Palace Press Officer Claire Castro clarified her remarks about teachers after the Alliance of Concerned Teachers criticized her statement that some educators violate moral standards and teach students to be disrespectful.
Castro said her statement was subject to misconceptions, misinterpretations and misunderstandings.
She explained that her remarks had a basis in incidents that had been investigated. One of the cases she cited happened in Davao City, where some students allegedly used inappropriate language while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was present.
Castro also showed a screenshot from a video that she said depicted a teacher teaching students insulting words.
She stressed that she was not referring to teachers as a whole. According to Castro, her remarks were intended as a reminder of the important role teachers play in shaping young people’s behavior and values.
The clarification came after ACT criticized her earlier remarks about teachers and called for her to retract the statement and apologize.
Castro, however, said she does not see a need to apologize.
She maintained that her statement was clear and said the issue resulted from what she described as the remarks being placed in the wrong context.
Castro’s comments have drawn attention because of the ongoing discussion about school safety and student behavior.
Her clarification focused on her position that teachers have an important role in helping shape the character and behavior of young people, while emphasizing that she was referring only to certain teachers and not the entire profession.
She also maintained that her statement was based on incidents that had been investigated, including the case she cited in Davao City.
Despite the criticism, Castro stood by her remarks and rejected the need for an apology, saying the controversy stemmed from how her statement was interpreted.
