The daily worker., 1927-05-25
CIVIL Liberties
GIVEN RIGHT To
TALK IN SCHOOL
Non-controversial Topic
Is Given Okeh

part Of the Board of Education of
this city in the announcement made
recently that It's representatives
have granted the American Civil
Liberties Union a permit to hold
meeting in Stuyvesant High School, |
"The Growth Of New York City
Since 1900" is the subject. The per-
mission was given by Superintendent
of Schools William ]. 0'Shea and
Eugene G. Gibney, director of Ex-
tension Activities, who refused the
Unions request last year and thereby
precipitated long legal battle over
the right Of the board to censor
meetings in the school buildings.
Speakers at the meetings are to
be Charles C, Birmingham, lawyer
former president Of the New York
City Board Of Education; Professor
John Dewey, professor Of philosophy
Columbia University; Rev. Charles
n Lathrop, executive secretary, De-
partment of Christian Social Service
Of the National Council Protestant
Episcopal Church; Nelson S. Spencer,
eminent New York lawyer connected
with many civic associations, and
Congressman f. H, La Guardia.
Schools Opened Again.
The permit is said to be long
step toward disposing of this moot
question. Officers of the American
Civil Liberties Union are iubilant be-
cause, they say, the action of the
authorities clears the Unions name
and recognizes its right to hold meet
ings in the schools. Forrest Bailey,
the Unions director in a statement
issued last night said
"The fight the American Civil
Liberties Union has been making to
abolish the Boards policy of censor
ing meetings in the public schools has
resulted in a 90 per cent victory. The
school auditoriums have been opened to
the Union by the granting of per-
nit for May Goth; the Unions name
has been cleared of the charges made
by Mr., Gibney and the Board last
year.
"But there still remains to be settl-
ed the point raised by State Commits
sioner Graves decision last December
when he ruled that controversial"
subjects, such as "old Fashioned Free
! Speech, could not be discussed in
public meetings in the schools. If this
ruling stands the Board might as
we'll close the school auditoriums to
all, for practically all the subjects
of the hundreds Of meetings held
yearly could be judged controversial,
This is particularly true of the poll
tical meetings held there. The Board
will continue TO have trouble if this
ruling is to govern their practice.
The American Civil Liberties Union
has offered TO cooperate with the
Board in clearing up this phase of
the controversy"
No Hot Issues Wanted.
The ruling of the Board of Educa-
tion last June denying the Union a
permit for a meeting on "Old FASH
ioned Free Speech" with Rev, John
Hayes Holmes, John Nevin Sayre,
Z JdiitS w GlQbn JOtiisoil anu [AILiAL
Garfield Hays ass speakers, was ap-
pealed to State Commissioner of
Education Graves. Commissioner
Graves sustained the Board on the
ground that the subject of the meet
ing was controversial and declared
that the Board had used its discre-
tionary power properly in barring
such a discussion in the schools.
The American Civil Liberties Union
| then made application TO the Supreme
Court for a mandamus compelling the
Board to permit the Union the use
Of the school auditoriums. In April
Justice Gavegan denied the petition
on condition that a public hearing
be granted the Union in the event of
another similar application.
Such an application is now pend
ing before the Board for a meeting
on September 14th in Stuyvesant High
School on the same subject of free
speech and with the same speakers
as were slated for last years meet
ing. The Union is represented by
Samuel Untermyer and Louis Mar
shall.