The unfairness of Law School

Today, our professor walked out from us.

Isn’t it ironic? We are studying Law, under the Constitution, every person shall not be convicted without due process of law.

This afternoon, we are scheduled to have our Statutory Construction class at 4:30-6:30pm. Atty. Pahate arrived a little before 5pm. She called Joey to recite. The question was something about the parts of a statute. Last meeting, she asked us to read a statute and be able to look for the necessary parts of it. Only a few had their copies, not even me. Joey could not answer well because she didn’t read. She was asked to sit down, Atty. called Peter to recite, knowing the guy, he would not get the correct answer, I’m a bit judgmental but yes, he could not, I don’t know if he does not study or what. As expected, he could not answer the question. That was the time when Atty. asked if we are indeed studying. She said it’s as if we don’t study. She even ordered our beadle to decide if we just want her to give us the midterm and final exams and not to meet us anymore. Of course our beadle said no, Atty. told us to just text her next meeting if we are ready to answer her questions, collected her things and walked out.

I’m really really furious, after studying day and night, a professor will walk out just because your classmate did not study? That is absurd! They say, in Law School, kasalanan ng isa, kasalanan ng lahat. That is bullshit. I was trained in UP to beat myself. Don’t mind others, if you study, well and good. If they don’t study, they will flunk, that has nothing to do with your grade. But here in law school, if someone didn’t study, that means everyone will suffer.

Atty. Pahate generalized without taking the time to ask a significant number of students first. She just asked two people, if she called me I’m sure as hell know what to answer because I studied, yes this may be a bit boastful on my part but I DID DAMN STUDY AND IF SHE ONLY CALLED ME TO RECITE, I CAN ANSWER. I CAN ANSWER. My god I’m really furious about this. My classmate went to the Dean’s office hoping to talk to Atty. and explain whatever. Kuya Jerome told her that Atty Pahate told him “Sabihin mo sa kanila may grade na silang lahat”. Do you know what that means? We all do already have a failing grade. At this point in time that should never happen. We were just starting. We were just damn starting.

Is this about the system? San Beda College of Law itself? Maybe. Why will someone pay for the wrong doings of others? If someone did not study, give him a failing grade. If someone can’t answer, ask another one. Do not generalize just because one or two students did not study doesn’t mean the whole class deserves to be failed.

Is this about the other classmates? Maybe. It is their sole duty as students of Law to study. If they cannot study, then drop the whole course. Why waste tremendous amount of money for something that you cannot do? Palibhasa anak ng mga mayayaman eh.

Am I at fault too? That can also be. I can just volunteer and answer the question, but that is not the practice, if I do that someone or even the prof might say I’m just boasting around or something. Or if we look at the other side of the picture, if I cannot accept the system, I could just drop the whole course, take LAE again, give whole effort and make sure to pass because as a product of the best University in the Philippines, I know UP Law School is not like where I am studying law now. I may also drop the course, submit resume to companies and start working. Forget about the law dream. Or I can take a masters degree in economics or business ad or something. 

 But I could not do that, I will not. I love studying law. I do not have failing recit grade yet in Criminal Law, I was already called to recite in Persons and I know I answered well. I even volunteered in Consti 1 one time. I’m literally studying day and night just to have a failing grade in Statutory Construction because of some other people? I don’t know. Can someone explain this to me? I know life is never fair but this is too much. Wala kaming kalaban laban may singko na agad? Am I just over reacting? I don’t know. But this is really unfair ladies and gentlemen.