MANILA, Philippines – The Miriam College High School (MCHS) Family Council Parent Representatives urged the school administration to speed up its investigation on the alleged sexual harassment experienced by several students and alumni from faculty members.
“It is the school’s obligation to protect and uphold the rights of every child. We urge the administration that the conduct of the investigation be swift and impartial and those guilty of these despicable behaviors be held accountable,” the group said in a statement released on Tuesday, June 30.
As several MCHS students and alumnae came out in the open online, several youth, student and women's groups denounced the alleged sexual misconduct done by teachers to its students.
“It is alarming to note the high number of complaints being reported,” the family council said in a statement adding that that turn of events have been extremely concerning to parents and the rest of the MC community. (READ: After #MCHSDoBetter goes viral, other schools urged to act on sexual harassment)
With MCHS as their children’s second home, the group added that the school should have zero tolerance for abuse to guarantee “a safe space for our children to grow and achieve their full potential.”
“Hence, there is no room for predators teaching in any school system,” the group added.
It also lauded the students for their bravery in speaking up.
“We commend and support the children who brought these abuses to light. It had taken them a lot of courage to come out in the open and recount their terrible experiences. We, as parents, must support them lest they be doubly traumatized by our inaction,” the group added.
The surge of reports online have led the school administration to form a committee to investigate incidents of sexual harassment.
Students from different institutions in Metro Manila also took to social media as they voiced out their own experiences of assault, harassment, and pedophilia. – Rappler.com