The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-09
BAD NEWS FOR TEACHERS.
THosr IN BkOOKLYN MUST WAIT
LONG FOR THEIR PAY.

Covnor,,io,, Counsel Declares Illegal the
Action Of tho Brooklyn School Board
In Making = New Salary schsduls.
The opinIon OF the Corporation Counsel In
regard 10 the muidle over teachers salaries in
Brooklyn was received at the meeting OF the
Central Board OF Education yesterday. The
Corporation Counsel pronounees the action OF
the Brooklyn Board In making new salary
schedule - illegal. and In his decision stakes
occasion to score that board and all other
boards for referring legal points TO their own
legal committees instead Of carrying them to
him at once. His decision will make necessary
an entire revision OF salaries and will probably
further increase the time during which the
teachers will have 70 70 without money earned
several months ago.
The question Of the legality OF the Brooklyn
payrolls came mp . month ago when supt.
Maxwell brought II before the Board OF Edu-
cation. and It was regarded at the time a. .
continuance OF his attack on the BROOKLYN
School Board first brought to notice In his re-
port, which the board had refused to have
printed. when the payrotls OF the Brooklyn
board came In for September the Auditor OF
the Board Of Education referred them to the
City Superintendent. and upon the lattsr's
advice refused to audit them. Mr.. MsIwslPs
action aroused the ire Of tina Brooklyn mem
calling upon the CORPORATION Counsel to
make a final settlement OF the dispute. The
latter now states that the payrolls In BROOKLYN
for July, 1890. whom a schedule was adopted.
wero illegal. and that the September rolls,
which were based on them. could not properly
DO audited a. q whole.
II am convinced" says the Corporation
Counsel. 'that had the Brooklyn board.
prior to July. set apart Ito apparent
surplus to meet the Ahearn bill, II could not
have adopted It's new schedule on July
] without exceeding the appropriation for
that year. THIS school board In truth sesk:to
requirements OF the mandate Of . section OF
the charter 40 amended. and sndeavors to use
H.. purpose, Of raising other salaries as to
which NO legislative mandate exists"
ros ssSaS e. bs Sh6o
Brootiyn. Shch do not hold ofioo under The
met Sy :, frank spPT.sistion q III. Broaily9
hoard Of o. AK x. and sss
s;'SsS. ' VIZ such Increase ' REQUIRED ~ the
In i.terr,ng, 70 tn. iailur. q the Brooklyn
board to snbpi, the matter TO him before, the 10
call attention to an abuse In the dministrs-
ton Of affairs 10 the school boards aad IN 9TH
or city boards through their so-chlleu LAW
Committees' The Corporation Counsel 10
made the legal adviser OF various departments
and 10 ,snttn.ted with che EXCLUSIVE control 81
al the law business. Notwithstanding this it
harpans o'tsn that com mittees assume TO be
legal advisers OF boards and situations are
thus created whore the Corporation Counsel is
Mr. whalen's opinion is virtually a triumnh
for Supt Maxwell. whose interference was re-
sented by the Brooklyn members who contend
ed that their actions had always been legal
The Cooperation Counsel In hnother opinion
stated that hereafter the surplu Of the various
borough boards must be used up first In full
.h such snsrs. could n not a II.
suaace OF bonds until this had been consumed.
The contention OF the hoard was that this sur
Sd S ssssy .ssssa as and t thst re9snss
bombs had to be issued for the requirements OF
the Ahearn law without regard to any surplus.
r. skinner threw snothsr bombshsll into the
board yesterday in the form Of a iettsr re-
Questlng that the names OF all teachers en-.
EloyeL IN the primary aud grammar schools OF
previously placed In the schools here. he sent
70 him at once with certain data In each case.
IL tho passage OF a resolution by the board de-
clar ng that graduates OF any college having
pedsgOgio cournes are eligible as applicants
corling to the State law, Mr. skinner contends,
which provides that such applicants must
come from colleges yher. sueh course. have
Mr. Skinner In his letter sage
may 10 pard29ed 4 ! EXPRESS surnrise
tht the bod OF q Ss t1
referred 70. containing. "a they Do. misstate-
ments evident to any persons familiar with tho
school law That Tie shoaa o. 20
misstatements In to me tncomprehenslhls;
Mr. skinner can. under the state law. direct
The to ssfIs 10 TO Say srn ri,b
roQuirements.