become the implementor, then you'll realize your acts then.

tito...opinion ko lang po ito. gud luck!

bing said...

i believe that rules are made to be followed but then they have to be reviewed, too, regularly, in relation to complaints received. but that does not mean that you would give in to whims. you always have to consider what is beneficial to both sides. do you have the responsibility to review the rules and to suggest for improvements? if you do, it is better that suggestions be forwarded to the bosses if there is already a need. however, hindi rin naman lahat ng kapritso ay dapat patulan.

Dr. Emer said...

Rules are for the immature and the irresponsible.

Then again, I can be wrong, Tito Rolly.

I can't even explain why drivers here beat the red light, make a left-turn in a no-left-turn street, or park in a no-parking area. Then, there are tho smoke in no-smoking places and people who throw garbage anywhere even if they know those are prohibited. Everyday we read rules painted on glaring signboards, but do we follow them?

Even if rules are meant to be followed, no one follows them. Just like promises, I think they were made to be broken.

Anonymous said...

Haha. Every little high school (or adolescent) twat has to go through the same shit that we did. From hair cuts, to 'freedom of expression', to Friday mass (if it's a Catholic School), to CMT (meron pa ba nito?), acne breakouts, bullies, and irrational teachers such as yourself, kids gotta suffer coz those who came before them suffered.

High school's like a fraternity initiation.

Anonymous said...

I believe the crux of the issue here is not being allowed to keep long hair or observing the rules for the sake of doing so.

The issue here is training young students to be better equipped for facing up to whatever uncertainties they may meet in the future.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, Rolly. That was me.

Jet said...

I agree with you and Bayi Tito Rolly.

And without meaning offense to Doc Emer, isn't it quite sad that yes, sometimes the norm seems to be that these rules are meant to be broken?

I think that basically, rules are made with a lot of thought given to the purpose that would serve the best interest of the majority. So those who break these rules break them because it would serve their own best interest and needless to say, without thought for others.

If this is the norm... God help us.

Cerridwen said...

yey! finally able to post a comment. Tito Rolly, I hope I explain this right and most of the reader can understand that we can agree to disagree :)

Maybe because I was raised here and we have more freedom for our inividuality that I questioned the policy about the hair. What does having a long hair have to do with learning? I do get the rules...teaching kids to follow them. All schools have rules, but sensible rules that has to do with learning. Military schools has haircut rule - but that is military school since really there is no soldier that has a long hair hehehe. I am just really curious as to why even enforce a haircut when a child can learn with or without hair and no matter what the length is.

I am for rules and dicipline to teach children while they are young. But sensible ones, that one that has something to do with learning. Let the parent decide on the physical being, that is their responsibility. I was also told by my sister that there are kids in some other school who can't take an exam because they didn't have a haircut - some parents can't afford a haircut. Military school pay and do the students' haircut. I think if school wants that they should pay for it :D

This is just my opinion and I respect others. I am just having a hard time understanding school rules about HAIRCUT to teach dicipline.

rolly said...

Rache I don't know the specifics of your sister's case kaya I don't think I can be of help. However, sanctions are given only after guilt has been established. If you think that the teacher is being whimsical, you are not without remedy naman. You can go to the higher up, say, the principal, and air your grievance. That is, kung hindi nagkamali ang sister mo. Now, if she did something wrong na hindi nya sinasadya, the only recourse is to ask for forgiveness as she is at the mercy of the offended. kasi, nagkamali pa rin sya and sometimes we learn our lessons the hard way. I know because I did. All one can do at this time is to beg for the offended party's compassion. Better if with the principal's intervention.

Apol Precisely. Syempre pag medy mature ka na, you its already a matter of choice. Sa high school, tinuturuan ka pa lang to make the better choices, e. Kaya ganon.

TinTin Thanks for agreeing with me. Wag kang masyadong magalit dun sa parents. Una, hindi ako siguradong ganon ang situation. For all I know e masyado lang magaling ang persuasion nung bata at nauto nya yung errand boy.

