The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-05-25
AFFECT
ING SCHOOLS S
The Teachers Tenure Of Office
Bill the Most Important
Of Recent Acts.
The SUPERVISING PRINCIPALS

schools OF the state in important par
/ ticnlars were passed by the last legis-
lature The most important was the
teachers tenure of office bill. which is
chapter 243 of the laws of 1909. Tt puts
teachers, principals and supervising
principals under permanent tenure.
and they may not be discharged except
for cause, after due hearing. The
law takes effect September lst, 1909.
1t is as follows:
The service of all teachers. princi-
pals, supervising principals Of the pub
lie schools in any school district of this
state shall be during good behavior
and efficiency, after the expiration of
a period of employment Of three con-
secutive years in that district, unless
a shorter period is fixed by the employ
! ing board; provided, that the time
any teacher, principal or supervising
4 principal has taught in the district in
which he or she is employed at the
time this act shall 90 into effect, shall
be counted in determining such period
OF employment. No principal or teach
er shall be dismissed or subjected to
reduction of salary in said school dis
trict except for inefficiency, incapaci-
i ty, conduct unbecoming teacher or
other just cause, and after a written
charge of the cause or causes shall
have been preferred against him or
her, signed by the person or persons
making the same, and filed with the
} secretary or clerk of the board of edu-
} cation having charge OF the school in
J which the service is being rendered,
I and after the charge shall have been
examined into and found true in fact
by said board of education, upon rea-
sonable notice to the person charged,
who may be represented by counsel at
i the hearing. Charges may be filed by
a any person, whether o member of said
s school board or not
S The remainder of the bill prescribes
J. the manner in which hearing shall be
n conducted,
Nothing herein contained shah be
held to limit the right of any school
board to reduce the number of princi-
pals or teachers employed in any school
district when such reduction shall be
due to a natural diminution of the
number of pupils in said school dis.
: trict; and provided further, that the
y service Of any principal or teacher
may be terminated without charge or
J. trial who is not a holder Of proper
: teachers certificate in full force and
o effect"
This bill means that if teacher has
already served in district for the
past three years and lis now reelected
! his or her position will become perma-
nent, except in the case of proved
i charges as prescribed in the act.
D The other new laws relating to the
0 schools are the following Those af-
q fecting the school money, including
/ the committee substitute for the
Leayitt bill providing for the distribu-
: tion of the railroad main stem taxes
t one-half now and the balance June
j 18th; the bill taking s242, 900 from the
n state educational institutions from the
j. main stem taxes before they are dis
s tributed instead of from the state
Q treasury.
1 Regulating the appointment of SUI
r pervising principals. This legislates
n all supervising principals ont of office,
e and provides that the office shall not
d again be created in any school district
e except with the consent of the state
d board of education and the state SUI
perintendent of public instruction.
J, This provides that supervising prin-
r cipal who deyotes all his time ito SUI
= peryising shall not be paid less than
o 81, 900 year, the state supplying 5000
:. OF this as heretofore. Where super
S visor teaches part of the time the dis
r trict may receive from state 5000 or
: S400, but not the entire $780, Two or
!. more districts may unite in employing
L a supervising principal, The object
Z of The law is to abolish the office Ia
t school districts where it is not needed.
The compulsory school Law This
y leaves the school age limi5 ae seven
n teen years, fixed last year, but anthor-
ICES local school boards to excuse from
+ school attendance those onder seFea-
teen and above the factory age Of four
!, teen years, who are compelled to work.
t Ii they stop work then they are con-
!, PEELED to go to school Immediately,
/ The law permitting a member Of the
n board OF education to act as clesk
thereof.
The law making the appointment Of
0 a medical Inspector for schools conpu1.
d sorry in all school districts. Said ia-
/ spector shall lecture before the teach
I ers at such times as may be designated
! by the board Of education, instFnctiug
them concerning the methods en-
g ployed to detect the first signs of COM
municaDle disease and the recognized
measures for the promotion of health
and the prevention of disease, a
' board Of education may exclude from
v school any child whose presence Ia thB
9 school room shall be certified by the
: medical inspector detrimental 30 the