New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-26
SALARIES AND ABSENCES.
Teachers Declare Needless DedUc-
lions Are Made-AppeaI to Board.

Tn a5onfins the report of their committee on
lteachers' interests. the NewYork Teachers As
sociation taken the first step toward appealing
lilo the Board OF Education for relief from the
Hpresent system Of deducting from salary for alb
seuce As has been told IN The Tribune. the teach
ers are paid for 30 days instead of for the
l1s0 they actually work. When they ere absent they
are fined 1850 OF their salary This deduction is
51lIrned over to the Teachers. Pension Fund. The
| sums deducted for absences amount to about
4 N.AO0s a year The pension fund is also IN
4 creased by per cent of the excise tax.
i The Board Of superintendents is now considering
/ plan for changing the present system. which
4 permits an absent teacher who does not apply
1 fer leave of absence without pay 10 draw 1850 of
4 his salary for Saturdays Sundays and holidays
during the periods of his absences; and also for
4 changing the present plan Of permitting teach
i to absent himself 100 school days without ap-
4 plying 10 the authorities for a leave Of absence
/ without pay before suspending him for neglect of
4 duty.
Il The teachers association accuses the Board of
i supeTinten6ents of insisting needless deduc-
i tons for absence disciplinary measures. when
i the charter provides only for deductions for the
maintenance Of the pension fund and for i'm
prophecies. The report Of the committee says; in
part:
l We may reasonably claim that no money
than Is required 10 meet the demands OF the pen
zion list by making up the difference between the
excise tax allowance and the amount payable year
any one year from the teachers. The Board OF
6uperintendents Is reported TO insist upon these
needless deductions for absence. the ground that
the discipline of the teaching staff is thereby
maintained But money withheld q punishment
IS fine, and fines may be inflicted only by the
Board Of Education and after trial upon definite
/ The bylaws of the Board of Education governing
deductions for absence entirely fair and just,
permitting excuse under conditions which preclude
any possibility Of abuse, since applications for
excuse must be Endorsed by the principal district
superintendent and local school board and ac-
cornpensed by a physicians certificate. Yet
among these bylaws the Board of Superintendent
has built up system of rules which virtually multi
ers may be excused when absent. The recommen-
dations OF the local school boards Ignored and
Board OF Super1ntendents only the power TO ap-
proves or dlsapprove these recommendations IL
amends and alters them as il sees At.
Section LOSS also gives 20 the local school boards
the right 10 grant excuse o. absence without pay
either Board OF Education or Board of superin-
tendents for approval Yet Section 4S of the by
one month. and the Board OF Superintendents COM
peis teachers 20 submit applications for excuse OF
absence without pay for the consideration of that
o2ard frequently this excuse is granted only
when the teacher consents to the loss of her vaca-
s1on Ealary or TO a much longer period of unpaid
absence than was, in the Arst instance. applied
Your committee is informed that sums thus with
held are not paid into the pension fund nothWith-
standing the charter, which provides that all
amounts forfeited, deducted. reserved or with
hei6 from any teacher" and for anv cause
must be paid into the pension fund.
The report goes on to say that the balance of
the pension fund has increased until in 1903 It
was Sse4.675, and the increases in unnecessary de-
auctions in Ike ratio. until in 1903 they amounted
20 Sl6N6t4. The committee recommends that an an
peal be made 70 the Board of Educa ton as the
,ist s.ep .owa va ootanng more equitable adj
which relate 20 deductions.