Evening star., 1919-04-12
MISS WOOD Wants
RECORD CLEARED
High School Teacher Denies
Charge That She Defended
BoIshevism.
BOARDS ORDER STIGMA

Denial that she defended bolshevism
in her classroom is contained in a
letter sent to the board of education
today by Miss Alice Wood, the West
ern High School teacher who was
suspended for week for statements
she was accused of having made while
teaching current topics.
1nasmuch as the protest Of the
High School Teachers Union seems
not to have been understood by you
as action on my behalf" reads Miss
Woods letter. Il respectfully ask that
the action of the board in suspending
me be rescinded. that my service for
the month of March be certified in
usual course to the disbursing officer
and that the stigma on my record as
a teacher be removed"
Miss Woods Statement.
In her letter Miss Wood makes the
following statement in reference to
the classroom discussion, as a result
OF which complaint was made against
her by the parents of pupils:
MY knowledge of the specific
grounds of your action is, of course,
derived only from the superintendent s
letter suspending me. which states it
was because of your attempt to touch
on and interpret certain economic and
clearly an amateur. and in which you
revealed indiscretion and poor judg-
else. e - '"'"s
= "As bearing upon this, I hope you
Will consider the following statement:
In following the course Of study
prescribed in English classes, I had
permitted the discussion of the SUBJ
ject OF bolshevism, brought up by
pupil, and up to that time never ex-
sVY led INry
knew that such discussion was approv-
ed by some parents. and did not then
know that objection was made by
any
Il gave definitions Of bolshevism
and anarchy and soviet. Following
class discussion. referred the stu
dents to certain articles in magazines.
Current Opinion for February, the New
Republic and the Dial. the first two
named being in the files of the school
libraries. We discussed the situation
in Russia never defended bolsfevism
and a perusal of the articles in the
magazines referred to will prove that
they did not defend bolshevism.
Applied to All Teachers.
"As to the propriety of my discus
sion Of economic and social questions,
the fact that had a major course in
economics and sociology in college is
beside the mark, for the specific di-
rection-from the head of the depart
ment-to conduct current events
classes. is for all English teachers, re-
gardless of their college preparation"
In reference to the statement Of the
school board that she made no protest,
no request for a formal hearing and
no appeal from the suspension order,
Miss Wood recites the events as fol-
lows:
'In my acknowledgment Of Supt.
Thurston's letter of March 22d,
tions of the board, and would scrupu-
lously obey the request of the board
contained in that letter.
The action of the board was ac-
cepted by me in the sense that j obey
the orders of the board and the super
teacher. The statement of my willing
ness to obey any ruling of the board
in this matter was, however, first
made to my principal upon the receipt
of the complaint of the two parents
in February, before I was ever pun
ished at all.
ION the morning after tho board
suspended me. and before notice of
it had been communicated to me, I
went to the school to teach, as usual.
but was ordered by telephone to leave
my classes. During the week Of sus-
pension I received the formal order
and made the formal acknowledge
ment to which you refer.
Regarded Protest as Useless.
when. on the day after the board
suspended me. I read the headlines in
the daily press branding me as un-
patriotic. with a school official given
as the authority, and when the days
went by and no correction was made
by the board of education-a correc-
| ton which mere humanity would
have prompted were the case one of
even a household servant, and not
of a teacher of twelve years. service
and untarnished record-I felt that
| Individual protest was useless The
only request I personally did make,
that for a statement giving the re-
port Of the committee Of the board
which I had met. has never been
granted.
I considered the action illegal, cruel
and unjust, and I asked the High
| School Teachers Union to act in the
| matter.
| There was some speculation today as
| to whether tho school board would
change its attitude in view Of Miss
! Woods personal request for a formal
| hearing. The board advised the teach.
| ers' union that it did not deem a for.
NAL hearing necessary in the case.
M;e.;no <1n mn Gems Racovar.d