I can take it naman. And I'm sure this is not the first time na maiisahan ako. hehe

Metal I know you are also in almost the same boat as I am. Mahirap din minsan, ano? Thanks for your opinion.

bing aka Juliet Welcome to my site. Yes, naman. We review our policies yearly. And the policy on long hair will be with us for quite a long time. Kasi we have to teach the proper way of grooming and up to this time, ang concept natin ng good grooming has not yet changed.

Doc Emer I don't think I will agree on this one. Rules are made not for the immature but for learned men. Sorry to say but if I will agree with you, medyo defeatist yata ang magiging attitude natin.

i still believe that with a firmer resolve, matututo rin tayo to follow rules and regulations.

i.ph Thanks for coming here and for the invitation. However, I would be very busy on the day of your EB. Enjoy na lang kayo. I'm sure masaya yan.

ding_eab Obviously you don't agree with my point but I do feel strongly about the issue. Aren't the reasons cited here sufficient to say that I do rationalize my action, and hence, is not irrational? well, anyway, kanya kanyang opinion yan. if you think I am irrational, so be it. But still, the students have to follow as I have to implement the rules set by the school.

Bayi Amen. And that is enough reason for me to implement the rule, right? Me irrational? I dont think so.

Jet I'm sure Doc Emer's comment is not complete. knowing the man to well, I'm sure he agrees with us. hehe He's just being realistic. That what he said is what our present reality is.

joyce said...

Doc Emer,
if i may digress, it really is so frustrating seeing our fellow citizens break rules deliberately...i have a theory on this: incorrigible deviants (most specially those you see in the streets) tend to break rules simply because they are oblivious to what we call the "common good" and would simply not exert extra effort to do what is proper. But there can be a cure to this. Schools must aim to provide education that will enhance critical thinking skills of students, and thereby help them engage in "meaning making". Meaning making is simply being able to discern which is right and wrong, and that doing what is wrong can obviously effect negative repercussions to everyone invovled, including one's self.

Romeo Moran said...

sir, this comment is not in any way related to your blog today.

if it's okay to reveal info, aside from the honor section, what sections will be removed next year?

Night Moon said...

hey sir! nevertheless, i still think rules kill a lot of nerves, it kills creativity, it breeds conventions.

bing said...

i have been frequenting your site and i also sent an email in which you did not reply... but anyway, thanks for dropping by also.

rolly said...

Joyce Exactly mypoint. Schools are here not just for the academic content, but even more so, to build one's character.

Pepseeh I don't think I have and will divulge information about the school here in my blog. I have to take care lest I might be saying more than I should. Although harmless namang sagutin yung tanong mo, I'd rather not say anything here in my blog. Kung gusto mo, kita tayo ng personal:-)

Demented Vixen Yes, I agree...to some extent. But we also have to live by certain standards, too. My stand remain firm that the policy on proper haircut is within reason for high school students. They want to have freedom of expression? Find another way.

rolly said...

Yaps Please, don't mention the name of the school in my blog again.

I'm glad you have graduated and will soon be a mature adult. I just hope we taught you well.

Bing aka Juliet Thanks for coming frequently. I swear I never received an email from you. I would have answered you immediately as I do the others. It probably got lost in transit or I would have thought it to be spam. I don't usually open mails I get from unknown senders. You probably had your true name in the email. Sorry about that.

Mec said...

If you know the rule to be for the greater good... and you break it...

mayabang ka na lang talaga... and pahirap ka...

rules, as well as laws, are there to serve as guidelines for when you get confused...

and if you're really not ready to be subjected to an institution's laws... or to have your kids subjected to them... eh di wag ipasok dun!

meron naman home-study program na :)

feel ko lang, one has to choose his battles wisely...

does a parent or a person really feel na kabawasan sa kanya yung nde sya hinahayaang magpahaba or magpa-super ikli ng buhok?

and if so, nde ba parang ang babaw naman nun?

bawal din magmura in most schools... technically, one can argue that THAT curtails freedom of expression...

and ewan ko lang ha... if your son or daughter comes bringing long-haired friends home... nde ka kaya matakot din kahit pano?

the stereotype against long-hair did not evolve w/o reason

and few long-haired guys actually look well-groomed

bing said...

i hope you don't mind my putting a link to you on my page...

