The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-03
R. \, THOMAS FILES
NUMEROUS CHARGES
Teacher ~ Public school Make,
Vigorous Nttack on school Board
and superintendent.
rLRMr EMPLOYMENT AGENCY
scores Conduct of Bureau for Employ
mcnL of Teachers in Which Certain
Richmond Teachers Arc Interested.

In. j. \. &. Chandler. superinten-
dent Of the city schools, declared last
night that he had nothing whatever
to cay IN regard to the petition for
investigation OF the actions OF the
School Board. or his actions person.
ally filed yesterday with the clerk
of the City Council by r. n. Thomas,
teacher in highland Park School,
through his attorney, Presly Smith,
Jr The petition charges that the
board consptrcd TO defraud the city
in securing 90 e. ". Robinson, an
architect certain pecun AIRY advan-
taRos, and that Or Chandler did con-
spire with the School Board to lobby
against the passage OF bill creating
a state architect for the purpose of
securing to {. NJ. Robinson the eX-
elusive architectural work of the city.
Makes Eight Charges.
Eight charges are made in the pc
tition to the City Council. and among
others is that the school Board per
mitted certain teachers to conduct an
employment agency. this being con-
trary to the state law regulating such
agencies. In his petition. Mr. Thomas
states that he brings the charges to
! the attention of the Council, hoping
IN this way he Will be able to have
49,, 49,, go p'us.''s ~ ~, -.
[,,,,,',s,,t ~, -, !. -, - -
-, 49,, ,l'i - :. Wv $50!
him square deal.
30 mention was made 10 the Charg-
e. last Night lay the board, except that
lpr. 6. II. Robins, in question direct
ed at the attorney for Mfr. Thomas,
when he made q brief reference to the
named in mo nrtition vesterda, ave
ONT = statorten+ in which he said
Tint Tho statements mentioned I'm the
uetition did not arroe with tho facts
.--.-4- Df-,,,,.~. Charge. In -Ja,a.
"%o conspirar,. Exists now. nor has
Mt any time existed between the
School Board and myself There Is
no contract or understanding between
the School Board or any. member.
Or. Chandler and myself that is not
, shown In tho pablo records of the
& hool Board "
The following il the text of the
charges filed by Mr. Thomas:
T.xt ,f Charges
Fol1owfpay is tbr text Of the CHARGES.
state of Nirginia--To the honorable
members Of the Citv Council Of the
rtt,. Of Rlcbnona. Your petitioner n.
\ Thomas, resrectfully represents that
he is a teacher in the city school sys-
tenn. and was requested in November,
lP15 by the principal OF Bellevue
school to state what he knew about
the fitness or undtness of the then
assistant principal at said school That
he advised the said principal that in
his opinion the said assistant principal
Has phollN untitled for his position.
These statements. solicited in cont
i. 10 In IN, Gr4l
assistant principal who denied them,
and dchounced your petitioner. Your
pctitioncr then preferred his charges
To tho division superintendent who
laid them before the School BOARD. Tn"
school Board found tn" said assistant
principal guilty Of improper conduct.
but did not dismiss him.
Your petitioner pressed his charges
and three days later the said school
board called special meeting and
dismiss the said assistant principal,
but the iusistency of Your petitioner
in SUSTAINING his position aneered the
said superintendent and the said school
Roard, who considered II a rejection
upon their Judgment Your petitioner
was Transferred IN more or less dls-
grace ia another school ana severely
,prlmanded FOR at'e2ed insubordina-
ton.
Would Injure Record
Your petitioner then voiced his in -
a42nation publicly at being removed
from his school, where he was doing
departmental work. and sent to a
praded school. where ne was assigned
t. q grade. Tho curriculum of which
,arriod subjects which Your petitioner
never professed 20 bc able to teach
Your petitioner believes that this was
doue to prevent him from making as
good "A record as teacher as he might
otherwise and give pretext for his dis
i.tSsal. Your petitioner knows that ne
was transferred and rcpfimanded by
the improper and arbitrary exercise of
authority of his superiors, that the
same was done with intent to injure
your petitioner as teacher. While It
was done adrottly. it was done unjust
~. and from this injustice YOUR petit
TONER anpeals to the Council of the
citv of Richmond.
For voicing his indiEnatlor as above
stated YOUR petitioner is now before
the board TO show cause why he should
not he dismissed for conduct unworthy
a teacher Your DetItioner ia willing
to submit his conduct 10 the insnec :
ton Of this honorable Council but
viii not submit tamely to the malicious