These days, you can’t make a mistake too big or behave too wildly. The Internet will make sure you are put in your place. Social media have a way of pillorying those perceived to have acted against the public good. The unfortunate are marked, instantly, for a long time—perhaps for life.
This is what happened Thursday when the vice mayor of Quezon City decided not to suspend classes amid the rain and flooding brought by the southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon “Gorio.”
Because the mayor was out of the country, the responsibility to decide whether students should be made to go to school fell on Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte.
At past 4 a.m. of Thursday, she announced her decision that no, there would be no class suspension after all. At this time, rain had been pouring hard, many streets had been flooded, and other local executives in Metro Manila had suspended classes in their respective areas.
Belmonte said she had spent the night discussing with city disaster risk reduction and management officials and decided, after reading the weather bureau’s bulletin that said only light to moderate rain was expected and that heavy rain was going to be occasional, that students must go to school anyway.
The vice mayor attempted to be logical and contrarian: “One cannot please everyone,” she said. “It was a challenge for us not to be swayed by the bandwagon.”
Several hours later, however, Belmonte was proven wrong and those who had to face difficulty commuting to school were lashing out at her. She later ate humble pie and admitted to a miscalculation in making that decision. Before noon, classes on all levels had been suspended and there were efforts to help students who did go to school get safely home.
We do not doubt Belmonte had only good intentions; unfortunately for her, she got it wrong—and suffered as a result of that faulty call.
Here then is where discretion comes to play. Parents will always have the authority on whether or not to allow their children to venture out to inclement weather. There is immense value in perfect attendance in school activities despite rain and flooding. Showing up even when it is difficult to do so is in itself a lesson that, when learned, will do much for children’s work ethic.
Risking health and safety, however, must pass the test of reasonability. No announcement from the school or the government will deter parents from deciding what is best for their children. And even if a class or two were missed, there must be ways to make up for exercises missed.
There is an adage that we must not allow school to get in the way of real education. In this case, common sense and practicality must not be sacrificed for mere compliance to an announcement.
And no, that’s not joining the bandwagon.