The Department of Education wants officials and employees to "avoid relationships, interaction, and communication, including following social media with learners outside the school setting, except if they are relatives."
Department Order 49 series of 2022 dated 2 November, which essentially reminded DepEd officers and personnel on professionalism as public servants, covered social media: "… exercise caution when sharing posts or other contents and should not participate in the spreading of rumors and false information…"
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers, however, said parts of the memorandum threaten freedom of expression and the right to redress of grievances of DepEd personnel.
"It would be unprofessional for the secretary (Sarah Duterte) to refuse to act on or consider issues and concerns on basic education, however legitimate they may be, merely because the matter has been raised to a third party," ACT chair Vladimer Quetua said.
The group likewise questioned the order for teachers to avoid communicating with learners through social media, pointing out it was DepEd itself encouraged to exploit social media platforms, specifically Facebook Messenger, for distance learning for synchronous and asynchronous instruction.
"In their failure to provide devices and internet support, they encouraged teachers and learners to use their own smart phones and free data to facilitate remote learning. Isn't it ironic that now they think doing such is unprofessional?" Quetua commented.
It is doubtful, he pointed out, if banning social media communications between teachers and learners can curb sexual harassment.
"Sexual predators have been present even before the advent of internet and they find ways to victimize their prey. Of late, what we have seen are victims speaking up through social media, bringing to light cases that have transpired online or offline. Is the DepEd more concerned with being put on the spot every time a case is exposed online than actually preventing sexual harassment?" Quetua asked.