Evening star., 1924-11-15
EDUCATION WEEK
CRITICISM RAPED
Tigert Says Protests Against
''MiIitaristic" Program
Are UnWarranted.

Accepting the challenge of several
organizations which have declared the
program for American Education weel;
to be "militaristic and unpatriotic. .
Commissioner of Education John ].
Teert today assumed full responsibility
for the program and flung back at critics
of the program the charge that their
attack is unwarranted.
Returning to the city today on the
eve of American Education week, sched-
uied to start Monday, DIR. Tigert took
UP the challenge of the organizations
which have protested against the pro-
gram.
The program for American Educa
tion week is practically the sane that
has been observed for several years, =
he said. ut emphasizes support Of the
Constitution. patriotism. the betterlnent
of schools and teaching conditions. erad-
Ication or illiteracy, physical educa ton.
community betterment and allegiance to
God and country.
Takes All ResponslbiIit
More than orr hundred national
organizations including the National
Education Association and the Amer
lean Legion, have participated in the
annual observance OF this week. The
tEc gram was issued under the joint
auspices of the Bureau of Education.
the National Educa tion Association
and the American Legion. assume
responsibility. as any public official
must who cooperated with private
organizations for the program.
There has been some criticism
with reference to the activities of the
American Legion in connection with
the promotion of this week. Every
pr{yata orUanfza hppt, efi
equally to participate in American
Education week. The bureau does not
feel that the American Legion should
be condemned for taking more inter
est than other organizations.
The attempt to make il appear
that the bureau has given the Amer
ican Legion precedence is an insidi-
Gus attempt to discredit the laudable
interest that the American Legion
has taken in education. Every other
organization, including civic clubs,
churches and labor organizations.
have been invited to have an equal
part in the observance OF the week.
cit has been the policy OF the
Bureau OF Education to remain out
side OF politics. The commissioner
Of education occupies a professional
office which is non partisan and nom
political. II the Constitution of the
United States is brought into politics.
then the commission Of education
and every other federal officer is
necessarily injected into politics. I
have taken An oath to uphold the
Constitution of the United States. |
am going to carry out my oath.
Proud Of Program.
"I believe that the program for
American Education week is a clean
cut, constructive one. ! am proud of
1t and 1 feel that II is worthy of sup
port by the American people.
EVERY kind Of propaganda and
ism has been injected into the pub
lie schools. Is it possible that any
one would contend that the teach
ing OF patriotism or Americanisn In
the public schools is intolerant?'
DR.. Tigert made it plain that the
bureau of education has made no at
tempt to dictate a program, believ-
ing, he declared, in the sacred right
Of administering education locally.
1T is immaterial to u.s. he said. III
every State and local community dis
cards entirely the national program
and promotes those things which 1t
believes to be of more local beneft.
Several national organizations, in
GLIDING the Young Women's Chris
tian Association and the American
Civil Liberties Union, have attack &c
the program and withdrawn from
participation in observance of the
week on account Of what they called
militaristic tendencies in the pro-
gram.