San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-04
SCHOOL BOARD
| WILL EMF 0RCE
! VACCINATION
Resolution Is Adopted in
! Conference With City
Officials.

. Compulsory vaccination of all chill
dren attending the public schools Of
San Antonio will be strictly enforced
by the board of education in co-opera-
tion with city officials. Only those
children who can furnish a certifi.
cate of satisfactory previous vaccina.
don signed by a physician, will be ex-
cnpt.
4 resolution adopted BY the board
Thursday instructed Superintendent
Marshall Johnston to require all prin-
cipals and teachers to report prompt
l- all violations of health regulations
and especially of the vaccination or
dinance. Ii further requires that prin-
4pals go before the police authorities
and make affidavit against parents or
guardians who violate the vaccination
ordinance, within ten days after warn
ing has been given.
MAYOR PRESIDES. =.
The resolution was adopted follow
ing a joint meeting between Mayor
John Tobin, DIR. T.. W. Dorbandt,
president of the city board of health,
and DIR. ID. Berrey, Bexar county
health officer, City Attorney Joe
Ryan and Mason Williams, attorney
for the school board.
Mayor Tobin presiding, said he had
asked for conference of city and
health officials with the board TO take
steps to enforce the health ordinances,
especially that relating to compulsory
and desired TO know what
the board of education was going 70
do towards carrying out the law.
Speaking for the city, Mayor Tobin
said the ordinance would be rigidly
enforced against all offenders and
those contributory TO negligence in en-
forcing the law.
DIFFER On JURISDICTION.
The mayor stated that in his opin-
ion. the enforcement of the law was up
TO the cshool board through disciplin-
airy measures. He said he wanted the
method of enforcing the law outlined
and carried into effect to prevent q
repetition of the legal controversy of
last year.
City Attorney Ryan said sit was the
duty of the school board TO enforce the
ordinance" to which Mr.. Williams. at
Iorney for the board, replied that the
board did not have a municipal court or
powers to enforce the law.
Mr.. Ryan insisted the board had both |
authority and power TO enforce disci- |
pline in the schools and cited case |
IF suspension by both principals and |
board against refractory pupils.
As a rule suspensions are /
acquiesced in by the parents" said |
Johnston.
PROMISES COOPERATION.
This vaccination matter is entire
y different from suspension" stated |
Mr.. Williams, "and parents view it
differently. You may suspend a child |
|9r not being vaccinated and he comes
back TO school. What can the board
boz Throw him out bodily or call a
policeman and have him ejected:"
Enjoining the parent by court or
Ser to prevent the return Of a child |
suspended for characterization was
suggested.
The school board will be guilty of
hegligence if this ordinance is not en-
breed" declared City Attorney Ryan.
1T is city ordinance" observed
John F. Fentiman.
p IF the board is not in accord with 4
the city officials / want to know it,"
said Mayor Tobin. The city is go
ing 10 enforce the law. II the public
school teachers do not enforce the /
law we will proceed against the
Ieachers.- he declared.
President Frank S. Haines said the
school board was willing TO cooperate
With both the city and health off
rals, but that it wanted to know how
X could best cooperate.
ADOPT RESOLUTION.
DR.. Berrey stated that "the health /
authorities wanted to get all forces
together and see that the law is en-
forced.' He insisted that children
rot vaecinated be kept out of the
schools and alleged that with such a
inrge foreign population as San An
tonio's an unvaccinated child con .
stituted a menace to the welfare and |
health of the city through danger |
irom smallpox.
President Haines thGn suggested the Il
adoption Of a resolution by the school II
board requiring that any child vio-
iating the ordinance be suspended II
That if such child returned to school L
that the principals be required 10 /
make affidavit against the parent or
guardian Of such child charging vio-
iation of the ordinance in corporation |
court Mr. Haines pledged the board |
10 the adoption of such resolution. II
Mayor Tobin, City Attorney Ryan |
and health officials expressed satigfac-
tlon with the method proposed.