Romeo Moran said...

hehe i knew you wouldn't. this question has been burning in the music section's minds for quite some time after card distributions. :P

guess i'll have to wait until they put the class lists up.

rolly said...

Mec Amen to all your points.

Justice Precisely! I cannot imagine a world where nobody follows the rules. Chaotic, diba?

Bing aka juliet It would be my honor. I'm also going to link you up when i have time. And i'm still waiting for youto resend that email. I'll respond, promise :-)

pepseeh When you grow up, you will realize that patience is a virtue. hehe

Sassy Lawyer said...

Sandali, sandali... parang which came first the chicken or the egg...

First, is discipline really the issue? When we talk about discipline, we impose rules that are meant to lead to some pre-defined goals. It isn't right to impose a rule for the sake of having it followed. That's not a rational goal. That's a control thing.

So, when you say follow the haircut rule because it is part of learning about discipline, isn't that putting the cart before the horse? I think one has to establish first what it is that is sought to be achieved. As in, ano ba masama sa long hair aside from the fact that it violates a school rule? What is rationale for the school rule in the first place. If anyone can establish a direct relation between long hair and disruptive behavior, I will retract my arguments. But there is no such relation. It is a mere perception because of the association of long hair with the hippies of the 60s and the 70s and their pot-smoking culture. Maryosep, lipas na yung panahon na yun, we're still insisting that long hair means deviance in that sense?

Dr. Emer said...

To Tito Rolly and Joyce:

Let me assure you that my comments had nothing to do with putting down the roles of schools and teachers. My point is realistic. I mean, schools and teachers have been around for years, but the story remains the same --- everyday we see a lot of people breaking rules "as if it were the norm."

When I said that rules are for the immature and the irresponsible, I meant that there will be no need for rules if everyone just understood first what the consequences of following such rules are --- which is Sassy's point, I think.

If you knew that throwing garbage anywhere can cause floods and diseases, then you wouldn't be caught littering at any time.

If you knew that beating a red light endangers your life and those of others, then you'd probably slow down to a stop when you see yellow, right?

But these scenarios do not happen. Of course, there are a handful who follow (myself included and maybe the two of you), but they are outnumbered by the rule-breakers.

Now, must we blame the teachers and schools for spawning a population of rule/law-breakers? No.

Molding a mindset and the right attitude begins at a very early age, and there are numerous studies saying that personality development in humans begins even before kids go to school.

I think the crucial time which will tell if a kid will be a "rule-breaker" or "rule-follower" lies on the years before the kid reaches school. When they reach school, almost 80-90% of their personalities are already cemented. Teachers can only suggest at best. And when the going gets tough --- when you impose your rules --- you will observe that those with personality problems are likely to get into trouble while those who had a nurtured psychological development are usually courteous and obedient.

Which finally brings us to my point: the real burden in personality development lies with the parents.

Discussing that would mean another post, I think. Ito pa nga lang sinabi ko dito, ang haba na. Whew! Cheers, Tito Rolly. =)

Dr. Emer said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Dr. Emer said...

Pahabol kay Joyce:

On the concept of the "common good": Sorry po, pero I do not think a "common good" exists. Perspective at self-interest lang naman palagi, di ba? For better or for worse.

On "incorrigible deviants" defying rules: I believe the deviants have psychological problems, and for teachers/schools to help, they must at least have some understanding of the psychologic foundations of the problem. As it is, not all our schools are equipped to handle these problems.

rolly said...

Sassy Thanks for your inputs.

First and foremost, the real purpose of the haircut policy is to teach the students good grooming. Somehow, the clean cut is still the norm for good grooming, isn't it? The issue on instilling discipline comes after. If a high school student should defy this policy, wouldn't it be right for us to impose it?

