Republic of the Philippines

BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
City of Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines
FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION II
(Historical, Philosophical and Legal Bases of Education)
Submitted to:
Mr. Ernesto S. De Guzman
Assistant Professor IV
Chairman, Student Teaching

Question
1. In your opinion,
what era/age has
the greatest
contribution in the
educational
system?

2. Do you believe that

government should
control education?

3. Under the present

conditions, should
the educational
system aim to
develop

Response
I think that the period from Primitive to Roman Era has the greatest
contribution to the educational system. For the reason that this era laid the
basic foundations and rudiments for education that are still utilized up to this
day. The era which encompasses the Primitive, Oriental, Egyptian, Hebrew
Greek, Spartan, Athenian and Roman education all emphasize the
importance of early childhood education which begins at home and the vital
role that the individuals family and environment play in honing and
developing them as a person. Methods of instructions such as reading,
writing, literacy and social training, military training, religious education,
apprenticeship and physical training were also first introduced in this era
paving the way and setting up the pattern which is later applied up to
present.

I agree with the governments role in supervising and regulating education

but for it to have a full control is not acceptable. I believe that the
governments primary role in regards to education is to provide equal
opportunity to all, that all children regardless of their social status and
background must have equal access to education. That no child will be left
behind. That a full support from the government must be expected since the
future of the state relies in its people- educated people that will translate to a
successful nation. A government who has full control of the education
corrupts the whole educational system as political agendas, personal motive
and propagandas were infused in the system thereby distorting the facts and
results to misinformed citizenry.
Under the present circumstances, I believe that our educational system
should aim for social consciousness over individualism because progress
and success stems from a collective effort of groups and not solely from a
single individual. To be able to attain success and progress in the system, we
must emphasize the importance of cooperation over competition, integration
over isolation and most of all groups over individual. As how the proverb
says, A single stick breaks, but sticks in a bundle are unbreakable.

individuality or
social
consciousness?

4. Discuss academic
freedom. What are
the common
misconceptions of
the principles of
academic freedom?

Academic Freedom as defined by Britannica, is the freedom of teachers and

students to teach, study, and pursue knowledge and research without
unreasonable interference or restriction from law, institutional regulations, or
public pressure. Its basic elements include the freedom of teachers to inquire
into any subject that evokes their intellectual concern; to present their
findings to their students, colleagues, and others; to publish their data and
conclusions without control or censorship; and to teach in the manner they
consider professionally appropriate. For students, the basic elements include
the freedom to study subjects that concern them and to form conclusions for
themselves and express their opinions.
According to its proponents, the justification for academic freedom lies not in

Cruz, Mark Julius S.

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the comfort or convenience of teachers and students but in the benefits to

society. Academic freedom is never unlimited. The general laws of society,
including those concerning obscenity, pornography, and libel, apply also to
academic discourse and publication. Teachers are freer within than outside
their disciplines. The more highly trained teachers are, the more freedom
they are likely afforded: university professors tend to be less restricted than
elementary-school teachers. Similarly, students usually gain freedom as they
move through the academic system.
Some of the common misconceptions about principles of academic freedom
includes:
1. Academic freedom does not mean a faculty member can harass, threaten,
intimidate, ridicule, or impose his or her views on students.
2. Student academic freedom does not deny faculty members the right to
require students to master course material and the fundamentals of the
disciplines that faculty teach.
3. Neither academic freedom nor tenure protects an incompetent teacher
from losing his or her job. Academic freedom thus does not grant an
unqualified guarantee of lifetime employment.
4. Academic freedom does not protect faculty members from colleague or
student challenges to or disagreement with their educational philosophy and
practices.
5. Academic freedom does not protect faculty members from non-university
penalties if they break the law.
6. Academic freedom does not give students or faculty the right to ignore
college or university regulations, though it does give faculty and students the
right to criticize regulations they believe are unfair.
7. Academic freedom does not protect students or faculty from disciplinary
action, but it does require that they receive fair treatment and due process.
8. Academic freedom does not protect faculty members from sanctions for
professional misconduct, though sanctions require clear proof established
through due process.
9. Neither academic freedom nor tenure protects a faculty member from
various sanctions from denial of merit raises, to denial of sabbatical
requests, to the loss of desirable teaching and committee assignments for
poor performance, though such sanctions are regulated by local agreements
and by faculty handbooks. If minor, sanctions should be grievable; if major,
they must be preceded by an appropriate hearing.
10. Neither academic freedom nor tenure protects a faculty member who
repeatedly skips class or refuses to teach the classes or subject matter
assigned.
11. Though briefly interrupting an invited speaker may be compatible with
academic freedom, actually preventing a talk or a performance from
continuing is not.
12. Academic freedom does not protect a faculty member from investigations
into allegations of scientific misconduct or violations of sound university
policies, nor from appropriate penalties should such charges be sustained in
a hearing of record before an elected faculty body.
*These points are adapted from American Association of University
Professors policy documents and reports.

Cruz, Mark Julius S.

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