The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-01-27

Firm opposition to legislative eff forts that would include educational workers in municipal civil service systems was expressed today by the organized teachers of the state.
 The Connecticut State Teachers association, comprising some l0,OOO school people, deplored certain pro- posals of the Connecticut Merit Sys- tenn association and pointed to Bridgeport as an example of the dif- ficulties created by such Q plan.
 Inclusion of school workers in that city,s civil service system has meant "continuous squabbling," according to Friedrich Roth, president of the Bridgeport Teachers association.
 Conflicts
 The repeated conflict in authority between the board of education and the civil service commission there, MT. Roth said, hardly has been con- ducive to the best educational inter- ests of the city.
 He pointed to a long series of dis putes between the two bodies and to court cases that have resulted from these differences of opinion.
 Bridgeport teachers are SO con- vinced that the arrangement E un- sound that they have caused to be introduced in the Legislature a bill removing educational workers from the city's civil service.
 At the same time, the Connecti- cut State Teachers association has submitted bill setting up a state tenure law for teachers.
 eve are not opposed to civil serv- ice," Francis E. Harrington, execu- tive secretary, said today. Quite the contrary.
 "We feel, however, that education has little in common with other municipal services and can not be regulated by the same type of re- strictions. Teaching is a professional matter. Qualifications for teachers are established by a separate state department, and, logically the local administration of schools should be ) in the hands of @ body particularly set up for that purpose. Share Authority
 ''Where a board of education must shore its authority and responsible ity with a civil service commission. conflict is inevitable"
 While the state association is op- posing all civil service laws, enabling acts and city charter changes that would place teachers under munic- ipsI civil service, it is urging the adoption of tenure law for all school workers in the state.
 This bill restricts causes for dis missal to immortality, inefficiency or justifiable decrease in the number of teaching positions.
 It provides for hearing before discharge, for appeal to an impartial commission and for a continuous check on the teachers professional growth.
 Teaching certificates would lapse at the end of the first three years and at seven-year periods thereafter if, in the opinion of the state board of education, the holder had failed to keep professionally alert. Definite means for measuring professional alertness are specified.
 Apart from the civil service issue Bridgeport is involved in other legis- lative matters on which the State Teachers association is taking a stand.
 The association condemns a Bridgeport charter amendment that would place board of education ap- pointments in the hands of the mayor. This proposal, the associa- ton feels, is essentially undemo- cratic and educationally hazardous.
 Non-Partisan Board
 The Bridgeport Teachers associa- ton Is sponsoring a bill that would establish 8 non-partisan board of education, candidates being selected by petition and being placed, with out party designation, on the bal