Doesn't this have anything to do with learning? In our country where rules "are meant to be broken" I dare say learning how to follow them is an experience we have to undergo.

At any rate, I didn't make the rules but it is my duty to enforce them and I will stand firmly on my ground taht I will simply because I have reason to believe there is learning to be had from this.

rolly said...

Doc Emer I see your point even before you posted this. And yes, it may seem to be the norm right now. But should it be so? When do we start? We got to start somewhere, and I say let's do it now! cheers!

Anonymous said...

siguro hindi pa handa ready ang pinas sa mga long hair long hair...hehehe..pero para sa akin mas maganda ang clean cut.

Anonymous said...

School rules are important because they tell us how to act, give us directions, set standards for everyone, and instill discipline.

However, shouldn't school rules be relevant -- what values you want to teach the kids? In my opinion, hair could be part of grooming BUT it's length is irrelevant.

If it's the tidiness issue... well, if women can have long hair and look nice, so can men.

If it's because some liken them to hoodlums or whatever-- isn't that another form of stereotyping? Wouldn't that be akin to superficial classification (by looks)? Diba, that's exactly what we should aim to NOT teach our kids?

If my lil JP would choose later in his life to sport long hair, I would cringe but I would let him.

Anonymous said...

Rolly, I would like to share what is on my mind.
The concept of putting down rules by outlining expectations and setting limitations is a fundamental one. parents, teachers and other disciplinarians in charge of guiding a child's behaviour should be on constant lookout for ways to help the child to behave according to these "RULES".
Very few children intentionally act in an inappropriate manner.Parents and teachers need to remember that children are constantly exploring and experimenting with situation and environments. Inevitably, they will make mistakes.
At times, misbehaviour occurs on the spur of the moment. at other times, it occurs out of anger, fear, malice or some other emotional trigger. many children misbehave as a means of getting attention.Every child needs help in breaking the pattern of inappropriate behaviour. There are a lot of help we could do. One is by being flexible with discipline methods. There is no "one-fits-all" when it ways to instructing children. we must remember that children are individuals and have different personalities, levels of understanding and tempers.
I can add that the use of force or fear to get a child to behave is not a recommended method. Children these days need to understand the "WHY" behind the "NO".
I used the term children as persons aged 18 and below are considered children.
napahaba na yata. good morning and thank you sa comment mo sa site ko.

Stef said...

Hello, Tito Rolly, newbie ako dito, nakita ko ang site mo sa mga food bloggers kaya naintriga ako, hope you don't mind my joining in the discussion. As a homeschooling mom of 4 in the US, here's my take on this : 1) the issue of whether kids should be allowed to grow their hair long or not should really be left up to the parents. as one poster said, one needs to choose his battles. i don't think in the grand scheme of things that a child following the "hair rules" that a school has in necessarily an indication of how successful or law-abiding he will be later on in life. maraming mukhang hippy d'yan n'ong mga '70's and '80's, mga rebelde n'ong high school pero ngayon ang titinong mga citizen. 2) there are a lot of rules a school should have and enforce, i.e., paying attention attention in class, following deadlines, etc. this is where school officials should "crack down" kung may mga rebelde. after all, parents send their kids to your school to ensure that they get a good education. 3) oo nga, education is not just about academics, it's also about character-building, but i think dito maraming magulang, eskuwelahan at gubiyerno na nagkakamali. certain things should be left for the parents to inculcate in their child: good grooming is one of them. e.g., kung ang magulang hindi tinuruan mag-sepilyo ang anak nila, is it now the school's duty to tell the child to brush his teeth? or to take a bath? para ke pa naging magulang ang magulang kung eskuwela ang aasahan nilang magturo ng mga bagay na ito sa kanilang anak? the problem is there has been too much blurring esp. in the past 15 years or so about the role that each institution (family, church, school, government) plays in the difficult job of raising a child. as a result, pare-parehong lito -- parents do not exercise enough authority over their children and expect the schools to do their job, the schools think it is "their" job to take-over the parent's role kasi nakikita nilang hindi ginagawa, the government thinks it is now time to step in and put all of this into the law. the fact is, we are educated by our intimacies. where we spend most of our time is where we get a REAL education. ideally, that place is in the home. (sorry mahaba, i tried to keep it short pero madaldal kasi ako:-(.... and got in trouble for it when i was in school)

