The morning call., 1895-01-15
THEIR TONGUES ARE TIED.
HenderSOn'S Resolution Is Bitterly
Attacked.
.ITICAL DISABILITY CLAIMED.
Teachers Will Not Be Allowed to Tell
for Whom They Voted on the
Penalty Of Discharge.


quite "a sudden food of mutiny" The
members thereof are quite indignant
though their indignation has as yet taken
no definite form outside the mutterings
which resemble distant and approaching
thunder.
The turmoil has been caused by the an
nouncement of certain resolution which
School Director Henderson has drawn up.
AT the last meeting of the board he stated
his intention of introducing certain
character of resolution. AS only brief
mention was made of the matter in the
papers, the Importance OF the resolution
was not comprehended. Now, however,
the full resolution has been seen and COM
mented upon, and the schoolmarms are
up in arms at what they call ''the proposed
infection of civil disability"
Henderson's resolution, which has raised
the storm, reads as follows:
All employees or teachers in the public
School Department of the city and county
of San Francisco, State of California (who
are under the control of the Board of Edu-
cation of said city and county,, who shall
take part in influencing or inducing or
aiding, assisting or abetting, financially or
otherwise, any person or persons, either
directly or indirectly, how to vote or for
whom to vote, at any election to be held IN
said city or county, relating to the public
School Department of said city and county,
either by or through friendship, reward or
for any other reason or purpose, or who
shall contribute any money for the print
ing or circulation, through or by the use
of the United States mails or otherwise, OF
any paper or circular or information or
communication of any kind for the pur-
pose of aiding or influencing or assisting
any person or persons how or for whom to
vote for the office of School Director of said
city and county; and any such employe or
teacher who shall employ or influence any
other person or persons to do so, or any
such employe or teacher who shall work
for or against any person or persons who
are seeking to be elected to the office of
School Director, or who are candidates or
nominees therefor, whether such en1ploye
or teacher do so by reason of his or her
personal selection or otherwise, shall, upon
proof satisfactory to said Board of Educa-
ton and based upon the testimony of two
or more reputable and competent wit
| nesses be Immediately dismissed and dis
charged from the public School Department
of said city and county.
But nothing in this section shall be so
construed as to prevent any such employe
or teacher to vote personally at such cleo
or teacher shall not divulge or make known
in any manner to any person or persons
for whom such employee or teacher shall
vote or has voted or will vote. in the future.
This resolution has been designated as
"gag law by the teachers who have seen
and examined it. AS a result the whole
department is incensed at the taking away
from them of the inalienable right and privi-
Gov rbrr h
please, as openly as they like, and in what
ever manner consistent with right and JUS
tice they may see fit. The strongest kick
made against the resolution is the placing
of their positions in the hands of two wit
nesses. Considering the ease with which
such charges might be trumped up, the
places of nobody in the department would
be safe.
A prominent teacher, who did not wish
her name published, in speaking of the
matter yesterday, said:
. "The resolution is very puerile one,
and / have no idea that it will pass. Why,
they might as well tie up our tongues at
once. The idea of tying up womans
tongue why according to this resolution we
would not be able to even whisper around
clcCtlOii IlLlCo. Dlu yOu cNCl ucol VI oUCu
gag law Is it not unAmerican to tell
US we cannot tell whom we vote for? Or
say that we cannot work openly and above
board for any political candidate for School
Director we see fit? Why, it is silly and
absurd to pass such resolution in such
country as this. Again, look how the
resolution places our positions at the
mercy of any two reliable witnesses who
may swear we told for whom we voted.
This would be in the case of male teacher
who votes. You know how easy it is for
witnesses to prove that they are reliable.
This resolution would make it easy for
subservient board to remove any teacher
they pleased, as it would be easy to find
such flimsy and preposterous accusations
as are mentioned in the resolution. But
have too much faith in the justice and
fairness of the board, and do not think it
will pass"