Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-20
The Right of Resignation.

The Board Of Education is now
considering an amendment Of the
rules affecting the term Of the SUI
perintendent Of schools which chal.
lenges interest because Of its unusual
character. 1t is proposed to revise
the rules so as to eliminate the
right of the superintendent to resign
on 80 days notice, leaving him bound
to a three-year service. with the board
vested with the power of dismissal.
In other words, according to this
proposition. the superintendent can
be fired, but he cannot quit:
This is surely an unusual proposal.
In all service, public and private, the
right of an incumbent to terminate
his service, with due notice, is recog-
nized. The only exception that now
comes to mind is in the case of pro-
fessional base ball players in the
organized leagues. They are signed
up for specific periods and cannot
quit at their own will. short of being
disbarred from employment in "or-
ganized base ball." Formerly actors
We're held under similar contracts.
but now, as result of their own
organization, they are free to quit in
all but few isolated cases, upon
giving due notice.
To hold the superintendent of
schools to the full term for which he
is elected without the right to resign
would be contrary to the practice
that has prevailed here. There have
been but few designations in the mid
die of the term. Supt. Davidson re-
signed before his term expired to
accept a higher-paid and more de-
srable post elsewhere. 1t is now
proposed that Supt. Ballou. to apply
ton. should not have the same right
of transfer to take advantage of an
opportunity. This surely seems to
be inequitable.
No matter what the relations be-
tween superintendent and board may
be in detail, the executive head of
the schools should have an equal
right Ct severance. The proposed
amendment to the rules would make
it impossible for him to resign if the
relations became into!erable as a
means of maintaining his own self
respect. The board could dismiss
him and thereby lay him under &C.
cusation of incompetence or unsuita.
him in his professional career.
Election to Office for a term is in
its essence contract, and contract
must be equitable. The Constitution
of the United States recognizes the
right Of resignation. Even the Presi-
dent can resign. Provision to that
effect runs along with provision for
Impeachment and dismissal from
office. Assurediy, if the Chief Execu-
tive of the country can of his own
volition terminate his office, the SUI
perintendent of schools of the District
of Columbia can do SO.
This is, of course, merely an aca-
demic question, for there is no indi-
Cdtloli, utSpllC 'tSl'-l LUIS "HIti die
of passing nature, of the develop
ment of an unpleasant relationship
between the superintendent of schools
and the Board of Education sufficient
to bring this matter to the point of
practical application. Supt Ballou
is serving the schools ably and eff
fciently. He has recently been elect
ed for a new term of three years
and the expectation of the community
is that he will serve out that term
at least with no disturbance and with
no invocation of the power of the
board to dismiss or his own right to
resign.