What do I think of the John Apacible incident?
Before I answer that, let me say this.
I do not agree with how the Ateneo deals with various cases of students running afoul of the law or the university’s rules. I thought it was too tough and uncompromising. Sometimes, even unrealistic and unmindful that expelling students changes people’s lives for better or worse.
To name a few, we have seen Joseph Estrada kicked out because of fighting. Fighting! And he was defending a classmate from a bully.
We have seen students kicked out because they were activists.
There have been those who were expelled for a variety of reasons, academic and non-academic.
Clearly, we live in a different time. In an age where the school is adapting to the world that is rapidly changing around us. To the global village we live in to diversity and to social media of which caught up to John Apacible.
Whether he is a student-athlete or not, I think that whatever punishment the university hands down should fit the “crime" but tempered with mercy.
Did we bother to find out what provoked him into this rage? I am not exonerating John for his stupid and terrible mistake and his drinking which is in violation of team rules. Like many of these videos that purportedly show us incidents, we do not get the whole story.
Nevertheless, I do not believe that expelling him is the right thing. Suspend him for the remainder of the season, yes. But I do not think he should be removed. The shame alone from the news and social media is enough to give him pause about what he is doing with his life. To take him off the team permanently or even the school is like a triple whammy and could even totally alter his life.
Let him do community service. The time off the team should be sufficient. If there are other forms of restitution, so be it.
Having said that, the school should really take long and hard look at how it deals with erring students many of whom feel they got the raw end of the stick when it came to their cases.
It is a difficult incident that could be just as divisive. I guess, it is a time to pray for reflection and wisdom in dealing with it.
I think Ateneo should take a good, hard look on this matter. Apacible simply confirmed what most people feel about Ateneans: well-off kids with a misplaced sense of entitlement and arrogance. His actions run contrary to the school's values and aspirations.
ReplyDeleteFunny. I could say the same about the other top schools - that feeling of entitlement and arrogance. When this happens to kids from public schools -- the rumbles where people get killed or hurt, what is the perception? Skwaking? You're generalizing? What school are you from anyway?
DeleteUnfortunately, people dont think of those other schools. When someone says "conyo school with arrogant students", the first thing that comes to mind is Ateneo. Which is sad, considering MOST students are anything but arrogant
DeletePlease do not overgeneralize that all Atenans are like that. In UP, there are 4 students facing frustrated murder raps for frat related violence. Are all UP like those 4 students? Last year, a DLSU Indian student got arrested for selling drugs. Are all DLSU students drug pushers?
DeleteIn my opinion, the team gave him a punishment beneficial to both him and the team itself. His other purpose in Ateneo is to play and not being able to do so will hurt him. Not allowing him to play at this crucial stage will let the team focus on their game. My only question is, unless it is a crime against the country when did Ateneo start penalizing their students against behaviors like this done outside campus? There were no allegations that he mentioned the school during his stupidity.
ReplyDeleteIt is already a crime. I heard the offending party already filed criminal charges.
DeleteI remember one of my profs saying that when you leave the campus, you dont take off your Ateneo hat. And after scouring the LS Student Handbook (2012), here's an excerpt from page 79:
DeleteCommitting acts outside the campus which affect the good name, order or welfare of the school or have direct and immediate effect on the discipline, morale or general welfare of the school, especially acts considered crimes under the laws of the land of which the person has been formally charged or convicted
Corrective, not punitive, action on the school's for me is fair kase pwede pa naman magbago si coucilor.
ReplyDeletePero he should be ready to face the possible charges filed against him dun sa mga taong naagrabyado nya.
I hope you meet a drunk driver like him on the street. Then you can talk about tempering that crime with mercy.
ReplyDelete