On March 21, 2015, Krisel Mallari was delivering the welcoming address for her batch’s graduation ceremony when she was interrupted and asked by faculty to step down from the stage.
Mallari, who was set to graduate as salutatorian from Sto. Niño Parochial School, had apparently diverted from her pre-approved speech in an attempt to air her grievances about her grades.
According to the salutatorian’s sister, Kat, Mallari had requested that she be allowed to see her grades but was only met with indifference. As per the school’s statement, these grades have been released.
Watch the video here:
Financial incentives for high honors
The battle for salutatorian and valedictorian is fierce, especially if the students are gunning for university scholarships. Most colleges offer substantial discounts to high school honor students, while some universities offer full scholarships to valedictorians and half scholarships to salutatorians.
Mallari is set to take up accountancy in the University of Santo Tomas where, depending on your course, tuition can run up to Php60,000 a semester.
What she couldn’t say
To understand why faculty had to interrupt Mallari’s speech so blatantly, take a look at what she wrote here:
A pleasant morning to my fellow batchmates, to my teachers, guests, welcome to the 13th Commencement Exercises. Sa okasyong ito ay pinipili kong magsiwalat sa wika na aking kinagisnan, ang wikang Filipino o wikang Tagalog. Taong 2004 (nang) una akong umapak sa silid-aralan ng eskwelahang ito upang mag-aral. Ngayon, makalipas ang labing-isang taon, ay narito (ako) sa inyong harapan upang ibahagi ang aking karanasan at magbigay-aral. Sa bawat taon na lumipas ay puspusan ang pag-aaral na ginawa ko sa eskwela, naniwala (ako) sa patas na labanan. Sa pagtatapos ng school year na ito’y isang hakbang na lang ang layo ko sa finish line. Ngunit sa pagdating ko rito’y naglaho ang pulang tali na sisimbolo sana sa aking tagumpay. Naglaho nga ba o sadyang kinuha? Maraming tao ang nagbulag-bulagan sa isang sistemang marumi at kaduda-duda. Ngunit di ko ito tinuluran. Ipinaglaban ko ang sa tingin ko’y tama. Nanindigan ako bilang isang Pilipino na palaban at may takot sa Diyos. Chismis, isang piyesta ng chismis ang inabot ko nang pinagmukha nila akong masama. Ganun talaga minsan, ‘pag umayon ka sa kung alin ang tama, ikaw pa ang lumalabas na mali. Di na nga nila pinakinggan ang iyong hinaing, nakuha ka pa nilang laitin. Kung sinasabi niyong wala akong acceptance, marami ako niyan, pero paano (ko) tatanggapin ang isang bagay na ‘di naaayon sa katotohanan. Para saan pa ang aking dedikasyon sa pag-aaral at hustisya kung ‘di ko naman ito ipaglalaban? Sa kabila ng nangyari ay masaya pa din ako, tulad nga ng laging sinasabi sa teleseryeng Dream Dad, “Maganda ang buhay,” kaya bakit ako mag-aaksaya ng oras sa kanila kung mas maraming mas kapaki-pakinabang na bagay ang puede kong gawin? Ngayon ay may piling indibidwal akong gustong pasalamatan, ito yung mga tao na sumuporta sa akin sa kabila ng eskandalo na idinulot nang ipaglaban ko kung ano ang sa tingin ko ay tama. Una sa lahat, gusto kong pasalamatan ang Diyos, isa siyang ama, kapatid, kaibigan na naging sandigan ko sa lahat ng pagkakataon, sa hirap at ginhawa. Sa aking ama, Dad, salamat, salamat kasi ni minsan ay ‘di mo kami sinukuan, salamat kasi naniwala ka sa kakayanan ko, salamat kasi ipinaglaban mo ako kahit pa sumama ang tingin sa iyo ng iba, salamat kasi ikaw si Ernesto Mallari, ang haligi ng tahanan na nakukuha pa ring magpatawa kahit alam ko na sa loob niya ay nahihirapan na siya. Sabi nga sa isang pelikula ni Robin Williams, “You are the world’s greatest dad.” Sa aking ina, isang napakalaking “Thank you.” Siguro nga’y madalas akong makulitan sa iyo dahil sa madalas mong pangangaral, paulit-ulit nga siguro ang mga sinasabi mo, pero, Ma, yan ang tunay na dahilan kung bakit the best ka, dahil di ka tumitigil na pangaralan kami ‘pag alam mong naliligaw kami ng landas. Talaga ngang totoo yung kataga na “Mother knows best.” Sa pinakamaganda kong ate, Ate Kat, salamat kasi ikaw ang pinaka nakakaintindi sa mga hilig at pinagdadaanan ko bilang isang babae, ikaw ang aking selfie buddy, church buddy, at shopping buddy na pinagkakatiwalaan ko ng mga sikreto. Sa napakatalino kong kuya, Kuya Kerwin, mainitin ang ulo mo, medyo mayabang ka nga siguro, at medyo tamad