Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-21
TEACHER UPHELD
IN COURT RULING
Judge F. D. Ramsay Maintains
He Shares Rights With Par
ent in Controlling Pupil.
HIS JURISDICTION BROAD
If His Authority Is Not to Be Re-
spected, tie Opinion Says, I'VE
Might as Vel Close Schools"

Judge F. d Ramsay. in the Henry
county circuit court, handed down an
interesting opinion relative to teach
ers' rights. following the trial of II. B.
Fisher, principal of the Geneseo town
ship high school, charged with assault
and battery by Hobart Becker. an
eighth grade pupil in Geneseo schools.
Judge Ramsay said:
1T must be admitted that school
teacher or superintendent of schools,
having other teachers under his direc-
ton stands in the relation of parent
in law. and he has a right to admins
ter reasonable punishment upon a pu-
pill who breaks the rules of the school
and refuses to recognize the authority
of the teacher. In my judgment, that
is the first thing a pupil has to know;
that is. that the teacher has authority:
and the second thing for him to know
is that he has to recognize it the same
as he would recognize the order of
father in the household.
HAS PARENTAL CONTROL.
There is no question in my mind
that q teacher not only has control
over a student during school hours,
but he has parental control over that
child on the school grounds and in a
measure going to and from school. l
do not think a schooIbOy has right
TO insult a school teacher on the
grounds and be liable TO punishment
and continue TO insult across the
street. just across the line from the
grounds. and be free from punishment.
II would be a mockery in my judgment
TO say that a squad of boys could stand
on the school grounds and insult
school teacher within the walls of the
school building, and the moment they
see the teacher approaching them,
seek to avoid liability by skipping
away. one five feet, another ten, an
other twelve. just out Of reach of the
teachers arm. If a teachers authority
can be disputed by a lot of boys stand
ing on the school grounds and on the
streets in that manner, we might as
well turn the key in the school house
doors. 1t is not the law; il is not
right, and that is why it is not the
law.
is SPLITTING HAIRS.
These boys first met on the school
house grounds, within d very few feet
of the school house wall and in plain
view of the windows where the teacher
and the boy that was to be punished
were TO be easily seen. and there were
II or 16 gathered in a bunch and began
TO deride the teachers authority, and
50 far as some of the evidence goes,
positively invited one person 10 hit
another Git is a matter of argument
which way the hit was to be infiicted).
but the invitation was extended for
one to hit another. If ever a teach
er's authority was completely set at
Eausht. it was in that case completely
defied. The teacher, as he had a right
20 do. asked the boys to leave the
grounds. and they went just over the
line, and there stopped or sat down
and took another view of the same
window and the same teacher and the
same boy. They had gone just far
enough to screen themselves, as they
thought. from a technical breach of the
rules Of the school. / think when the
teacher bado these boys to go home, it
did not mean to so just across the
line OF the school property. He told
them to leave the grounds. That is in