The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-08-23
BIGOTED SCHOOL BOARD RE
BUKED.

In a recent issue we referred
to the action of the Board of
School Commissioners Of Char
lotte, N. c., who refused to re-elect
two Catholic women to the teach
ing staff Of the public schools on
the sole ground Of their religion.
This exhibition of bigotry was
not allowed to pass unrebuked by
the fair-minded citizens of that
city. A mass meeting Of protest
was held in the county courthouse,
at which the action Of the School
Commissioners was denounced in
strongest terms by non-Catholic
speakers, and the following reso-
buttons unanimously adopted:
Whereas, At a late meeting Of
the Board of School Commission
ers two young ladies Of culture,
high character and ability as
teachers were defeated for re
election for no other reason than
that they were members Of the
Roman Catholic Church:
"Now therefore, it is resolved
by the members Of this meeting,
citizens of Charlotte, that we be-
lieve the action Of the members of
the board in defeating them was
for the cause above alleged.
eve believe that it is contrary
to the laws of the United States
and to the laws of the State of
North Carolina to require any re
ligious test as a qualification to
any office or public trust.
eve believe the principal foun-
dation upon which this Govern
ment was built is civil and relig-
GUS liberty.
eve believe that our brethren
Of the Roman Catholic Church
are entitled to the full benefit and
enjoyment Of these sacred prin-
ciples.
"We consider the action Of the
majority Of the members Of the
board an act of persecution on ac-
count of religious belief and a
denial Of freedom Of conscience,
and that their action in depriving
the two candidates for office an
opportunity to earn a support in
their chosen occupation was cruel
and unjust and was in direct con-
fict with the law as explained to
them by their counsel.
"We proclaim that the major
ity of the board acted in direct
conflict with the opinion and
wishes of the majority Of the citi-
zens of Charlotte.
eve call upon the people to
show their disapproval of such
conduct by all lawful means that
we may put an end forever to all
religious prosecutions in our
midst.
"Apart from all consideration
of religion and law, we believe
that this action Of the board has
seriously injured the city Of Char
lotte commercially and industrial
ly and that it is blot on the fair
fame of this city SO widely known
for its humanity and love of civil
and religious liberty
The Charlotte Daily Observer,
referring to this meeting, says it
twas attended by something like
eight hundred citizens, every
chair and seat in the civil court
room being occupied and the
aisles and doors being crowded
with those who were willing to
stand during the entire session
' = There was a spirit of de-
termination manifest that indi-
Gates that large number Of in
fuential citizens of the city, as
represented at this meeting, are
not willing to allow the action of
the majority Of the School Board
to go by without protest. .
We have not yet learned wheth-
er or not the protest made by the
self-respecting and intelligent
citizens Of Charlotte, both Catho-
lie and non-Catholic, was effect
i've; but, at any rate, it shows
that the better class of people are
not at all in sympathy with the
un-American spirit displayed by
a majority of the School Commits
sioners, who, by virtue of their
position, should have been above
religious prejudice. It is very
hard for certain class Of people
to divest themselves of sectarian-
ism. To quote the words Of Col
lier's Weekly: Nothing is
more cowardly than certain type
of politicians confronted by an
issue of Grass prejudice. y