Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-19
The Cardozo Dismissal.

The sunerintendent and board of educa
tion as well as the teachers and the COM
munity in general should be relieved If the
Cardozo dismissal results In an authorita-
tive decision by the courts of the meaning
and effect OF the new school law.
This law. enacted to bless the teachers,
is constantly being made TO curse them.
Instead of continuing and promoting them
It has been treated dismissing them.
1t mocks them with the delusive pretense
of protection against dismissal without
fair hearing. through falling Git is said)
to require that there shall be hearing.
1t promises full and wholesome publicity
to the discussions and actions of the board,
but leaves 1t possible $50 it is heidi for the
board to perform it's most important func-
tons in the secrecy of private confer
ence" or an executive session of com
mittee of the whole the public sessions
required by law being utilized to announce
openly the conclusions reached secretly.
Irrespective of the merits and dement's in
the Cardozo case. the precedent set by the
manner of hts dismissal is bad. 1t leaves
every teacher to the mercy of the arbitrary
whims of superintendent or school board.
inIiamed by tattlers and talebearers. or by
malicious slanderers. 1t deprives the teach
tended against the secret. whispered charge.
and the tragic farce of private ex parte
trial. denying the accused his right of
knowing specifically and meeting publicly
the accusation against him.
The public does not know where the mer-
its lie in the Cardozo case. The whole spirit
of the new school law is to the effect that
the public should know. Public meetings
of the board and fair hearings for teachers
accused are obviously commanded for this
very purpose.
Cardozo is accused of 'disloyalty" to his
superiors. and punishment is inflicted in
the interest of discipline. That the disci-
pline of the schools has needed improve
ment is an admission which The Star has
been compelled to make. The community
is ready to sustain the superintendent ana
board in any effort conceived in good faith
and impartialiy applied to work reform in
this regard. Washington has seen with
disgust not honest critics of their superiors
but spiteful slanderers apparently rewarded
for persistent scandal mongering. Nothing
else that could happen is SO destructive of
discipline
When teacher is dismissed for dis
loyalty to his superiors he or she and the
people of Washington also are entitled TO
know in accordance with the spirit of the
new law. in what the disloyalty consists
Has the teacher been openly insubordinate
disobeying the official commands of his SUI
perior? Has the teacher secretly slandered
his superior poisoning the minds or others
against his superior by speaking or writing
malicious lies? Or has the teacher. outside
of the schools, merely exercised the Amerl-
can right of expressing his honest opinions
critical or otherwise. of the public acts OF
his superior?
How can the true character of the al
legged "dlsloyalty'' be made clear without
a specific charge and fair and open hear
ing? The Cardozo precedent carried to its
logical conclusion would subject every
teacher to the danger of instant dismiss
sal without charges or hearing. In case
a talebearer carried TO the superintendent
some honest criticism by the teacher of his
superlor's public acts or openly-declared
views. The community will sustain dis
cipline in the schools, but 1t Is not ready to
have the teachers disciplined out of all
American rights and into the status of
serfs and affects. Mr.. Cardozos dismissal
may have been fully justified; but the
community ought to know In every dis
missal which Is based upon this precedent
whether this summary action is really
for the good of the service or merely to
soothe the wounded personal vanity of
some arrogant superior official.