There never has been a high school graduation in the history of Cebu that has become so controversial and perplexing religiously and legally than that of St. Theresa's College High School graduation last March 30, 2012. Perplexing... well at least to me.
The Catholic school was sued by the mother of one of the five of the high school graduating class for banning the students from joining in the graduation rites. The ban was imposed as penalties for breaking serious school rules provided in their student handbook. According to reports the said students were found guilty of posting photos of their bikini clad bodies on their Facebook accounts with alcohol and cigarette in the mix. The photos, as claimed by the student's father in one of the reports, were taken during the birthday party of one of the five students held at some beach resort in Lapu-lapu City.
A day before the graduation rites, the court issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to the school to cease and desist imposing the penalty and to allow the students to march. The school, however, stood their ground and refused the students and their parents entrance to the school.
Now the school will most likely face some legal debacle on top of the civil suit filed by one of the parents for blatantly ignoring an order from a court of law.
The controversy had sprung a lot of views and rhetoric from all those who cared to voice their opinion. Some rose to the defense of the school while others strongly denounce the actions of the administration. A lot took pity on the students while others could not help but think that they brought it on themselves for their alleged indiscretion and irresponsibility. There are also those who are inclined to blame the parents for what happened before Facebook happens.
These and more arguments and views were expressed in and out of those embroiled in this controversy. Taking a stand on this issue without appearing to be too hypocritical or too permissive is not easy. But, no matter what they say, theirs one point of argument that all parties call to their defense--the Christian and un-Christian way. An argument so "multi-pronged" that oftentimes you find yourself arguing against your own defense. So trying not to take sides, here is my take on the issue:
The School.
As a Catholic school it is St. Theresa's College's sacred Christian duty to act as guide for the students who come to them to learn and to be molded in Christian teachings. Establishing policies and a code of good behavior and imposing disciplinary actions for transgressions against such a code is expected and within their right. With all sorts of threats to a rightful Christian way of life in our modern world... Christian institutions such as these should strive harder and more vigilant in guarding what those values and principles that true Christians ought to have. Instilling discipline and prohibiting students from doing something that is contrary to Christian teachings to the extent of exacting punishment by any Christian school is imperative. The school, I expect, is not doing it out of mere pride in protecting its reputation. A drop of blood does not make the whole ocean red, after all. The intention, I believe was to impress upon the minds of the young the seriousness of their alleged actions. An action that, in their youth, seems to be harmless entertainment. As was often said, sometimes one needs to be cruel in order to be kind--and at times you need to protect those who are intrusted in your care even from their own folly.
As reports go, the extent of the students are punishment ends with them being banned from the graduation rites. However, they are still considered graduates and can proceed on to college.
The thing here is that, when you enroll in a certain school you have not only agreed to submit yourself to its academic teachings but as well as the development of your own person in accordance to the standards set by the school of your choice. Then you are expected to exhibit a certain kind of behavior and action that identifies you as one with the school. It is like taking multiple subjects and pass all of them except for one. Now with that failing subject, you cannot claim to have sufficient knowledge of it, therefore you will not be entitled to any rights and privileges that goes with passing that subject. This situation is no different, the students have actually pass all the academics that makes them eligible to proceed with whatever academic pursuit they would want after high school. But there's one thing they have failed. They failed to live by the behavioral standards required for those students who deserve the right the privilege to proudly accept their diploma in front of those people present as witnesses of the triumph of the young "Theresians". The school reserves all the rights to set standard, steadfastly guard against deterioration of that standard and deny those that they have found seriously lacking. That is not un-Christian.
However, Christian teachings also taught us compassion and forgiveness. It calls us to be fair, to mete out offenses with just punishment equivalent to the degree of the violation. But as an outsider, I cannot rightfully determine whether this punishment is just or excessive. Only those parties involved can rightfully judged the appropriateness of what's been given out.
The Parents.
Identifying with the predicament of their children, they too have the right to assert and fight, for whatever it's worth, the rights of their children that they believed had been unjustly violated. It is but natural for them to also stand for what they believed was rightfully theirs to claim.
In this case, they have come to the aid of their children who they believed committed only the slightest of errors that no compassionate person or institution should be able to mete out with a punishment that will have a lasting psychological effect as being refused to stand in proudly to accept the fruits of long years of toil and obedience to the school that they regarded as an important extension of their family. It hurts when people readily judged you for one mistake, but it hurts more when those people whom you trusted, whom you believed will understand you better than anyone else and whom you believed will have more compassion, turn their backs at the most important moment of your life. Just when you needed them most. Or the life of their children in this case. To these parents, that one time of youthful folly and harmless entertainment thus, need a serious repercussions for the children but not to the extent of nullifying everything that these children achieved and learn from those they have intrusted to mold and care for them. And refusing these children the privilege of joining with their peers in celebrating the culmination and success of their years of hard work thus seem to nullify previous good behavior.
The Court.
Well, I don't really have much to say for I am not familiar with the workings of the legal system. I have however one question regarding the temporary restraining order (TRO). It does seem to me that the TRO has not become temporary but an order against the school without first having really totally deliberated the case. A some sort of verdict, without the actual hearing. Why? We'll I don't know. It's just that the graduation is a one time event. Issuing the TRO and ordering the school to let the student join without the actual hearing of the merits of the school's actions undermines the rights of the school. So what if after the hearings, position papers, and whatever that is that needs to be done for the court to come up with a decision and close the case, it decided in favor of the school. What then will happen, if the court had previously ordered for the children to join in the ceremony? Can the previous order be reversed knowing that, that graduation happens only once?
On the other hand, however, if there was no TRO given and the students, were as what happened, barred from joining the ceremony and then the court decided that the children really does have the right to walk and received their diplomas on the school's stage. Can the court order the school to have another graduation just to let these children have what was previously denied of them? And would it still be essentially the same for the children? This may sound idiotic, and I do feel somewhat like and idiot running this round and round my mind.
But then, isn't it just a little bit idiotic to resolve something as abstract as the concept of morals, compassion and humility under the premise of logic, hard facts and undeniable evidence in the court of law as imperfect as we humans who made them are?
The Students.
For the students, I don't exactly know what they've been through. I don't read or hear any direct quotes from them from the reports. However, I have to say this. Life is not fair. Live with it but strive to be just. We often make mistakes, that is another fact of life. Learn from it, move on and prove to no one else but yourself that you are bigger than your mistakes and become better than you already are.
Most of all, know that God do not judge as harshly as people does. As a line from the famous poem Desiderata goes, "Be gentle with yourself.. and Strive to be happy"
feeling sad.