Leaders of La Consolacion College Bacolod joined private school administrators and student affairs practitioners from across Negros Occidental in a dialogue on legally sound and values-centered student discipline during the Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports Cultural Educational Association, Inc. seminar, “School Discipline: A Legal Perspective for Private Schools,” held July 29 at the Kinder Auditorium of Bacolod Tay Tung High School.
The seminar featured Atty. Joseph Noel M. Estrada, who emphasized that effective school discipline should be anchored not merely on punishment but on character formation. He said the long-term response to school violence and bullying lies in developing responsible and values-driven learners.
“The long-term solution to school-related violence and bullying is still discipline and character formation,” Estrada said.
Estrada discussed the constitutional and legal foundations of school discipline, the shared responsibility of parents and schools in forming children, and the doctrine of in loco parentis. He also addressed teachers’ special parental authority and corresponding responsibilities, due process in disciplinary proceedings, child protection, and relevant court decisions guiding educational institutions in handling student misconduct.
LCC Bacolod President Sr. Flolyn S. Catungal, OSA, said the discussion supports the College’s commitment to forming students through discipline grounded in compassion, accountability and respect for human dignity.
“Discipline is an essential part of education because it guides our learners toward responsibility, self-mastery and respect for others. As an Augustinian institution, we are called to exercise authority with firmness and compassion, ensuring that every corrective action contributes to the formation and well-being of the student,” Catungal said.
Representing LCC Bacolod were Dr. Rodjhun B. Navarro, NOPSSCEA board member; Mr. Anthony Deocades, head of the Office of Student Affairs and Services; and Coordinators of Student Formation and Activities Mrs. Cresilda Amerila and Ms. Mary Grace Porceso.
Estrada also stressed that school rules should not be regarded merely as “house rules” intended to maintain order within the campus. He said disciplinary policies should help students develop accountability, respect and self-discipline that extend beyond school premises and continue into adulthood.
The College’s participation reflects its continuing efforts to strengthen student formation programs and ensure that its disciplinary processes remain legally informed, developmentally appropriate and consistent with its Augustinian educational mission.
The seminar formed part of NOPSSCEA’s continuing professional development initiatives aimed at helping private school leaders respond to contemporary disciplinary challenges while promoting safe, orderly and values-centered learning communities.