EDITORIAL - Just a directive away
Few weeks from now, the school year will come to a close for the summer vacation. Schools are again busy holding commencement exercises as students will take a two-month break from classroom duties.
Since it is election season, the urge to penetrate the graduation rites seemed irresistible for some political candidates. Many would find these events a perfect venue to display their platforms in their race to gain more support come election day.
However, the Department of Education has long been prohibiting those who are running in electoral exercises from invading schools to campaign during closing ceremonies. It has been a standing warning from DepEd that politicians should spare the campuses from their political campaign.
As far as the education department is concerned, politics should have no place during school gatherings. So to preserve the sanctity of the graduation rites, it has constantly reminding political candidates for national and local positions to stay away from campuses during their campaign.
Actually, for as long as they don't solicit votes, there is really nothing wrong with candidates attending school activities. Politicians, especially those with connection with the school, are not even barred from taking the stage to speak as long as they do not endorse their candidacy.
However, even with the DepEd warning, there are still those who would take advantage of school ceremonies to advance their political causes. It cannot be denied that there are many candidates who would prefer to taint the sacredness of the graduation rites in order to promote themselves.
Since there is no law barring them from these events, it's really easy for candidates to break the DepEd warning. So the only solution to this problem is to prohibit schools from inviting politicians to campus events during the election season.
If the education officials are really serious in their crusade, getting rid of political speeches during graduation exercises is just a directive away.
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