Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-15
Fair Play for the Teachers.
The Evening Star, March "a. 1904.


In fairness to the public school teachers
OF washington the proposition concerning
the treatment of defamatory charges
against them, urged by a member at a re-
cent meeting Of the Mount Pleasant Citi-
zens Association, and printed in the local
papers, should not be permitted to pass en-
trely unnoticed.- This suggestion was to
the effect that SO important to the welfare
or the community Is not only the morality
of the teachers. but their unassailed repute
for morality, that gossip, scandal rumor,
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of the truthfulness
OF the basic charges-should be sufficient
ground for teachers dismissal. This con-
tention insists so iniexibly that the teacher
shall be free from and far above suspicion
as to leave her absolutely defenseless
against the envtous and malignant SLAM
derer, who is encouraged to attempt to
poison the public mind and to create by
direct falsehood or lying innuendo this dis
qualifying and destructive suspicion. If
the accused is a teacher the advocate Of
this theory would not require definite
charges. substantially proved, before blast
ing woman's reputation, depriving her of
her means of self-support and, by robbing
her of that which is of more value than
life. often causing the destruction of life
itself.
There is no reason why the teachers good
name should not be protected with the
same sensitive vigilance the same cfiyalry
the same tender consideration. which are
extended to all WOmankind. There Is no
reason why the defamer of a teacher should
not be required to make the same definite
accusations, to submit the same proof and
to undergo the same punishment as an ex-
posed slanderer If he fails dishonorably in
a malicious and lying assault, are de-
manded when our sisters, wives, daughters
or mothers are attacked.
The other theory puts a premium upon
persistent back-biting and Islander. It
says to the spiteful scandal monger: eff
you will keep up your defamation long
enough and actively enough, its falsity will
make no difference. You will create sus-
picion, raise scandal and cause teachers
and pupils to gossip about your victim.
And then she VIII be lost You Will have
assassinated a reputation with impunity."
The only just and safe way to deal with
these cases is that which is applied to
defamation in general. The accused and
the accuser are both on trial, II the latter
has shown malice as an active and indis-
criminate scandal monger. The consti-
tuted tribunal decides whether the accuser,
who has stabbed another's good name, has
done so rightly, as the executioner strikes
to inf1ict Just punishment, or has done so
wrongfully as a base and treacherous as
sassin of reputation. In the first case the
ak should fall upon the accused. vile
source of moral contamination in the COM
munity, to be instantly destroyed; in the
second case it should fall with equal force
upon the murderer Of good repute.
The Commissioners and Board Of Educa-
ton will not, we may be sure, permit Inn
moral men or women to corrupt the minds
of our school children: nor will they permit
slanderers to poison the school atmosphere
and to destroy yici0usly the good repute of
our teachers. 1t is of vital Importance that
the school organization shall both be kept
in "soberness, temperance and chastity"
and be kept from "evil speaking, lying and
slandering."
When the Commissioners or Board of
Education, or both, have thoroughly in
vestigated one Of these cases of defama-
tion and have acquitted and indicated the
accused. the latter is clearly entitled on
all the principles of ordinary fair play to
protection by these tribunals against con-
tinuance of the dscredited attacks The
indicating authority is under an obvious
obligation, not merely to the accused but
in protection and promotion of the well
fare of the schools and of the community
to see that its finding Is respected as far
dication persistent mountaineering on
the previous lines would assume unmis-
takably the repulsive aspect OF venomous
and malignant slanoer The deleterious
communicating, demoralizing factor would
not now be the slanderers victim, but the
and effective way to check the inevitably
resulting generalization in the schools
would be to drive from their hiding places
and suitably punish conspfrators who
treacheroCsly and maliciously assail fndi-
vidual reputation and the fair fame Of the
schools.
The cancer of immortality, where it is
found to exist, must be cut promptly and
mereilessly from the body of the school
Organization. And on the same principle of
exact justice in protection of the public
welfare the lash of the righteous wrath
the singing contempt and the deserved
execration of the community will scourge
pitiiessly all slanderous assassins OF
teachers and the city's good name.