The Washington times., 1923-01-11
"A RADICAL CHANGE IN
D. c. SCHOOL LAWS
IS NECESSARY
Present Division of Responsibilities Between
Commissioners and Board of Education
Is Ruinously Hurtful to Washing
tons Public School System
BY BILL PRICE.

A
trict Commissioners, "a tie other
Congress naturally sIdes win ne
Commissioners. who are charged
BY law with making estimates
ana explaining them.
Verbally and BY letter IL seha.
tors and Congressman the com.
rnissioners fight Tor their own
program. Inevitably there ii
''lxnoclxing.'' even Il indirect.
n the present situation there
are vague charges floating around
the District building that the su-
perintendent 81 Education il
"faddist fun of theories. and
wants too many things that are
impractical; also that the Board
Of Education Is Just rubber
stamp % the superintendent.
The same situation hke arisen
n past years IND win continue
70 arise iii the future. With ire
law ~ II stands.
Are Boards Useles8s
Many years ago Congress IS.
flictea the District with 1 super
abundance Of boards 81 Ill kinds
They are composed 81 splendid
local citizens who serve TOT the
honor involved. and they do the
very best they can. Many 81
them are not appointed 81 tic
District Commissioners ana feel
certain measure of independents.
ia every single ease. though. the
ComraIn sionern must make 81.
Inmates Tor the funds these boards
need and Be r6sponsEble for the
expenditures Of the moneys ap.
pr0priated by Congress.
Ii the adninistratio 81 modern
cities such boards are obsolete.
They are 80 much red tape that
stands III the way oK direct trans.
action 81 public business. school
boards are stilI IA vogue III many
cities, but they exist where ire
municipalities make 4 special tax
levy FOR schools. The amount
derived from this levy Is turned
over to the boards Tor the opSflir
hon 81 the schools.
In washington w have -
such special levy Our taxes are
collected in common fund. That
fund, whatever amount the Tea.
eral Government sees FIT 70 give.
is appropriated Tor ell sorts oe
municipal purposes. II must Be
divided into many dtffsrent funds.
Unless we are to adopt board
system Of government. with Gre
department boards, police depart
ment boards. etc, the common
sense view seems to be that 81.
isting boards should Be eliminated
and the District Commissioners
directly charged with All admins
tration ana responsibilities. Then
there can be no back-biting, no
splitting Of forces IN reccmmen-
dations to Congress.
Elective Board d Educaaicn.
What would be more pleasing to
Washington than anything else
would be for Congress to pass d
law giving the people Z right 10
elect their own Board OF Ednca-
ton and make that board abso-
Iutely independent of the Com-
with the rtSiat to rs
direct to the Budget Bureau and
TO Congress.
That, though, would be fought
utterly BY the ComrnissiOners ana
certain element that publicly
pretends to be for suffrage Tor
Washington. but privately stabs
I on all occasions.
Unless The members AZ tha
board can be elected, then the
dearest thing to do Is 70 aboliah
he board entirely, provide for 1
Director Of Education ana . Isssi.
leas Manager, and turn tIis
choOls over to the Cotnnaiauion.
- to handle through the hst.
famed officials.
Then the local clubbing ana
'ickering which Congress hatAs
% thoroughly might cease. a
east as between officials of the
chools and the Commissioners.