The Literature Dilemma

Teaching Sensitive Themes in Philippine Schools

Authors

  • Nuriza P. Jalani Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology, Zamboanga City 7000 Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62596/eir.h02ajf19

Keywords:

Sensitive Themes, Cultural Censorship, Critical Pedagogy

Abstract

Filipino educators frequently grapple with selecting literature that contains violence, sexuality, or political commentary. Cultural conservatism, parental pressure, and rigid curricula often lead to self-censorship, limiting students’ exposure to complex societal issues. Contextualization, respectful dialogue, and enhanced teacher training can help schools handle sensitive themes while fostering critical thinking.

References

Alvarez, P. T. (2018). Department of Education recommended reading lists and curricular constraints in Philippine literature classes. Journal of Southeast Asian Education, 7(2), 45–60.

Dela Cruz, R. M. (2023). Alternative teaching strategies in learning Filipino language among dominant English speakers. Cognizance Journal, 5(2), 45–57. https://cognizancejournal.com/vol5issue2/V5I223.pdf

De la Cruz, L. B. (2019). Teacher choices and censorship: Navigating explicit content in Philippine high schools. Asia-Pacific Journal of Education, 39(4), 567–582.

Gutierrez, H. S. (2019). Parental influence on literary text selection in Philippine secondary schools. Philippine Journal of Education, 98(1), 23–40.

Lopez, M. A. (2022). “Let us teach the hard books”: Filipino teachers’ calls for curriculum flexibility. The Language Educator, 16(3), 12–18.

Reyes, J. P. (2017). Critical pedagogy in Philippine teacher education: Addressing controversial texts. Teacher Development Quarterly, 4(1), 77–91.

Santos, V. C. (2021). Self-censorship and political themes in literature classes. Philippine Social Science Review, 73(1), 101–118.

Velasco, R. J. (2020). Contextualizing difficult topics: Strategies of Filipino literature teachers. International Journal of Instruction, 13(3), 345–360.

the literature

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Published

06/10/2025

How to Cite

The Literature Dilemma: Teaching Sensitive Themes in Philippine Schools. (2025). EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY REVIEW, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.62596/eir.h02ajf19

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