Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-28
THE TEAcHERsA ARE RIGHT

| OF the School Board Now.
Because The ARGUS is the friend
of the teachers in their opposition to
Supt. Ament it does not follow that
it assumes, as the Union asserts. to
be running them. 1t is defending
them because it believes their cause
is just; that they have been mis-
treated by their superintendent and
by the board as we'll. and as their
friend it has no hesitancy in warn
ing them to act with caution in &C.
cepting the advice which comes to
them from DR.. c. b. Kinyon through
the Union.
The ARGUS feels that the teachers
will be fully warranted in regarding
with suspicion the present attitude
OF Director Kinyon, who has shown
himself to be ready to sacrifice the
teachers interests for the sake of the
superintendent. What more can the
teachers expect OF a board, two men,
bers of which discouraged their orig
inal purpose to present u protest under
the assurance that Mr.. Ament would
net be reelected and then these same
two deliberately voting to sustain the
uperintendent? The teachers' reso-
buttons were not directed to the
board. They were presented to the
president as their friend, and
they therefore ask no Investigation.
The demand for such q course must
come only from the superintendent.
The teachers ask no privileges at the
hands of the present board. They
know too we'll how it stands and are
wary about going before it now.
The teachers realize now the truth
of the superintendent boast soon
after he came here, that "Dr sKinyon
is the board" and they may have the
benefit OF the further fact that Supt.
Ament while at Carroll last winter
went about Dragging that he had
three members of the Rock Island
school board under his thumb.
The construction which the Union
seeks to put upon the case that to
uphold the teachers in their stand
that they are not seeking investiga-
ton and hence have nothing to saw
further to the board would be subver-
sive OF all discipline is simply inap-
plicable under the circumstances.
The teachers asked once to be heard
and were refused and their griev-
ances were reported as either given
under misrepresentation or deliber-
ate falsehoods. If the board now
sees tit TO reconsider it's vote on
Supt. Ament's retention, there is no
need of going further. All attempts
to defend the superintendent are
simply designed to delay proceedings
in hopes that something may turn
up. A year ago now the school
board at Carroll was having Just
such time with Supt. Ament as
the directors are having here. He
had abused the teachers and vet had
ruled the school board as if by mys-
FERROUS power. as he is doing here
until Rock Island relieved Carroll of
his services. At the present time
Mr.. Ament is believed to be seeking
to be elected superintendent of
schools at another Illinois city in
which event he will resign here.
Attempted Prejudice.
Neither the Union nor its cunning
advisers can prejudice the teachers
against their own interests by the
assertion that any one is trying to
run them. The present board has
shown in several distinct instances
that it is devo,edly attached to Mr..
Ament to the utter disregard of all
else. The teachers have been shown
no con Iteration whatever. They have
prepared statement of their case
and given it to the public.
IL they were to insist. now that
they have nothing more to say to the
present board it is difiiculs to con.
cieve how such an act could be con-
strued as evidencing the su bserviencv
OF the superintendent to the teach
ers. Nor are the te,chers re-
sponsible for tn e candidacy of the
gentlemen who are announced for
members OF the board. They are
standing for election On the strength
OF the anti-Ament.sentiment which
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