mag-aral; pero ang di alam ng marami, busilak ang puso mo, salamat, Kuya, sa pagturo sa akin na manindigan ‘pag alam kong ako ang nasa tama. Sa napaka-cute kong kapatid, salamat, Kristine, ikaw na siguro ang pinaka matuturing kong tunay na BFF. Julia, Clang, Katrina, Faye, Dane, Nico, at sa iba pa, napatunayan niyo sa akin na tama ang katagang “quality over quantity.” Siguro nga’y di kayo karamihan, pero alam ko na bawat isa sa inyo ay maaasahan at mapagkakatiwalaan ko, kaya salamat! Sa mga teachers na napalapit na sa aking puso, Ma’am Factora, Ma’am Calanoga, Ma’am Amil, Ma’am Garcia, Ma’am Restor, Ma’am Castillo, Ma’am Acacio, at Sir Francis, nagsilbi po kayong pangalawang magulang ko. Salamat po. At siyempre pa, sa mga taong bumabatikos at nagbibigay ng negatibong komento sa akin, isang napakalaking “Thank you.” Kayo ang dahilan kaya’t mas pinagbubuti ko pa ang pag-aaral, tulad nga ng sinabi ng basketbolistang si Dwyane Wade, “My belief is stronger than your doubt.” Panibagong kabanata ang aking haharapin, bilang isang accountancy student sa University of Santo Tomas. Panibagong hamon na nakangiti kong haharapin. At para sa ating lahat, mga kapwa ko graduates, ito’y isang mahalagang kabanata kung saan natin gagawin ang pinakamahalagang mga desisyon sa ating buhay. Kaya naman good luck sa inyo, at good luck din para sa kinabukasan ng paaralang ito. Let me finish this in style and say my last words in the vernacular language of the world. I am Krisel Mallari, a Filipino citizen who would rather choose to fail with honor, than win by cheating. Adios!
Click Continue Reading for the school’s statement.
Wrongly accused— Sto. Niño Parochial School
As of March 23, 2015, the Sto. Niño Parochial School has issued a statement explaining that they had stopped Mallari from delivering the rest of her speech because it was not what the school had approved and because it contained defamatory comments towards the valedictorian.
The school went on to say that the student’s father, Mr. Mallari, continuously harassed the school into showing them the valedictorian’s grades and would often demand explanations for his daughter’s grades throughout the years.
In line with the school’s statement, it is important to note that Mallari did not mention the valedictorian in her speech.
Alumni are not surprised
According to former students John and Paul (not their real names) who studied for at least six years in Sto. Niño Parochial School, allegations of cheating are not new. The former students shared that teachers usually favor their peers’ children, who always end up as honor students despite their lack of qualifications.
When full scholarships at expensive colleges are at stake, the competition and politics can get quite muddied. When high school or college comes along, the teachers’ children who undeservedly become salutatorians and valedictorians often struggle in science high schools and prestigious colleges, while those with lesser honors continue to excel.
Paul also notes that despite having various disciplinary sanctions, teachers’ children are always part of the honor roll during graduation.
John and Paul, however, say that this is the first time anyone has ever spoken up about it.
What would you do?
Mallari must have felt frustrated and exasperated with her situation to have done what she did. In fact, many say that the speech debacle generated the attention that she and her family was hoping for.
However, if you and your child find yourselves in a similar situation where their grades are questionable, rather than a hard-hitting speech, you may opt to do the following:
- Send letters to the administration and the teacher asking for a formal, documented discussion on the issue.
- Run a Google search on the school before you enrol your child.
- Consult with a lawyer if you feel that you need to assert your child’s right to quality education and fair treatment.
- Read through school policies, especially those regarding grades. Your child’s handbook may be a great source of information.
- Collect records of grading policies that your child may have copied down in her notes along with all her tests, quizzes, and schoolwork as evidence.
- Contact the Department of Education through their page or at the following numbers:
- (02) 636 1663 | 633 1942 | (+63) 919 456 0027
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