Teachers in the Crosshairs: A Discourse Analysis of Social Media Discrimination in the Philippines

Abstract

Discriminatory discourses against educators persist as a significant issue in society. In the age of social media and technology, various platforms have become powerful spaces where these negative narratives and commentaries are not only widely circulated but also increasingly normalized. This study examines how teachers are represented as social actors within discriminatory discourses on social media in the Philippines. Using Theo van Leeuwen’s Social Actor Representation framework, the study analyzes different discourses across social media platforms, specifically Facebook, Reddit, X (formerly known as Twitter), and TikTok, from 2020 to 2025. It identifies the themes and strategies through which teachers, as social actors, are represented. The results confirm that in online discourses, teachers are represented in various negative ways, such as a pressure epicenter, inconsiderate, unprofessional, irresponsible, incompetent, and even as injustice perpetrator. This study underscores the need for educators, institutions, and policymakers to address the pervasive negative representations of teachers online and to promote more balanced, respectful discourse. It further contributes to understanding how language shapes public perceptions of teachers and emphasizes the importance of integrating digital ethics, media literacy, and informed educational policy to protect and strengthen professional communities.