Basic HTML Version
4 I The Best Online Education System in the world
TO BE OR NOT TO BE…
Kathlyn Q. Barrozo
Class of 1991, University of Santo Tomas
B.S. Medical Technology
You are called an activist when you go out on the streets and proclaim to the world what your convictions are.
You are branded either a “leftist” or a “rightist”, depending on where you lean towards for a certain set of
principles, or when you find yourself associated with ‘less orthodox’ views. You are termed a “centrist” when
you are moderate about your views, most specifically your political ones. But an activist you definitely are
when you join many others to declare your inclinations, whether political, religious or what have you. The
important thing here is that you willingly stand side-by-side with many others just to get yourself heard.
When I was in the Sixth Grade and the K to 12 program had not yet been put into law (Okay, okay, that was
several decades ago so you can now stop snickering!), I took a test along with several in my graduating class for
possible entry into a Science high school in the big city. One of the come-ons for that opportunity was that
once graduated from the Science high school, a student could automatically get into the country’s premier
state university. Fortunately, majority of us who took the exam passed, and those who did were instructed to
go to the big city for the final interview and deliberation. All of us who passed never underwent the final
interview and the deliberation process. Our parents were all in unison: we were too young to contemplate
being on our own that early. My parents had another concern: that students from the state university
ultimately became activists, who took to the streets with the drop of a hat to express their anti-government
stance and opinions. This goes to show how parents can be protective of their children, sometimes overly so.
On a more positive light, many of those who did not follow through with the Science high school opportunity
still eventually studied in the state university for their degrees. In fact, many of my classmates who did not
even take the Science high school entrance exams still attended the premier state university to complete their
degrees. I guess all’s well that ends well. I, on the other hand, went to a Catholic university, but that’s another
story.
Now, I wonder what would have happened if I had acted on that interview process and gone into the Science
high school. Would taking a different set of actions back then have produced a different effect in my life? Of
course it would. I would have blazed a different path and completely seen a different perspective. Sometimes,
the actions we take find justification in where we end up. That’s the beauty of taking action and the substance
of acting.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1.
If you were the writer, would you have gone for that final step? Why or why not?
2.
Can children take responsibility for their actions? What, to you, is the age of discernment?
3.
How can we teach children about accountability for whatever actions they take? Use specific examples, if
needed.
4.
Why is it essential for parents to lead by example?
5.
Do you remember how old you were when you became more aware of the consequences of your actions?
Talk about that period of your life.