A teacher in Cagayan has drawn scrutiny online after posting classroom-related content on TikTok that critics flagged as suggestive and inappropriate for minors.
A Reddit user on Tuesday, September 16, called attention to the content of Queency Apostol, a transwoman teacher from Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.
“Teacher creators are taking it too far,” the Redditor said in an online community for Filipinos.
The Reddit user shared a screengrab of a content of Apostol in which she asked her students, “Paggising niyo sa umaga, ano unang hinahawakan niyo?”
Some answered “cellphone,” while others responded “blanket,” “pillow,” and “TV remote.”
“Iba naman, ‘yung unang hinahawakan ay ulo,” Apostol said to her students.
“Kasi nga, magmuray-muray ka ta’s nag-aayos ng hair,” she said.
The teacher also posed the same question in her TikTok post, earning suggestive answers from some users.
“Akin ma’am, ulo sa baba,” a TikTok user commented. It was “liked” by Apostol, who also responded, “Omg, hahahha.”
“Ulo sa baba” is a suggestive phrase in Filipino that refers to the head of the penis or the penis itself.
“Gusto mo ba talaga malaman, ma’am?” another TikTok user responded.
“For educational purposes lang po,” the teacher said with a grinning-with-sweat emoji.
@thequeencyapostol Replying to @its_haven_ig ♬ Monkeyshine NO PERC-JP – Lt FitzGibbons Men
Backlash
The Redditor said Apostol “knows exactly what she’s asking and she knows how the answers would go,” adding that classroom content on relationships and romance should be left outside the classroom.
“Medyo malaki ‘yung issue ko dito sa content creator na ito, so I want to know if it’s just me or may iba pa na ganito rin ‘yung feeling,” the Reddit user wrote.
“I am okay with a few jokes from time to time, but there are some jokes that should be left outside of the classroom. She’s talking to minors. Ganito na ba talaga ngayon? Wala na bang off na topic sa classroom? And she’s also showing the faces of the minors na bawal na, according to DepEd,” the Redditor continued.
Teacher creators are taking it too far.
byu/CocaPola inPhilippines
DepEd rules on vlogging
The post cited a Department of Education (DepEd) memorandum, which prohibits teachers from vlogging during class hours.
The memorandum was issued by the Zamboanga del Sur division of DepEd last March, prohibiting educators from “recording videos, engaging in vlogging activities, or including learners in any video content during class or office hours.”
“The practice of creating and sharing videos during instructional time can cause unnecessary distractions and negatively impact the focus of both teachers and learners,” it said.
“Additionally, the inclusion of learners in such recordings raises concerns regarding privacy, data protection, and their overall well-being,” the memorandum added.
It also specifically prohibits teachers “from using TikTok during work hours, particularly within school premises and while in uniform, to maintain professionalism.”
