The Washington times., 1905-11-01
WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER l. 1906.
Another SpineleSS Decision.

Mrs. Anna ]. Cooper, principal of
the colored high school. has been be-
fore the Board of Education on seri-
Gus charges.
These charges. according to a state
ment issued by the board, have been
sustained.
But 'in view of all the facts and
conclusions and the very strong de-
sire OF a large proportion of the col
ored race in this District to have the
principal retained" (the words are
those of the board, the woman has
been maintained in her position with
an admonition that hereafter she
shall recognize the authority of her
superior Officer the director of high
schools, and conform her official
conduct in ell respects to the rules
Of the board"
With this decision The Times is
very naturally-though with extreme
regret-compelled to disagree fatty.
The whole proceeding indicates
pitiable lack of sand.
No doubt seems to have existed in
the minds of a majority of the board
that this woman had been insub-
ordinate, had failed to cooperate
with the other officials of the school
system, and had been guilty of con-
duct, euphoniously termed sym
pathy." which was subversive of all
proper discipline. In the light Of
findings so severe and bearing so
Immediately on the professional fit-
ness of the subject, a board with a
backbone might confidently have
been expected to remove the offender
and appoint some one in her place
who would cooperate, who would
serve her superiors intelligently and
Loyalty, and who would be unyield-
ingly impartial
But this board did nothing of the
kind. 'In view Of the very strong
desire OF a large proportion of the
colored race to have this woman re-
tained," it disregarded all the force
of its own conclusions and continued
her in authority with an admonition
which ought to have been entirely
superfuous-that in the future she
fulfill the ordinary and indispensable
requirements imposed by every en-
ployer on every subordinate.
OF course, there is an explanation
There was an explanation when this
same body heard testimony on a fist
fight in a lunch room and adopted
resolutions on football; and there
were three explanations when the
board got on every side OF the East
eEn High School controversy and
finally sustained the principal of that
school in the interests Of discipline.
In this case il is that the colored
people have accused the director of
high schools with a strong animosity
toward their race, have contended
that q decision according to the
findings OF the board would be an
approval Of that animosity, and have
aroused apprehension that if Mrs.
Cooper were removed they would not
cooperate to maintain order and
discipline in the school.
Hardly any other explanation con-
ceiyable could put this body in a
worse light. In the Eastern High
School muddle it could not stand
with the pupils and their parents
because they had made the issue"
Here it stands with pupils and par
ents who have more than made the
issue, who have deliberately manu-
factured an Issue, and an altogether
unworthy issue at that Furthermore
the board confesses by its action that
It has succumbed to the force of
threats Finally it has put an asper-
sion on the colored people of the
District which they ought to resist
with all their might-and The Times
thinks the best members of that race
will resist it, For The Times is not
at all ready to believe that the repre-
sentative colored people Of the Dis
trict ever yet warranted the belief
that they were not ready to sustain
thef authorities in every effort TO
maintain order and discipline in the
schools.