Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-10-07
BOARD IS AGAINST STEGNER
Adopts Committee Report Declining
to Reinstate Teacher.
PRESIDENT AGAINST THE BOARD
walker RuIes Action Illegal ne
csuse FuII MembershIp wss Not
Present when the vote
was Taken.


ny a vote OF 6 10 the Board Of Fdu-
cation last night refused 90 relnstate Miss
Louise stegner as a teacher at the Hish
school OF Commerce. by the same vote
the members decided In favor % an ap-
peal from a ruling by President Walker
deciding that the first vote was illegal.
president Walker contends that teacher
cannot he dismissed from service unless
the fuil board IL present and voting.
Member A. c. Kennedy was not present
at last nights meeting. The president
declared the vote on the appeal from his
decision as null because It did not carry
by two-thlrds. The board at present has
but eleven members. The question ae
to whether six is a. majority OF eleven is
referred to Attorney Herring for solution
and report
Report OF Teachers Committee.
Or J. j. Foster of the teachers com
mittee reported ON Miss Stegner's letter
asking for reinstatement He said Miss
stegner had not been dismissed because
OF her testimony in the case brought
against l.. c, Rusmisel. accused OF being
indiscreet as principal OF the commerce
school; that her testimony was not do
rogatory TO Rusmlsel but that Miss
Stegner gossipped and would not recog-
nize the authority OF school officials.
Voting on the report that Miss stegner's
dismissal be sustained. the members of
the board divided, six to four, for dis
missal, as follows:
Against reinstatement; Or. ]. ]. Fos-
ter WA. Foster, Or. e. Holovtchiner,
+. ]. Taggart, e. F. Leavenworth, r. +.
Williams. =
For reinstatement: A. J. Burdin. c. V.
Warfield c. T. Walker, T. ]. streltz.
Warfield asked that the matter be de-
ferred but Walker insisted on a vote.
President Walker declared the vote
void because, he said, the law prohibited
the board from Diminishing any teacher
unless the full board was present, among
other things, and A. c. Kennedy was not
present.
Appeal from Decision.
Dr. Foster appealed from the chair and
the vote stood to against the chair.
Walker declared his decision had been
sustained, because two-thirds vote was
necessary TO overrue the decision of a
presiding officer
Attorney Carl Herring was appealed to
for advice, but said the point Mr. Walker
raised was beyond him. He said the
ruling OF the president did not alter the
fact that if the board had legally dis
missed Miss Stegner and sustained the
report of the teachers committee,
Walkers rulings were without force.
Text of COmmittee's Report.
81
Your committee on teachers and In
to whom was referred the let.
.er Of Miss Louise Stegner. beg leave to
report.
That the examination made into the
thorough and exhaustive. Every oppor-
unity was given and every witness ex-
imined who could possibly throw any
light on the subject
There was not a shadow OF evidence
u immortality against Mr.. Rusmisel. No
me makes the claim that there was
is shattered by such impeaching
evidence as to give II no value. Under
he evidence there was but one honest
hing to do, and that was to wholly ex-
nerate Mr.. Rusmisel.
why She Was Removed.
Miss Stegner was not removed because
he testified in the case or because of |
Ter testimony All witnesses were urged |
t. In view of the fact that Miss Stegner !
n no way reflected upon Mr. Rusmisel |
n her testimony, her removal could not |
nee as a witness, but the proceedings |
disclosed a spirit of disloyaity on the !
art OF Miss Stegner that was demoraliz-
ng to the entire service. and which cul-
minated In an active and persistent ef-
ort on her part to discrodit not only |
er principal but the Superintendent of
cnools ana the Board or Education. AS
1diNiduala tha hoard ha
endent could well overlook the offense,
ut to ignore IL as officials would simply
lean that the effort TO maintain any
iscipline among the large teaching force
'as abandoned
The board knows and Miss steEner
robably claims that she was and is
he question of Miss Stegners retention
ecame a question of school policy, no
niger related TO her antagonism 90 the
rincipal of the high school of commerce,
ut even in the narrow circle of her
elatton TO the principal, the board could
OF acquit Mr.; Rusmisel and applaud Miss
or could Mr.. Rusmisel be retained and
the same time be presented with a
aching force convicted OF unwarranted
e. nor can we hope TO win men and
omen OF ability TO the service OF teach
g. IL every cabal oganized against a
acher Is permitted to thrive on the
Evidence I'm Full.
The record OF the evidence in this case
as made by a district court reporter
its entirety-it has not been given TO
e press, because the board prefers 10
lffer criticism rather than needlessly
pose witnesses, not connected with the
hools. TO public odium, although such
'idence was properly received in the
terests OF Just decision.
Your committee has given this matter
most careful and dispassionate con-
defation and II the question Is TO be
'cided from the standpoint OF the well
re OF the schools, we must recommend
further action. and that this report
I'd the letter be filed.
Six women appeared. ostensibly to find
Il what would be done with Miss Steg-
RS letter.
Consultation of Board.
There are now only eleven members
the board and six constitute a ma
rity. Mr.. Herring said after the meet
e that he had forgotten this fact Or.
lster asked II eleven or twelve mem
RS now constituted the board.
Attorney Herring viii look up the law
I'd file a full report UNFOLDING or
ling out the vote on the committees
port.
IT doesn't matter. anyway. there'll be
1t 81 H. - ~ |