The New York herald., 1922-05-19
FAIR TO TEACHERS,
MQUISITORS REPLY
Advisory Council Says Those
Who Appear Before 1t Are
Not Under Charges.

The attacks on the Advisory Council
on Qualifications of Teachers made by
the Teachers Union and by other public
school instructors drew from the former
yesterday a statement that said there
is tendency toward "misapprehen-
SION of its purposes and its procedure"
The statement contends that the
council was created by the State Com
missioner of Education at the sugges-
tion of the Teachers Council. Its OBJ
Commissioner of Education to carry out
obligations of the Lusk law. "the pro-
visions Of which impose upon him the
duty of determining the good. moral
character and loyalty or the teachers"
1t is cited that $1,000 teachers are
employed in the public schools. and that
1t should be obvious he should have
assistance in this research work. The
statement continues:
= Teachers who come before the coun-
ell are not under charges and are not
being tried, but the committee on adj
missions attempts to make a careful
scrutiny into the fitness of the candi-
date. The procedure is informal and
calculated to give every advantage to
the applicant for license.
THE councils findings are in no way
binding upon the Commissioner. The pur-
pose is to lay before him such facts as
may assist him In reaching his con-
clusion. The council believes that the
public school system should be carried
on primarily in the interest of the
nd tho< tha ants an
titled to have their children taught by
duly qualified teachers both as to their
loyalty to the State and to the Federal
Government
1T is the policy of the council to
admit any attorney representing any
applicants that appear. To protect any
applicant from undue publicity, the coun-
ell has adopted the policy of making its
proceedings entirely private.
'If 1t had not been for outside inter-
ference, perhaps due to mistaken zeal,
the names of those called before the
council would not have become public.
Several cases cited in current issues of
newspapers do an injustice both to the
council and to the applicant"
Abraham Lefkowitz, an instructor in
the High School of Commerce, and one
of the most militant of the oppopents of
the Lusk law, said
II have no desire to impugn the hon.
esty of the council when they say their
methods are based upon a desire to do
justice. However, we would like to de-
cline the privilege of secrecy. 1t would
be more just were everything of this
sort done in the open. If there is moth
ing to hide there is no reason to lock
the doors"
Hugh Frayne, organizer for the Amer
icsn Federation of Labor and New
Yorlt's representative in that body, was
strongly condemned for occupying the
position of chairman of the advisory
council, and resolution was adopted
calling for a special meeting next Thurs
day to give him a chance to explain his
position in this council. The action was
taken at a meeting of the Central Trades
and Labor Council OF Greater New York
and vicinity, held in Beethoven Hall
210 Fifth street.
Abraham Lefkowitz, delegate of the
Teachers Union, attacking the Lusl
laws and comparing them to the Carls
bad resolutions passed in 1919 under
the Leadership of Netternich. "the mos
reactionary tyrant who ever cursed
Europe" declared the laws placed the
teachers in intellectual slavery, Just as
the Kansas Industrial Court law places
the workers In Industrial slavery" He
said:
"In view of the fact that the Lusl
laws block Industrial progress. temper
teachers initiative. undermine discipline
and teachers morale. and in view of the
fact that this advisory council is com.