New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-08-24
SALARY DISPUTEIN
ELM CITY SCHOOLS
Board Of Education UnInOVed by
Corporation Counsel'S Opinion

New Haven, Aug. 24.--In spite of
the fact that Corporation Counsel
William l.. Bennett has rendered the
opinion that the city should follow
the decision of the supreme court of
errors, and pay the school teachers
of the city the increases in salary
they had sued for, and won, accord
ing to the result OF the suit, 1t is
now very obvious that the board of
education will disregard Judge Ben
nett's opinion, and decline to amend
its estimate, which is equivalent to
refusing to pay the teachers the ex-
ira money due them.
This fact was made very clear last
night when at a conference between
the board of finance. and a commit
tee representing the board of educa-
ton, consisting of President Stephen
Whitney, Col. Arnon A. Alling, Secre-
tary r, B. Hall, Bernard Ettlinger
and the boards newly appointed at
torney, Walter M, Pickett, who is as
sistant to Col. Alling, the state at
torney. Col Alling stated that in
justice to the taxpayers and citizens
of New Haven. the board of educa-
ton, would not be doing It's duty II
1t regarded the suit brought by Ber-
nard j. Mcdonnell as a test case"
The inference here is very obvious.
If the board of education refuses to
regard the Mcdonnell case as being
a test case, it naturally will not pay
the teachers the money which the
result of the Mcdonnell suit awarded
them, and means that il the teachers
want to collect their back salaries, an
other suit will have to be instituted.
Col. Alling acted as the spokesman
for the committee, and lost no time
In warming up to the subject before
the conference. He did not at once
go into the teachers question, but
touched ON the powers that the su-
preme courts opinion had conferred
on the board of education.
"Of course" he said, there has al
ways been a great deal of discussion
as to who had the most power over
school affairs the Board OF Education
or the Board OF Finance. Up until
now the buck has been passed, but
now we know just how we stand. Let
me tell you gentlemen,>tha the SUI
preme court surprised us as much as
it did any one, but we should be
thankful that all questions of power
have been at last settled. ~
LAS / view the decision, it left the
city school district to determine dts
own financial affairs. In years past,
the Board of Education passed along,
the responsibility, but now we all
know just where we stand. Let us
say that the courts opinion that the
city school district still lives is also
d surprise and reminds me of the'I
saying that he is not dead, but he
i
In regard to the estimates of
the department for the coming year,
we have already sent them to you,
and what we want to know now is,
how much the city finauces can
stand. We realize that it would not
do for the Board of Education to
say that we will spend 100000 |
this coming year. What We have to
do is to consider the condition of
the city treasury, and act accord |
ingly. If a large appropriation for
the school department would mean
an increase in the tax rate for the
coming year, then the appropriation |
must be reduced to such a figure |
that it will not impose an extra
burden on the taxpayers. In the
teachers question:, the Board of Ed
ucation has two obligations. One is
TO the teachers and the other is to
the city. The obligation to the
teachers consists of granting them
an increase of 500 year, AS the
sa larry schedule Says but there is
even a greater obligation than
this, and that is to the city. The
city's finances must be protected,
and before any expenditures are
made its income must be taken into