The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-14
SCHOOLS Chief
DENIES TENURE
LAW VIOLATED
StetSon Says Marriage Not
Issue in DiSmiSSaIS
of Teachers.
UNFITNESS is CHARGED
0uSted instructors Assert
Letters CouChed in
Form of Threats.


in which approximately twenty
teachers have been dismissed was
being waged today as a result of
two suits already filed against the
board. Other suits are being pre-
pared.
Ousted teachers charge that the
letters of dismissal are couched in
the form of a threat and that their
contracts were not renewed because
they are married.
On the other hand, Paul c. Stet-
son, superintendent of schools, to-
day declared that the matter of
being married had nothing to do
with the clusters, but the teachers
were not retained because of ITEM
peramental un1tness" or because
their work was unsatisfactory"
StetSon declared that his posi-
ton on diSmissals was not actuated
by desire to get rid OF married
teachers.
Denies Marriage Angle
mo teacher, married or single,
whose work was satisfactory, was
dropped when the new contracts
were made a few weeks ago. What
we are attempting to do is raise
the teaching standards here and
are not fighting to tnvalidate the
tenure law.
Il do not think the tenure law
was written for the purpose or in
tent OF keeping incompetent teach
ers in the schools, and that is why
the diSniSsals were ordered"
Although he declared that no re-
quest for a hearing was made, Fred
Barrett, attorney for one of the
teachers, demanded a hearing in a
letter written June a. on which no
action evidently has been taken.
The 1927 teacher tenure act pro-
vided that teacher receiving a
| contract for a sixth successive
teaching year shall become a per-
manent teacher of that school cor
poration."
Entitled to Reasons
Cancellation of the contract may
be done only in the following man
ner: Not less than thirty days nor
more than forty days before the
consideration of the cancellation of
any such contract, the teacher shall
be notified in writing of the exact
date, time and place where such
consideration is to take place; and
the teacher shall be furnished with
written statement of the reasons
for such cancellation.
The teacher shall upon written
request for a hearing filed within
fifteen days after receipt of the
notice, be given hearing before the
school board, and the hearing shall
be held not less than five days after
the request is filed, and the teacher
must be given not less than five
days notice Of the time and place
of hearing.
Reasons Set Forth
Witnesses may be used at the
hearing. Cancellation of the con-
tract as set out in the act may be
made for incompetency, insubordi-
nation, neglect of duty, immortality,
justifable decrease in the number
of teaching positions or other good
and just cause, but may not be
made for political or personal rea-
sons
"Temperamental unftness" was
given by Stetson as the reason for
dismissal of Mrs. Nina Black, 1929
Guilford avenue who had been
teacher here eight and one-half
years, in a letter sent her June Is,
a week after school was dismissed
for the summer.
The report to the board by Stet-
son read: Il recommend that the
contract of the board with Nina
Black, a teacher of ga grade school
No. SIS be terminated for cause, the
cause being temperamental unfit
ness for teaching"
Statutory provision regarding
time, it is charged, was not OBJ
served. Hearing before the board
was demanded on June "a.
LeLter sent Iedc0er
Outlining the policy adopted by
the school board May Is, the letter
to Mrs. Eugenia Johnson, Negro
teacher, for nine years, 2516 Wheel
er street. declared: THAT teachers
married or unmarried, whether per-
manent teachers under tenure or
teaching their first five years in In
dianapolis, whose records continu-
ously are unsatisfactory will not be
recommended for retention after
this fact has been established con-
clusively."
The letter ads. "In accordance
with this policy, a careful examina-
ton of your record in the Indian
apolis public schools shows that
your work has been unsatisfactory.
Therefore, you will not be recon-
mended for reappointment. Should
you prefer to have your Office rec
ord terminate by resignation you
will be accorded that privilege, pro-
vided an early reply is received
for YOU
Mrs. Avanell Howk, 955 West
Twenty ninth street, was notified:
IAN examination Of your record
shows that your work has not been
satisfactory enough to warrant your
sixth consecutive appointment and,
therefore, you will not be recon-
mended for reappointment.
IF you prefer to keep your record
clear with the indianapolis schools
and if it would save you any en-
barrassment. we shall be willing to
accept your resignation. This should,
however, be sent to US at once