Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-07
THOMAS TRANSFER NOT
DUE TO UNFR|ENOL|NE:SS
T.. VI. Long, OF School Hoard. Issues
Statement IN Case of Dis
missed Teacher.
COURT MAY HEAR CHARGES
Thomas Says School Board Acted in
i'mtl Faith in Disrharein. Him.
.\l!eges Deal if lie Would Make
Satisfactory Answer.

Not uuirI'rhiiu"SS hpt - mp"thN aud
q desire to ar "f a'd TO him moved
t,S attitude toward t"bcr, y rhun, S.
til" t"ach"r recently dismissed tcr al
lrgtd fnls" stutcmrnts c"u,,ruiuc Tho
Syst"m declared T.. N i.uu:-. /" Iuoul.
Dor Of til" hoard ill = statement made
Yesterday to The Times Dispatch. I'll.
decision that IT was Cor tn" good Of
the System that Mir Vhvuras h." dis
lrISsc'l. " i- understood Wa reached
only after pa'iort investigation and
earnest effort TO ilnL IN alternative
course.
reforr,us to tho transfer Of Nv
Thomas ZION, the l:"llryuc rrcv"ca-
l'orai Srhucl to The Highland l'arN
school. III" avti"n against which the
teacher madc Vigorous protest Mr.
Long says:
1t appeared that Mir Thomas had
questioned tho vcrarjty OF tho rriu-
cipal Of lclIcvuc school. ANA OF the
dircctu. Of industrial education thia
Immediate supcriorsl. and. ia u Writ
ton communication 20 Or. tnand'or =.
had stated that their attitude toward
him h;,i been umtricudly. Md az il
Was one Of tho assigned duties OF
these superior officers :" report
monthly upon th" progress and ciii-
cheney Of Mir Thomas a. teacher.
ii was contemplated bv tho board aud
by the superintendent that. III tho
event Mr.. Thomas remained -; tic
I.c!lcvuc Prcvocatioual school aud his
l,onthly marks Should hc mtaN"rahic
whether properly 50 ~ Otherwise
hc would he in a position 10 inIcr and
.ncyc that they had been 50" madc
from prejudice.
"'rhc board therefore, considered It
10 he an act "t Justice, aud IN the
interest Of Mr.. Thomas. Ia approve
his transfer to another school where
he would he und,r different princt-
pal, and in now environment: such
transfer involving uu reduction III his
salary and no material change in the
subjects he had hccu teaching. In -"
doing. tho board considered that II was
thus removing all possible ground for
future assertions OF Unfair treatment
on tho par; of Mr.. Thomas.
TRANSFER WAS NuT
INTENDED As PUNISHMENT
1T was far from beng the desire or
intention Of tho board. in thus ap.
proving tho transfer OF Mr.. Thomas, to
lntl'ct punishment upon him. az 10 in
dictate displcasurc. lay reason of his
having brought 10 its attention the
conditions Existing at the Bellevue
TrcvoGHtiunal school. and tic fact that
the very opposite impression has -lim-
ed some currency has been Il shock and
a surprise - me.
II believe that express the scnti.
mcutS of every member OF tho huurr
aud OF AL OF its associated officers, III
sayiu. that. while espionage and moro
gossip and tale bearing arc not conn
tcnauccd or encouraged. II is tho sin
ctrc desire Of tho board To learn ut
any adverse conditions existing any.
where in tho school system, ana of amy
unit person connected herewith: uE,l
that any person, whether teacher, pupil
81 patron. hrinGim. such mnttcrs 10 it's
attention. viii receive courteous treat
mcnt, respectful attention, and a full
ana fair hearing: ana that all the
powers OF tho board viii he exercised
10 rcctify the fault.
CrencH to tho charges OF fraud and dis
honesty made ny Mr.. Thomas against
tho board, and filed with tho City Coun-
ell. II those charges are true. then
the members Of the board ought To he
dishoHorably diSmiS sed; il they arc not
true, then tho least that can expect
al Mr.. Thomas Is that he Will ultiu,,tc-
~ realize and regret his unwHrrant"d
attack upon the character and rcpnta
tion Of the honorable men mentioned 10y
him in his petition
According TO tho provisions OF tho
Virginia code. eases involving mall
icaSaucc aud miStcaSanCc in office ON
the part uf city school board shall he
tried before tho Corporation or lust
iuGs Court. Mr.. Thomas charges '&at