Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-05
Interpreting the School Law.

1t is difficult to understand the theory
upon which the new board of education Is
proceeding In the matter Of the appoint
ment and reappointment Of teachers. There
are two possibilities of procedure, to con-
slider the old corps of teachers legislated
out of Office by the statute Of June ~ ana
to proceed to reconstruct a new stan by
original appointments, giving preference IL
may be to the old teachers; or to consider
them all legisated into permanent stan
subject to later elimination by process OF
examination. The board Is doing neither,
but is adopting course midway between
the two. 1t had adopted this course before
1t secured legal advice and 1t has now re-
ceived advice from the substitute acting
for the attorney designated by the district
attorney. which apparently confirms 1t In
this method.
If the old teachers were legislated out of
Office every one who has been "reappoint-
ed" Is subject to an examination before
being eligible to serve. If the statute con-
tinued all the old teachers In their places,
those who have been dropped and are to be
succeeded by new appointments have been
deprived of the right of demonstrating their
fitness.
The acting attorney for the board has
advised that the trainers of the law I'M
doubtedly contemplated that the positions
of the old teachers continued until such
time as the new board took action. The
teachers and supervising principals who
have been omitted from the lists, however,
have not been Continued They have
never served since June 80. They have had
no opportunity to prove their usefulness.
They have been arbitrarily eliminated from
the lists If they have been automatically
to reappoint all the others?
In the case. for example, of the two super
vislng principals whose names have been
omitted from the rolls, 1t is clear that they
have been denied the right of examination
which has been granted to their successors.
1t is true of everv high school and grade
teacher in the same category.
This IS very serious situation. which Is
likely to cause infinite trouble for the new
board Of education later, when Congress
examines the situation to ascertain how its
mandate for the reorganization of the
schools has been executed. The statute of
June 20 upon analysis assumes two aspects:
First. a provision for the automatic pro-
motion of the teachers already In service
and capable OF maintaining themselves edu-
cationally and morally according to the
standards of the new board and it's execu-
I'VE ofIlcer. and, second, new system of
administration. The reorganization, apart
from the question of salaries. was wholly
within the administrative branch of the
system 1t was plainly not the intention of
Congress to carry this reorganization down
Into the teaching ranks. 1t was assuredly
not the intention of Congress that the
teachers should be retained or dropped on
the basis OF certain marks which had been
recorded against their names under the
old, abandoned system. marks which had
been previously considered merely as guides
in the process of promotion. Nor was 1t
the intention of Congress that teachers or
principals should be dropped arbitrarily
upon charges without formal investigation
1t is to be feared that the board has been
III advised