TOO HOT TO HANDLE House keeps hands off Hopwood Jr. High woes

As the conflict between the principal and some of the teachers at Hopwood Junior High School intensifies, the House Committee on Education has taken a hands-off policy to allow education officials to resolve the problem.

A group of faculty and non-teaching staff at Hopwood as well as its some of its students has petitioned the ouster of its principal, Lourdes T. Mendiola, on grounds that she allegedly failed to address pressing discipline problems in the school.

While the Public School System has looked into the situation, Education Committee Chair Rep. Brigida DLG. Ichihara said she does not want to interfere into the dispute she described as tough.

The students’ plight should be the utmost priority of the Hopwood officials, according to the lawmaker who expressed fear that if she gets involved, it might not help resolve the conflict at all.

“I have mixed feelings about the problem,” said Ms. Ichihara, a retired principal herself, said in an interview. “Because I’m on the political side now, they might think my action will be for political reason.”

She added, however, that if it warrants investigation by the police, then let the police do their job. “My only concern is the welfare of the children. I hope they will immediately find solution to the problem,” said the representative.

Ms. Mendiola has come under fire in recent weeks due to criticisms that her failure to address the worsening discipline problem at school has resulted to deteriorating quality of education.

Hopwood Junior High employs 85 staff and is home to some 1,300 students. Some top school officials have defended their principal who they said has effectively managed the school by instituting several programs for the benefits of the students.

As a former educator, Ms. Ichihara said she understands the situation at Hopwood. She has met with Ms. Mendiola to discuss the problem and to have her side of the story.

“I am reluctant to really get involved because it is the job of [PSS Commissioner Rita H. Inos]. I understand that they are looking into the problem. My job is not to reprimand anybody, but to listen to them so that hopefully we can remedy the problem,” she added.

She instead advised the principal and the teachers to work together because Hopwood “is a hard school and they need to look after the students.”