Sen. Poe filed a bill protecting teachers from malicious accusations

A bill was filed to bring sufficient support to teachers with regard to student discipline and child abuse. It has become a national trending topic recently when a teacher was accused of child abuse without a due process. And with that, Sen. Poe files a senate bill also known as the "Teacher Protection Act".

📷 An Act Institutionalizing Support Mechanisms On Matter of Student Discipline and Classroom Management for Teachers and Personnel in the Public School System

Our public schools shoulder the crucial role of providing education to millions of students every year. The classroom serves as a venue of formation for the children where teachers spend their careers teaching not only knowledge but values as well.

A disorganized classroom without procedures and expectations makes it difficult for our teachers to do their job. The ambiguity of permissible teacher conduct in the context of student discipline and classroom management hurts the school system. This difficulty is worsened by the fact that many teachers do not receive institutional training in the right strategies that will allow them to property manage student-behavioral troubles. The lack of licensed guidance counselors who act as support personnel and legal assistance and representation also compound the problem.

Through mandating the issuance of a teacher's manual and provision of preservice and in-service training on child behavior and psychology, effective classroom management and appropriate disciplinary techniques, the bill seeks to lay down an overdue institutionalized support mechanism for our public school teachers and personnel.

In addition to the provisions of guidance and support for proper classroom management, this bill seeks to amend Republic Act 7610, commonly known as the Child Abuse Law, insofar as any act committed by a teacher or school personnel complying with the multi-stakeholder teacher's manual shall not be deemed as "child abuse." To complement this, legal assistance is provided to teachers and personnel in cases related to student discipline and classroom management.

SEN. GRACE POE

SENATE BILL NO. 1189 (Download)