Svelte Rogue said...

ang akin lang kasi, kung di mo maatim ang rules ng skwela, get out! parang maybahay ka e. you want your rules to be followed in your house. if people just walked all over the place doing what they liked, sinong mahihirapan? e di ikaw!

as for academic freedom, i don't see how following rules curtails freedom.

one thing i learned is that in making particular choices, in this case keeping the hair short, i am more able to exercise my freedom. freedom isn't doing what you like; it's living more fully within choices made. this might be a bit off from the main contention of your blog, but i don't think it's fair naman to present a false dilemma na if you follow "restrictive" rules, curtailed na freedom mo.

minsan, kulang lang ng tolerance ang mga nalalapatan ng rules. kahit anong buga mo pa, you have to abide by rules. if you can't take them, find your own spot. or make your own school. *labyu tito rolly and that's no yolk*

Romeo Moran said...

Sir, while you're still on the topic of rules, may I ask something of you?

I'm sure you're aware that your son Coby plays Magic: the Gathering cards. The thing is, we play these on campus, sometimes during break times, and somehow, when most teachers pass us by, they don't react. We're under the impression and we're fully aware that these things shouldn't be brought to school, but I have to ask, why do most teachers not react to us playing? Even Mr. Sagum himself saw us playing once but he didn't go over to our table and tell us off. Only a couple of teachers do tell us off, but we're still curious as to why no one else does. Can you give me any opinions on that? Thanks.

batjay said...

ako bandido - kaya nung high school, nagpapalusot sa long hair or waiting until the last moment to have a hair cut. bakit nga ba ganoon?

ginawa ata yang rules sa buhok para sa mga studyanteng tulad ko na gustong mag cat and mouse game sa school admin. looking back - i think nag enjoy rin ang mga teachers namin sa kakasaway sa amin as much as we enjoyed breaking the rules.

ang nakakainis lang, pwede nang mag long hair ngayon kahit kanggang pwet kaya lang hindi na uso mag long hair. a teacher's revenge...

rolly said...

Sorry guys that it took me so long to respond to your comments. I had been busy. Nevertheless, I hipe you still can get to read my response.

techguy Alam ko na alam mo that there was once upon a time when we did sport long hair. Me mga schools na pwede ang long hair like UE, La Salle and UP yata. Natapos ito ng magkaron ng martial law. Atsaka hindi na naman masyadong uso ngayon. If only these kids could see how long our hair was before, lalo na siguro no? haha

AnP good points you've raised together with the others. However, let's face it, hindi pa handa ang school authorities ng Philippine education to think this way. Medyo conservative pa rin. Actually, I wouldn't mind if the students sported long hair but hten, we are in a system. And yes, stereotyping as it may be, that's how we still think. Case in point, you will cringe. hehe Thank you for your inputs.

luchie nicely said. I may have to use the "flexible" argument with Pepseeh in a latter comment he made, I believe the last comment on this thread.

While we're at it, on the other hand, there is also the consistency rule. There lies the dilemma of school administrators. If a student can get away with something simply because he/she needs understanding, how can we justify that to another where a sanction should be given.

Lastly, I never use force on the students. It is still up to them although, they should be man enough to face the consequences of their acts.

Nevertheless, thank you for your inputs.

Stefoodie Thanks for coming over and commenting. In my school, it is our belief that the education of the young is a shared thing hence we call the parents our "partners". Ex. there may be reasons why a parent should not have stressed the importance of, say, brushing the teeth, but because we in school know the benefits of such, we take it upon ourselves to impart this kknowledge to the student.

