Bullying as a school subject?

I wonder if the subject, “Good Manners and Right Conduct,” is still in place in our schools? Paging the Department of Education.

It is not just once or twice but thrice. That’s what the bully did the week past.

Three times the bully attacked three different persons.

One happened inside the toilet of a school positively identified as the Ateneo de Manila University at Katipunan Ave., Q.C.

The second was in another place where the bully was seen kicking and punching another student.

The third incident saw the bully force a third victim to kneel in submission and touch one of his shoes.

Sorry, but only a barbarian can seemingly do such despicable acts.

The bully was identified as a junior high school student at Ateneo—Joaquin Montes, whose Facebook photo was published in major national dailies on Dec. 22.

Said Ateneo president Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ, of the Ateneo incident: “The school is not silent on its stand on violence and it will not hesitate to impose the penalty of dismissal or even expulsion in cases of grave misconduct.”

What pains me to the core is the fact that Montes was reported to be a black belt taekwondo jin. If true, that makes him a super dangerous fellow—a menace to society.

And since he is even a taekwondo gold medalist, that makes him a certified owner of four deadly weapons: two hands and two feet. For, in taekwondo, all four are capable of incapacitating, disabling and even killing any breathing creature on earth.

In essence, taekwondo jins are like boxers because boxers seek a license for their fists to be used in combat only inside the roped ring.

Once the licensed boxer uses his fists in a fight outside of organized bouts in a ring card, he could be guilty of using a deadly weapon—except when self-defense is invoked.

Bullying in school has been with us for the longest time. Like fraternity-related deaths, bullying is a scourge that must be snuffed quick for the common good.

Maybe, it’s about time we introduced in our school curriculum a subject dealing directly on bullying?

I wonder if the subject, “Good Manners and Right Conduct,” is still in place in our schools?

Paging the Department of Education.

Merry Christmas!