KABATAAN Partylist has strongly criticized the principal of Col. Ruperto Abellon National High School following a controversial remark during the school’s graduation rites, where the principal allegedly threatened to call the police on students who did not comply with the prescribed toga attire.

Kabataan Partylist National Spokesperson and First Nominee Atty. Renee Co denounced the principal’s actions.

“Students and parents who are merely celebrating should not be treated like criminals. Freedom of expression and clothing choices are not crimes. This kind of blind discipline only worsens bullying and mental health issues among the youth. The principal must be held accountable, regardless of the outcome of the Department of Education’s investigation,” Co said.

She emphasized that the incident reflects a larger systemic problem in schools, where students are often treated as products rather than individuals with rights.

“This would not happen if students were recognized as rights-bearing individuals, not just commodities to be sent to factories and workplaces,” Co added.

“The Students’ Rights and Welfare or STRAW Bill must be passed to protect the rights and dignity of students within educational institutions,” she further said.

House Bill No. 257, or the STRAW Bill, was filed by Kabataan Partylist during the 19th Congress.

However, the measure has since languished in Congress without any action, despite increasing reports of student rights violations across the country.

“Many schools have become mini dictatorships, obsessed with their rankings and graduate quality, while trampling on students’ welfare. The harsh rules and policies of school handbooks and officials cannot override the Constitution. We want our youth to grow up empowered, not submissive. Students’ rights matter,” Co stressed.