The Washington times., 1919-06-16
SCHOOLBOARD
FILES ANSWER
IN WOOD CASE
Requests Suspended Teachers
Petition Be Dismissed and
Rule to Show Cause Denied.

Declaring action Of the Board o
Education in suspending Miss Alic
Wood, Western high school teacher
for her discussion of BolsheVism, jus
tiled, eight members Of the board to
day fled an answer to Miss Wood
petition asking for the resembling o.
the order, in the District SuPrem'
| Court
The boards answer requests tina
Miss Woods petition be dismissed
and q rule to show cause denied.
George E. Hamilton. Mrs. Margar
! ita s. Gerry, John B. Larner, Corali'
! Franklin, Cook, Fountain Peyton, J
Hayden johnson. Henry B. Learned
and Mrs. Susie Root Rhodes are thu
defendants. DR.. John Van Schaick
jr., is not included, inGsmuch as ht
was overseas when the school off,
Gals voted to suspend Miss Wood.
Conference With Teacher.
In answer to Miss Woods claim that
she had not been given q hearing be-
fore being suspended, the answer OF
the board claims that prior to The
meeting of March -, when Miss Wood
was suspended, some OF the board
members had been designated to con-
fer with Miss Wood, ito ascertain
what was said by her, and her atti-
tude toward the subject handled by
her in the classroom"
The action Of the board was pre-
ceded by a conference" stated the
communication, and II was taken by
authority conferred by the organic act;
further, there Is no requirement by
d.. - d
nature, directly made by the board.
ton Of the superintendent" (ThIs
claim was made by Miss Woody
Denies Teachers Statement.
Miss Woods statement that she did
not know that the conference with
several members of the Board of
Education was in the nature of the
hearing is commented on as follows:
The relator was fully advised that
complaints had been made of her
conduct in the classroom, and that
she was fully advised that the Board
OF Education was asking her to ex-
plain these complaints"
The statement of the board also
declares that the policies followed
out have been an immemorial prac-
tice under the various Boards OF
Education in the District and have
been followed by the present board
up TO the present time and will con-
tinue to be followed by them unless
and until positively prohibited by the
courts"
May Hurt Record.
THE action Of the board will. un-
doubtedly, constitute in some small
measure an injury to the professional
record OF the petitioner" continues
the answer Of the officials How
serious such injury would be depends
almost entirely upon her own conduct
and attitude in the schools in the dis
cussion and handling Of revolutionary
and dangerous doctrines"
The respondents found as a mat
ter Of fact that she had been guilty
OF grave indiscretion in the con
duct Of her classes by attempting
discussion with her pupils of the sub
Jects OF Bolshevism and soviets, very
dangerous and delicate topics to han
die in the present condition of af-
fairs.
Call Her Incompetent.
This discussion she was incom-
petent to direct because OF her lack
Of knowledge and training, which left
the impression on her pupils that her
attitude toward these subjects was
one Of silent sympathy, at least, and
In the interview of March II she made
such a slight attempt to impress the
members OF the board that such was
not her attitude and expressed so lit
tie regreat for the impression that
she might have made upon the imma-
ture minds Of her pupils by a care
less handling OF these subjects that
the board felt that some disciplinary
measure should be adopted and re-
spondent was accordingly suspended
without pay for a period Of one week.
Upon receiving such notice petit
TONER wrote to the superintendent OF
schools acquiesciRg in the punishment
visited upon her and promising better
Judgment in the future.
No Formal Charge.
There was no formal charge against
petitioner. nor were any witnesses
,alled, nor was petitioner regarded as
being on trial, or under investigation
within the meaning of the act of 1906,
'ut the whole matter was conducted
Ind disposed Of in the same manner
hat minor infractions of discipline are
disposed Of and have been for a great
many years.
AT least 95 per cent Of all com
plants made to the Board of Educa-
ion are disposed of in this manner
and respondents submit that
I would be a very injudicious system, |
I not practically impossible, for them |
o sit in perpetual session as a trial |
BOARD on all minor offenses brought |
o their attention. The dangerous
lature OF the doctrines attempted to |
Re handled by the petitioner in her
lasses and the serious effect that |
UGH discussion might have upon i'm |
nature minds made II HIGH |
y desirable in the present case, both |
or the good of the schools and the |
espondent herself, that the matters |
hould be handled quietly and with /
IS little publicity as possible.
with the receipt Of Miss Woods
etter Of March %, the incident was
egarded by the respondents as closed |
nd undoubtedly would have been