Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-02-06
SOME NEW LAW.

| uScO " OC OH w. ASS@-
idea that the school child was only
under the Jurisdiction and control Of
the school authorities as long as he or
she was actually in, or on the way to
or from, school.
But the supreme court of Georgia
has completely upset that theory.
A child now is subject to the orders
of the school authorities for nine
months of the year, day and night, and
Sunday, too.
Says the Moultrie Observer:
"The Supreme court has held that
I school may, without exceeding reas-
enable authority, formulate rules for
school children that will control their
conduct when they are not at school,
such for instance, as forbidding their
| attending picture shows during the
week except on Friday right. We
would never have guessed that the
courts would have made such ruling,
but in these days we might as well be
prepared to expect anything in the
way Of abridgement of the rights of
the individual"
Then this from the Augusta Chron-
icle is interesting:
Down in Swainsboro about year
ago a considerable row was raised be-
cause the superintendent and the board
Of trustees of the High school of that
town adopted a rule forbidding any
pupil attending moving picture show
oil any night except Friday or satur'
day. The penalty provided for expul-
sion or suspension from the school in
E0oG vi FlOldtAOA
Several of the patrons of the school
sought an injunction to restrain the
school authorities from the enforce
naent of the rule, on the ground that 1t
was arbitrary, unreasonable and an
usurpation of power that deprived par
ents of parental control of their chill
dren out OF school hours.
THE injunction was denied by the
superior court judge, and the case was
carried to the state supreme court,
which tribunal has just passed on the
question, confirming the decision of
the superior ocurt Judge.
I'm discussing the matter, the News
and Farmer, of Louisville, states that
this is the first case of its kind that
has ever been adiudicated by the state
supreme court, and unquestionably it
will be given a high place in the rul-
ings of modern days, because of its
bearings it has not only on this speci-
fic question, but others involving sim
liar questions.
"Of course there will be still thous-
ands of parents who will continue to
labor under the impression that they
are administrators of their home af-
fairs in cases Of this kind, as. well as
most others, and just as there are diff
ferences about other matters of law,
there will be difference of opinion
in this particular matter"
Under this decision, the parent sur
renders much of his authority over
his own child when he sends that child
to a public school. The teacher, or
superintendent, or trustee. may be off
at picnic, or lodge meeting, or a
dance, or may be home asleep, and
may not know anything about the par
ticular needs or capacity Of the indi-
vidual child, but his rule over it goes
on just the same The parent, who, of
course, has the child's best interests
at heart, must yield to the within of
| the school officials
This is strange, but the supreme
court says it is the law And the SUI
preme court gets paid for saying what
the law is.