The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-24
MISS R0DMAN
GUILTY, LOSES
8 MONTHS PAY
Board Suspends Teacher for
Writing Letter of
Criticism.
OUTRAGE. BUT SHE'S
SORRY NOW. SHE SAYS

After weeks OF debate whether writing
letter to newspaper critcising the
policy OF the Board OF Education does or
does not constitute gross misconduct and
insubordination' the board finally decided
yesterday that II does and suspended Miss
Henrietta Rodman. a teacher In the Wad-
leigh High School, until September /. 1915.
without pay.
The case was tried Tuesday before a
special committee. and although the meet
ing was closed II was understood to-day
that the majority of this committee IA
vored dischargng Miss Rodman for her
offence.
at was only as compromise that we
suspended her" said Arthur NJ. Somers,
chairman OF the committee.
The report as submitted by Mr.. Som
ers's committee to the board after recii-
ing that Miss Rodman had been duly tried.
witnesses having been examined under
oath. said that while the majority OF the
members found her guilty OF iusuOordina-
ton she was accused unanimously only OF
gross misconduct, so II is only under this
charge that We wish 10 recommend her
suspension to the board " The report
said that Two members had failed 10 vote.
being absent
Joseph BArondess OF Brooklyn was the
only member OF the Board Of Education
to take up the cudgel IN Miss Rodman's
defence He sprang TO his feet as tho
reading ot the committee report was nm
ished and exclaimed Miss Rodmdn
has been outrageously treated Their. is
no reason TO md her guilty of gross mis-
conduct for simply writing a letter tn a
newspaper The city Of New York does
1. a. r,.a..
from the retention Of her pay She has
not been properly treated by the cont
mittee why an Intelligent body ot men
ana women snuuIu ne aIriIu oI the cruz
cism OF woman on a subject when re-
uuircs deep sociological study aud which
none Of US are quite sure Of ] am At a
loss TO conjecture.
she Is guilty simply ~ criticislnc the
board IL she had criticised the Mayor
or the president she would not have been
punished This board itself has often
criticised its own prcslden'--th.re Is alb
soiutely no reason why che should loss
eight months salary. for one, CON
Guided Nr Baroudess. wish TO go OF
record AS protesting vigorously against
this very unfair Judgment
President Churchill waited several min
utes. bu, nothing further was said and
a vote was taken. With the exception
OF Mr.. Baroudcss II Was unanimous foi
suspension.
"Pract'cal'v she ~ getting off easy
said Jacob Bernstein. Miss Roiman's jun
Tor counsel, but legally IL Is an outrage
Gus udg1nent. | shall advise Miss Rodmar
to appeal the case to Commissioner Fin
ley and failing there to 90 to tile courts.
counsel but legally IT IS AN outraseou
judgment. | snail advise Miss Rodmal
TO appeal the case to Commissioner
Finley and falling there TO go to tn
courts"
Miss Rodman herself was not presen
when the decision was reached.
MY suspension from November IL e
I September / amounts To $500 salar'
! for ten months" she admitted mourn
fully yesterday evening. When
found my letter had given deep oifenc
to the Board Of Education | was YER.
sorry. | had not intended L. he %
fensive. only intended 20 be clear am
forcetul should have apoloeized ha
been given the opportunity.
"They told mo that the Board of Edu
cation wished me to apologize for m
letter, but believing that to do tina
| while under charges was TO accept tn
right of the Board of Education 10 cal
an error of Judgment gross misconduc
refused 10 do so. If The Board q
Education had reprmanded me | woui
have considered that they We're actin
within their rights, but to call an erro
Of Judgment gross misconduct and lac
OF courtesy characterization Is to deptiv
any one OF initiative and independence
1T IL safer to obey orders" conclude
Miss Rodman, than to be- TOO independ