Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-11-22

that are held by certain classes Of peo-
pie, rs well us to remove the doubts
of some school teachers concerning
the extent of their own authority:
While the principal or teacher in
charge Of Il public school Is subordi-
nate Co the school board or board Of
education Of his district or city,
and must enforce rules and regula-
tions adopted by the board for the
| government Of the school and execute
I'LL IT'S lawful orders in that behalf, he
does not derive Ill his power and
authority in the school over tile ailir-
native action Of the board. lIGStandS
for the time being IN toco parentis to his
pubils. and because OF that relation
he must necessarily exercise authority
over them IN many things concerning
which the board may have remained
silent. In the school, US in the family
there exists on the part Of
the pupils the obligation Of obedience
| to lawful commands, StlDOrdinatiOn
civil department, respect for the rights
Of other pupils, and fidelity to duty.
! These obligations arc inherent in any
proper school system, and constitute,
80 to speak, the common school Every
pupil il presumed To know this law
and il subject t0 it, whether ii has Or
has not been re-cnacted by the district
board III the form of written rules
ind regulations. Indeed, it would
seem impossible to frame rules which
could cover I'LL cases OF inSubordina-
tion and alI acts Of vicious tendency
which the teacher is liable to encoun-
ter daily and hourly. .....
The teacher i, respons Idle for the dis
ciplne Of his school, and for the pro
grrss.. conduct and department Of his
pupils II is his imperative duty to
maintain good order, and 10 require Of
his pupils Il faithful performance Of
their duties II hc fails To 10 SO. he
- UNIV III lllC pIoIbiNll' ~ pi'S'i'
him To discharge these duties elfec.
tuaIly, he must necessarily have the |
power 10 enforce prompt obedience |
to his lawful commands. For this |
reason the law gives linn the power,
in proper cases, to inlet corporal
punishment upon refractory pupils.
But there are cases OF misconduct for
which such punishment is an mad
equate remedy II the offender is
ineorrigible, suspension or expulsion
Is the only adequate remedy. IN gem
efal, no doubt Il teacher should report +
Il case Of that kind to the proper board \
for It's action in the first instance, \,
no delay will necessarily result FROM
that course preiudicial to the best i'll
terrsts of the school, But the con-
duet Of the recusant pupil may be
such that his presence in the school
for day OF an hour may he disastrous
to the discipline of the school that the
teacher should have the power to Sus-
pend the offender at once from the
privileges OF the school; and he must
necessarily decide for himself whether
the case requires that remedy. If he
Suspenas the pupil, he should prompt
~ report his action and his reasons
therefor, to the proper board. IT viii (
seldom be necessary for 4 teacher IL
charge ~ i district school to exercise
this power, because usually he can
readily with the district I
board, and obtain the direction and
order ol the board in the matter, But
where the government of public |
school is vested in Il board Of educa-
ton Gus III the present casc) with II
more numerous membership than dis
trict boards, aud which holds stated |
meetings for he tranSac ION. OF bust |
ness. the facilities for speedy commll-
ncaions with the board may he
greatly decreased, and more time must
usually elapse before Tho board can
net upon complaint ~ the teacher.
In those schools the occasions which |
require the action of the teacher II !
tie first instance will occur more frc,
qnrntlN than ia the district schools,
We conclude. therefore, that the
teacher has. in proper case, the in
hereut power 70 suspend Il pupil from
The privileges Of his school, unlcs, lie
hats been deprived of the power by
the Affirmative action OF the baArl.