The teacher who went viral and gained praise on social media after he confronted his principal, who ordered his students to take off their togas, appeared in an interview with educator Carl Balita.
In an interview, Lu Nietes, one of the teachers of Col. Ruperto Abellion National School (CRANS), said that he took the initiative to de-escalate the situation and approach their principal, Venus Nietes, to remind his superior that the moving-up ceremony was about the students and their parents.
“At that very moment, I wasn’t thinking about it, na, I was a hero. At that very moment, I was only thinking na moment to ng mga learners at parents so dapat i-celebrate nila yun,” said Teacher Lu.
According to him, he was aware of the consequences of showing dissent to his superior, but he believed his actions were for the sake of the students.
However, Teacher Lu also emphasized that students should still remain respectful to their teachers, after one of the graduates heckled the principal during the ceremony.
“Sa mga learners natin, be respectful pa rin sa mga people in authority. Very important yan. You have to continuously develop self-discipline. Continue to make mistakes and learn from your mistakes,” he stated.