Endoh’s Dungeon

Take a good look at my school photograph and what do you see? At one glance, it’s just like any other annual cam-whoring session. Something which Mr Otto Fong wished he could cry out aloud, you have more than what you bargain for because just below the school logo the slogan reads - TRUE TO SELF!

As most would have observed, I would only write about social issues after all the copy and pasting of news report are over and done with. I think this is about time for me to start talking about our first class educational platform which cannot tolerate the honesty of a gay teacher.

I am a Christian, and therefore this is not allowed in our religion. As much as I do not encourage any tom, dick or harry to indulge in this sexual preference, that does not mean gays should be silenced or condemned in this very society that I live in. No doubt homosexuals are still not widely accepted in Singapore, we cannot deny that they are also contributing in their own little ways as citizens here.

At a young age of 17 shortly after ‘O’ Levels, my school buddy finally broke the news to me when I asked why ain’t he bringing along his date for our coffee session. “Actually, I have a confession to make but I just didn’t know how to. I’m seeing a guy… I think you know what I mean,” he said in a very hush manner. We spent the entire night at his void deck talking about it because he was such a buddy and there wasn’t anything to give me the slightest clue on his sexual preference. He hadn’t made any advances on me or never once he got too close for comfort, crossing the boundaries of friendship. He was fearful, that he would be rejected by us or worse, being discriminated against.

I looked at him, and the words just came out. It didn’t matter who he’s seeing or what his sexual preference is, being a homosexual is not going to spoil the friendship. I know I can’t help him at that point, but I told him I would certainly hope to see him date a girl eventually. We’ll see about it, that’s our closing conversation for that issue.

When I read up on Otto Fong’s incident when his blog post had to be removed because of his honesty in it, the only person I could relate to is my school buddy.

Perhaps the slogan cannot be seen in the school pictorial, so this is my report book where the school slogan is splashed across it. True to self indeed. Of course, Mr Otto Fong is not teaching in my secondary school. However, this incident has completely smashed this teaching and belief that had been imparted to me.

My form teacher Mr Joseph Ng, used to tell us whenever we get into trouble, we should never find an escapade for our problems in life. We should never turn our back on the society, we should never reject others on top of ourselves and most importantly, we must never run away from who we truthfully are. That’s our spirit of being True To Self.

Singapore has been vying so much to win over the hearts of foreign students to pick up their books through our schools. Singapore has been trying even harder to transform itself into a first class educational hub. Is that it? Are all these what Singapore takes pride in, the illusion of having a first class educational system here?

Education is not just about facilities to me. Who cares if a certain department is pouring a little fund to upgrade the schools? Who cares if 93 students were awarded for both academic and non-academic excellences, in what was supposedly made up of positive character development, strong leadership qualities and commitment to serve the community? What matters more are the values that are imparted into our future generation.

The way Otto Fong was dealt with, what are the values of our educational system? Are we taught only to look at the nice and beautiful models but leave the disabled in the nursery homes? Are we taught to cover up an honest admission, just because a certain group of people felt it’s not appropriate? That leads me to, what if this group of people seated up there are wrong? If his blog cannot be read openly, it simply means Otto Fong cannot be seen on the street with his partner. Just a gentle reminder, his students are everywhere… past, present and future.

Singapore - a first class educational hub. Am I allowed to laugh? True to self indeed, and to them being true to self is “just be honest with your own individual self and not others”. Why is there a need for me to worry?

I worry, because our future generation will be studying in a system where the truth is not encouraged. I worry, because our future generation will be studying in a system where a teacher’s merits are based on his sexual preferences over his contributions. I worry even more, because this will be what we are showing the foreign students when they are finally here.

Our good old education, after rejecting a relief teacher without any breach of the conditions you indicated and now for Otto Fong, are you being true to what you preached? Are you still true to yourself as a system?

I apologize to our first class education system, my gay buddy and I are still friends. 14 years of friendship… and still counting.