Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-06
WILL NOT APPEAL IN
CASE OF MISS WOOD
Board of Education Head Ex-
plains Why Teacher Was
Really Suspended.

In a statement issued today. DR.. John
Van Schaick. jr., president of the board
of education, explains why the baard
will not take the case of Miss Alice
Wood to the District Court of Appeals.
Miss Wood, teacher in the Western
High School. was suspended for week
without pay early this year for alleged
indiscreet utterances during class on
current topics. The District Supreme
Court granted her a writ of mandamus.
setting aside the boards action. DR..
Van Schaick's statement on why the
case will not be appealed follows:
THE right Of the board of education
to dismiss teachers for incompetency
is unquestioned. No trial is necessary.
In any case, if the superintendent says,
This teacher lacks sound judgment Cor
tails to do her work.. l recommend her
dismissal and if the board of education
votes to dismiss. the teacher has no re-
dress under the law.
whenever the superintendent of
schools advises. warns or rebukes for
improper professional action h" is
within his legal rights. In the Wood
case. after complaint had been made,
If the president of the board had sus-
pended the teacher until the next
regular meeting of the board that ac-
ton would have been legal. What we
did, however. was first to ask the prin-
cipal OF the school to investigate. and,
second. we sent a committee of the
board to investigate.
Question of Loyalty.
During this time the case became
known in the school and neighbor-
mood, and at once took form as a re-
hection upon the moral character of
the teacher. as to whether she was
loyal or disloyal In time of great
public excitement and sensitiveness
no charge can be more serious than
this. No asset of a teacher is greater
than reputation for patriotism. In
war. time to allege disloyalty is to COM
vince a large section of the public.
The board voted to punish this woman
for alleged utterances which reflected
upon her patriotism. They suspended
her. and fined her a weeks pay
The contention of the teacher was
that she should have had a trial. The
contention of the board was that no
trial was necessary in a matter of
discipline. The committee of the board
which talked to the teacher disclaim-
ed to her any intention of trying her.
They presented to the board a report
that. in their opinion, she had been
indiscreet and nothing more. The
board then administered a punish
ment, contrary to the advice and rec
ommendation ct the committee.
"Charges Affecting Character
THE contention of the teacher was,
also. that if she had convinced the
committee that the matter was not a
serious one, she might have convinced
the board, if she had been heard by
them. l consider that contention
sound. The charges in reality were
charges affecting character. The rules
for such cases were not followed. The
action of the court unQuestionably
turned upon this point.
1.-The mandamus in this case does
not limit in the slightest our power
to donate or dismiss for incompe-
tency, or to discipline without trial.
1t is easier for US to accept the judg-
ment of the court, because the board
of educat ton has no question as to the
upright. loyal character and fine pro-
fessional attainments of this teacher.
1T was moved and seconded that
the opinion of the president stand as
the opinion of the board. Carried, 5
to ?, with two members not voting"