Evening star., 1935-01-12
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
President Hayden johnson Of the
Board of Education presented in a
recent issue of The Star a sharp re-
joinder to the proposal to place the
intimate control of public school
affairs in the hands of the Commis-
Sioners. His whole contention is based
upon the fear that sinister political
influence will invade the public schools
under such control.
The imposing of the appointment of
the Board of Education upon the
Supreme Court of the District of
Columbia was illogical and lily ad-
vised. The judges themselves have
frequently declared that they neither
sought nor desired this responsibility
which falls outside of the scope of
their judicial function. The courts are
supposed to keep themselves free from
civic and political entanglements which
divide and agitate the community and
to know nothing among their fellow
men, except the law and its rightful
interpretations. Judges as such are
not supposed to have intimate knowl-
edge of the qualifications of citizens
for administrative tasks in the various
branches of the Government. Besides,
this unsought and undesired duty i'm
posed upon the judges tends to confuse
their judicial and administrative char
acter which is out of harmony with
the genius and spirit Of our Govern
ment. Again we are confronted with
the anomaly that the Supreme Court
has been given the power of appoint
ment, but not of removal of the Board
Of Education. It has not the right to
review their conduct while in Office nor
to discipline or dismiss them for failure
to perform their duty acceptably. This
leaves the Board of Education as the
only self-responsible body under the
Government. All other Offices and
agents can be disciplined or removed
either by the President or through
Impeachment by Congress. The board
can only be affected by an act of Con-
gress abolishing its existence. No man
or group of men, is sufficiently super
nal in perfection to justify being vested
with irresponsible public power.
All thoughtful minds will agree that
the proposal, sometimes advocated, of
an elective board is unwise. Certainly
until the citizens of the District of
Columbia are given wider use of the
franchise. The voting privilege, limit
ed to school matters alone, would con-
centrate upon the public schools the
pent up political passion of the COM
munity and make them the victim of
the cheapest type of politics. Petty
politicians who found their ambitions
frustrated in the various States and
communities from which they came,
would make the school system of the
District the springboard of their
political antics.
The appointment of the School Board
should be restored to the Commits
sioners from whom it was transferred
by Congress to the judges 80 years
ago for reasons which at that time
might have had some Semblance of
validity which has now wholly dis
appeared. To say that the Commis-
sioners would utilize their appointive
power to corrupt the schools through
political manipulation is reflection
upon their integrity, as well as an
implied reflection upon the President
of the United States, who selects them
after the most diligent and painstaking
search for citizens of the highest char
acter and quality, for this unique and
important post. It is certainly not
complimentary to the high-minded
purpose Of the President to pre-
suppose that he would be capable Of