R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

I chanced upon this Girl Scout statue in San Roque Elementary School (Talisay City, Cebu) while covering an event there. When I saw this, I was like, hmm. This actually reminds me of my grade school days. Yeah, we also had a statue like this one then (there were actually two - the other one was a boy, of course). And like this one in San Roque, ours in Talisay Central School also received similar maltreatment from children. It was even worse! I remember, the school even made a beautiful landscape for the two scout icons, but it only took a few weeks for some pupils to desecrate them. The lower arm of the female statue was plucked from its shoulder, the fingers and the nose of the male one were cut, etc. The school had to immediately remove both statues and replaced them with new ones.

I've been to other schools and saw practically the same scene. Only those statues raised higher from the ground or out of the children's reach are still standing with all their body parts intact. This blog now brings me to this question: What happened to respect?

As far as I know respect is being taught or learned along the way while still young. The Tagalogs even use the "Po" and Opo" as respect to their elders. Yes, it is just a statue. But whatever it is, may it be a piece of useless wood, no one, not even kids, has the right to destroy it, because someone has made an effort to put it there. Destroying that statue or piece of wood is disrespecting the person who owns it (and those who value it). It is disheartening to know that children, as young as they are, no longer value respect. Or, do they really know about respect?

Recently, my friend complained about the noise at their front gate brought about by children who regularly play in that area. She said she did not mind it before, but when these children started using pellet guns at their pomelo tree, she became furious. Since the target tree is near their window, those inside the house have a fat chance of getting hit. It is still happening even up to this day, and it seems that no one can stop those children, not even my friend.

What ever happened to values education in school? I don't subscribe to physical punishment, but those children who are bold enough to cut the limbs of a Girl Scout statue or shoot their neighbor using a pellet gun without even feeling sorry at all should deserve a good amount of discipline. And by discipline, I refer to something that should be done over and over again until they learn, until they will be reformed. Because it is sad to think that while we, the adults, are so lenient with the children; they do not even give us even a little respect that we deserve. Seriously, I would really love to teach a lesson or two to any erring child within my reach. I think it is better to give them that before they will do more harm 4 or 5 years from now.