The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-07

The board of school inspectors will,
it seems to us, consult the interests of
the institutions under it's charge and Of
the entire public by the adoption of
rule declaring that henceforth no hear
ing of the grievances of any discharged
employe will be had in public. 1t is
a rule that ought to have been adopt
ed long ago and never varied from.
The schools of this city have suffered
much from the constant embodiment
in which they have been involved by
controversies between the board and
its employees. Such controversies al
ways have existed and probably al
ways will Where from 500 teachers
upward are employed, and a conscien-
tious determination exists to see
that only efficiency is rewarded
and that those who lack in teach
ing power or who have graver defects
of temper and character be exclud-
ed from the schools, it becomes neces-
sary for the board of education to
to individuals. Such persons do not
always take their fortune in good part,
and are not only resentful, but de-
termined, If possible, to override the
decision that has been reached. They
often believe that, If great disturb
ance can be raised, the members Of
the board, rather than be kept con-
stantly in hot water and have the ma
jor portion of their time consumed
in fruitless recriminations and public
hearings, to be repeated daily in the
newspapers and debated elsewhere
will seek peace by the reinstatement of
employees whom they would otherwise
reject
The practice of attempting to coercc
the board in this manner has extended
SO much Of late that it appears to us
clear that, as a mere self-protection
and in behalf of the wider interests Of
the schools themselves, it ought to put
q check upon it. This began to be pub
lie nuisance and injury about six years
ago, soon after the appointment of the
first board under the provisions of the
Fell charter act. That body, being
new to it's duties and very anxious not
to do injustice to any one, granted
public hearings to certain teachers who
claimed to have been Disseminated
against by those above them. The
board, in it's inexperience, made blum
der by having these hearings open. 1t
was perceived at once that the purpose
was not so much to secure justice as
to get up public discussion and have
all the detailed business of the schools
relating to the employment of the
teaching force, talked over in the
newspapers and on the street. It was
even attempted at that time to intro
duce attorneys and have regular ex-
aminations and cross-eXaminations be-
fore the board. That was forbidden.
but the public hearing remained, and
it has done nothing but injury to all
parties ever since. 1t has been used
merely as a club to hold over the heads
of the inspectors, in the hope of weary
Ing them out by importantly.
The principle is all wrong in itself.
If a business concern in this city finds
that its interests would be served by
discharging an employe, it does not
hire a hall to consider the matter; and.
if the person discharged has a griey-
ance and a case, he is allowed to state
it to the only persons at all concern
ed-ramely, the employers themselves.
In the other departments of the public
service there is no such rule as this
If the park board or the water board
or the board of public works find that
1t has one clerk too many, or one clerk
who is not doing what is needed to be
done, the people of st. Paul are not
invited to take part in the deliberatior
that shall decide whether the man is Il
go or stay. His superiors settle it be-
tween themselves and with him, anG
that is the end of it. Not only is there
no reason for a different policy with
reference to the school force than is
followed in these cases, but there is