Furthermore, in our legal system, the school has special parental authority. This is even higher than the "on loco parentis" clause because while the latter says schools exercise substitute parents, with the former, the parent has given full parental responsibility over the child. Thanks for your valuable insights. Appreciate them. Balik ka ulit ha.

Svelte Rogue I agree with you a hundred percent. Nicely said and quite bluntly too. hehehe

Pepseeh Hmmm, had i known Coby did that, do you think i wouldn't have forbidden him? When I accepted this position, I have talked with my children first and told them that I don't want any of them to get into trouble or else, there wouldn't be any need for an investigation but they will face the consequences outright. I know it's a little unfair but that goes with the territory.

Now, on your query about the principal... I cannot answer for him but I do have a guess. As one of the readers, a guidance counsellor at that, luchie, said that there are times when a little tolerance can be given the students. Maybe, the teachers or even the principal was using this formula.

Batjay Funny as it may seem, mukhang that is one of the reasons. They do it to spite the authorities... Oh well...

Anonymous said...

Thank you sir for your response. One last question na lang. Very simple.

What is the ruling on trading cards (not ordinary playing cards)?

Thank you.

Romeo Moran said...

Sorry sir, that was me as anonymous. -pepseeh

Anonymous said...

Sorry - that comment was from me.

rolly said...

Bugsybee Hi, Welcome to my space in cyberlandia. Pahabol man o hindi, I welcome your comments. Especially knowing that your also in the academe. The real purpose of the post is to see what others think. When I was an adviser (high school)I was more lenient with the rules on long hair. But now that I am the prefect of discipline, I have to enforce them and para walang silipan, I try to impose them all. Minsan me lumulusot but I try to do the best I can.

Anonymous said...

I can imagine how hard it is to be the prefect of discipline. In my time (I retired last month), I made a lot of enemies when I tried to impose rules. Some people just do not appreciate discipline and sometimes cannot distinguish between discipline and freedom. They always seem to think that when rules are infringements on their constitutional liberties. Ang hirap.

Anonymous said...

Sorry that should have read " ... always think that when rules are imposed, these are necessarily infringements on their civil liberties."

rolly said...

Bugsybee Hay naku, sinabi mo pa. The hard part is when you are stuck between the student and the teacher, which sometimes happen. Yung student or the parent, sasabihin ang higpit mo o wala sa ayos yung rule, tapos, yung teacher naman, sasabihin, masyado kang lenient. Walang consistency and the likes... di bale, all in a day's work, ika nga. haay buhay.

Anonymous said...

I don't mean to offend anyone, but rules like this make me glad to live in the USA. This is the way I see it: I agree that there is no overwhelming, constructive reason to have long hair. But just because it isn't constructive doesn't mean that it shouldn't be allowed. If I was harming students and administators with my long hair, then it would be completely fair to force me to cut it. But I'm not hurting anyone, in fact, I have a 3.9 GPA in a college-prep curriculum with AP and Honors classes. I feel that something should only be banned if that prohibition would have a positive effect. But why does hair matter? It's irrelevant. Nothing is gained from forcing students to maintain a certain haircut. In fact, these strict, irrelevant rules, when imposed on naturally rebellious teens, have a negative effect. I was forced to wear uniforms in elementary school, and they distracted me from my studies. I put time into rebelling from the norm because I felt that the rules had no constructive basis and were arbitrary. Pointless rules increase rebellion. Instead of treating students like young adults who can make their own decisions, they are told how to wear their hair.

Another thought: "You can't control what other people do, just how you react to it." Students shouldn't have all distractions and challenges removed from their learning environment. Life is difficult, and kids have to get used to that. But those difficulties should make sense, be natural things that one would encounter in the world, not silly rules imposed arbitrarily.

Finally, I also think that this is a cultural issue as well. Here in the US, students can do whatever they want, maybe too much at times. But I'm glad we have those freedoms, it shows us how to handle ourselves in the world without being told what to do. I don't know much about South Asian culture, but I suspect it is vastly different from mine.