The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-02-03
MANY FLAWS IN
 NEW SCHOOL BILL

A bill Is about to be introduced in the Connecticut Legislature which, if 1: becomes a law, will violently revo- lutionize the entire educational struc- ture of the state. This bill will be founded upon a Detailed Plan for School Code for the State of Con- necticut," of which Henry c. Morri son Is said to be the author.
 It includes among other things the following pernicious provisions:
 That the cities, towns and school districts shall bear the cost Of erecting school houses, and having State of Connecticut.
 2.-The city or local school district must furnish for the use of the State buildings of Approved Standard" which means that in the case of school districts having serviceable buildings not conforming to these Standards they must discontinue their use and by taxation of its citi- bens erect buildings in accordance with these arbitrary "Standards''-- More Taxation.
 3.-The city or school district, hay ing presented the State with the use of buildings erected At Its Own Ex- pense, has the further privilege of Keeping Them In Repair-for the use of the State.
 4.-Although cities and school dis trlcts must bear the cost of erection and repair of their school houses, their boards of education and school committees are not to be trusted with the purchase of school supplles-only a Commissioner of Education at Hartford is worthy of doing this-for the whole State.
 5.-Every taxpayer Gin addition to local taxes for the erection and re- pair of local schools) is to pay a Flat Tax Of At Least Five Mills to his city or school district for the mainten- ance and equipment of his own school; but the money thus derived is To Be Paid To The State And Spent By The State Under The Di- rection Of The Commissioner O. ducation"-Taxation Without Rep resentation.
 6.-Neither school boards nor local citizens, nor town, nor school district, nor city, shall have any control what soever of the Expenditure of the money of it's own citizens only-the so-called Commissioner of Educa- ton" may spend the money.
 Flor the expenditure of all this money the Commissioner of Educa- ton" at Hartford shall account-no to the citizens of the towns and cities which pay it-only to the State Board of Education.
 8.-Besides the five mill tax or more which every taxpayer in the State must pay, every taxpayer In the State must pay a further tax to be known as a State Tax for furthey expenditure in excess of the money derived from the five mill tax.
 9.-The only function which towns cities and school districts may per form under this Code Is taxation 0 it's citizens for the erection and main tenance of school buildings, and tax alton of its citizens for the erection and maintenance of school buildings, and taxation of its citizens under the five mill tax, or more, for the benefit of this proposed State Board of Edu- cation. All the money thus obtained is to be spent by the State Board of Education and not by the cities or towns which pay 1t.
 1O.-The cities or towns have ab- solutely no control over the subjects i to be taught, the teachers who will teach them, the text books to be used, or any other important element l of the education of their own citizens 1 and taxpayers.
 1.-The proposed legislation in wolves the most radical experiment 1 with the most important phase of ] citizenship (Education) which has ever been devised; prostitutes one of 1 the most beneficial functions that To- | cal government exercises (Educat1on) to the uncertain purposes Of one in- dividuaI Ca so-called State Commis- sioner of EdUcation) who possesses more power in respect of his particu- lar authority than William Hohen- | zollern ever dreamed of; underminee the whole principle of New England town government and home rule at it's most vital point; in impractical effect places In the hands of one man | (the Commissioner of Education) the expenditure of about s12,260,0 ,00C Ter year, not to say anything of State i Taxes In excess of that amount and does not even prescribe that that l individual shall account to the towns and cities furnishing the money There is not even a suggestion tha' ha shall ha mt under a bond