New-York tribune., 1919-01-21
Union to Defend
Teacher Ousted ON
Disloyalty Charge
Friends Confident of Clear
ing Benjamin Classberg
of Accusation Charged
of Spreading Bolshevism

The Teachers Union has rallied
strongly behind Benjamin Glassbery
teacher of history in the Commercial
High Schol, Bro -hlyn, now under sus-
pension without pay for the alleged Of
fence of using his classroom courses
as means of propagating ideas al
legged to be derogatory to the United
States government
Gilbert f. Roe yesterday WIS engaged
by the teachers organization to defend
Glessberg IN his forthcoming trial be-
1ore the Board of Education, and Off
clals of the union-which is the same
body that supported the trio of teach
ers expelled for disloyalty little more
than year ago simultaneously de-
clared that the case would be fought
to the last ditch.
In prepared statement given out
last night by Henry R. Linvillc, presi-
dent of the Teachers Union, the tao
tics adopted by the school authorities
IN the case were alluded to as "ter-
rorlsm," and eveny confidence in Mr..
Glassberg as teacher and citizen
was expressed.
The charges against Glassberg were
made on January Is in a signed state
ment by twelve of his pupils, who de-
clared that he had devoted half their
history recitation period to a discus
sion OF Bolshevism, in the course Of
which he declared that that form of
political expression was not nearly so
black as 1T is painted and that the end
of the war had really been brought
about by Lenine and Trotzky through
their agents at Berlin. The boys also
accused him Of saying that "the pub
llshlng of the truth about Bolshevism
IS forbidden by the State Department" "
that the same department has forbid
den those with real knowledge Of Rus
and that he, "being a public school
teacher" was mot allowed to tell the
truth" about the Lenine-Trotzky gov
ernment.
The boys communication was imme-
dlately forwarded by the Commercial
High School superintendent to DR.,
Illdsley, of the Board of Superntend
ents. Glassberg's suspension followed
on January II.
To Tribune reporter yesterday Mr.
Glassberg protested that he had never
been officially informed of the charges
underlying his suspension nor been
given any chance to make explanation
In so far as he has heard of the accu-
oAeiOiio iiIol manly, HoWcNcI, ne ueUlcu
that there was any truth in them.
81 have no doubt whatever" he said
chat l shall be exonerated by the
Board Of Education when the mater
comes to a hearing"
In the statement given out by Mr.
Linville, the union officially said
"The first thing for the public to
know in connection with this case is
the fact that the teacher was punished d
by suspension without examination. In
the heat that is likely to be developed
in the news discussion of the case, that
single fact should not be overlooked.
Punishment by suspension without pay
and without examination is a method
apparently considered by the Depart
mcnt of Education to be fair and lust.
Let the public keep this in mind at a
time when teachers are leaving the ed
ucational system by many scores every
month on account of the dire economic
conditions prevailing. If terrorism is
now added to the economic menace,
how many persons of Judgment may be
expected to enter the school system as
teachers ?"