The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-11-25
TAKE SCHOOLS OUT OF POLITICS.

The bitter and inscriptions parti-
sans who are crying out that the
schools must be kept out of politics
forget that the people at large are an
intelligent people. How. then, can
they hope to delude an intelligent peo-
PIE with the false cry of nonpartisau.
ship, when it is plain TO every voter
that politics are already not only in
the schools, but thoroughly and often
siyely permeatc tbem7 What sort Of
nonpartisanship was exhibited in the
Fourth ward convention Of the "nou-
| psrtisaps,H whero the frat demand
made was that competent man, the
first choice Of the convention, be turned
| down on account of his poitics7 What
! kind of nonpartisanship was that7 And
| what kind of nonpartissnship is in cvi-
dence whenever this matter of poll.
tics in the schools is touchcd9 1t is
invariably demanded that a certain
church interest must be the FIRST con.
sideration; that the members OF that
church be given control, and that every
one who will not bend the neck to The
church yoke must have that neck
broken.
In the past few years many of the
best teachers have been crowded out
by the ecclesiastical influences which
have gradually made it too narrow
proposition for them to remain, Grad
nslly has the former high standing of
the schools been undermined by un-
friendly, narrow, incompetent control,
until the evils that arc at work can no
longer be concealed. There must be a
change, in the interests of the free pub
lie schools, or the falling off in their effi-
cheney will become manifest TO all.
The Americans are the only true
nonpartisans in the school work They
have but single aim: TO build up the
schools TO the highest point of eficien-
cy; to make them indeed and in fact,
American schools pure and simple. of
the best type. They have no hidden
governing consideration, to favor one
sect, and its adherents, and disfavor all
else and all others, as the control now
in power has, and always acts in that
consideration. They ask for compe.
tenco and for practical educational and
patriotic results, and they mean to
have them.
They are entitled 10 have these re-
suits. They are entitled to representa-
ton on the school board, because they
pay far more than their per capita pro-
portion of the taxes, whereas now they
have no representation al all on that
board. But taxation without represen-
tation is tyrannical abuse.
They are entitled 10 the control of
the school board, because they are the
majority of the voters and taxpayers
of the city.
They are entitled to coutrol and ad-
minister the school work of this city
because they have presented the best
and most competent candidates for the
school board.
Il follows, then. that the Americans. |
on every public, economic, and civic |
considerst tiou, are entitled 10 the con-
troll and management of our free pub.
lie schools. And by virtue Of the cleo |
tion on the 5th day Of December next, |
they mean to exercise their privilege |
and night, and take TO themselves that |
which is theirs. And in so doing they |
will render a needed service to the |
schools, to the pupils. to the parents,
and to the public at large.