Evening star., 1922-04-20
SECRET SESSIONS PROPER
e, BOARD OF EDUCATION SAYS
Members Defend Star Chamber" Methods
Protested by Takoma Park Citizens
Association.

So-calied secret sessions Of the
board of education have created
wrong impression with the public
They are merely necessary executive
conferences. not in violation of the
law. and the board has no apologies
to make for holding them. This was
the substance of discussion of
board members. which arose at their
meeting in the Franklin School yes
terday with the reading of protests
against star chamber" methods from
the Takoma Park Citizens Associa-
tiou
THE discussion began when James
nounccd that the resolution of the
Takoma Park citizens deserved more
than passing mention" The confer
ences of the board have no legal
status. he said.
All Business In Open.
The impression has gotten out,
because the conferences are called
executive, that the board transacts
the public business behind closed
DOORS" he declared. The board does
not transact any business in secret.
All is done in the open. The public
has a right to attend the meetings
at which the business is transacted,
and the members Of the board have
a perfect right to acquaint them
selves with matters in hand in con-
ference. Every one knows that more
than half hours attention is re-
quired to do justice to the school sys-
tenn. The board sometimes has con-
ferenceS of one. two, three or all
members. simply for the discussion
of educational needs.
Mr.. Lloyd then introduced the fol-
lowing resolution:
Resolved, That all meetings of the
board of education shall be. open to
the public, excepting meetings. deal
ing with the appointment of teach
crs"
He explained that he Wished merely
to reiterate to the public that the
board. as in the past. will continue to
adhere to the policy of open sessions
of the board. William L. Houston. a
coiored member, stated he was op-
posed to the way the resolution was
worded. as it did not conform to the
letter of the organic law. which. he
said. stipulated excepting committee
meetings dealing with the appoint
Inent of teachers He announced
that he could see no necessity for the
that since there were no committees
of the board Mr.. Lloyds wording
seemed to be appropriate.
No Cnuse for Apology.
DR.. Abram Simon at this point ex-
pressed hope that the press doesn't
get the idea that Mr.. Lloy6s motion
Is apologetic. 1t is not necessary for
the board to apologize for holding
conferences, he asserted, as they are
not meant in any way as a failure to
take the public into the confidence of
the board.
The law assumes the necessity for
holding conferences" DIR. Simon
pointed out. 1T seems the board has
a perfect right under the law to hold
executive sessions on matters of edu-
cational policy. in addition to the ap-
pointment of teachers. While it is
our duty to abide by the law and
consider all questions concerning
public education in the open, l still
believe that the board has the right
to hold conferences on educational
questions. 1 think. further. that nine
minds can better serve the public
than smaller number broken up
into committees"
At the suggestion of D. J. Gala
han the resolution was held over
for action at the next meeting of the
board. Explaining why he desired
the motion to go over. Mr.. Callahan
said that while he didn't want to
take issue with any member of the
board, he doesn't want the board to
be misunderstood by the public. I'VE
are a public institution doing public
business" he said. THE public Is
entitled to know what goes on. The
organic law states specifically that
the organization meeting and all
meetings whatsoever thereafter shall
be open to the public. l therefore
wish to make the motion that here
after all conferences or so-called
conferences of the board be discon-
tinued. except as provided, in the
organic law. and ask that this reso-