Bikini photo controversy: Court orders Cebu school to let students march
by Merck Maguddayao, thepoc.net
March 29, 2012

The Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 19 ordered Saint Theresa’s College (STC) to let two 16-year-old high school students march on graduation day after the exclusive Catholic school banned the two from attending for posing in bikini and posting their pictures online.

In a report on Inquirer.net, judge Wilfredo Navarro issued a temporary restraining order on the STC’s sanction on the two students.

In his order, Navarro penned that STC must “treat the minors with kindness and civility befitting true graduates of a respectable institution sans any discrimination for the entire duration of the commencement exercises.”

Inquirer earlier reported that the administration of STC, a private Catholic school, ordered the sanction because the girls violated five provisions in the school’s student handbook, including a rule banning the “posing and uploading pictures on the Internet that entail ample body exposure.” The photos were reportedly posted on social networking site Facebook.

“STC is a Catholic school governed by the teachings of the Catholic Church. We have to see to it that values are formed,” STC legal counsel Romeo Balili was quoted as saying.

The girl’s parents immediately filed a civil suit against STC because of the anxiety caused by the sanction.

Furthermore, Cebu Daily News reported that “four other female students executed an affidavit against the school officials after they were also prohibited from attending the [graduation] ceremonies.” Said students claim that the school administration labeled them as “having loose morals, drunks, and drug addicts.”

The STC high school graduation ceremonies will be held tomorrow.

Read full article @ thepoc.net