Evening star., 1947-01-02
No-C Contract, Work
Policy Urged by NEA
For School Teachers

A Nationwide fight for higher
salaries and no-contract, no-work
policy were recommended to all
teachers in primary and secondary
public schools today by the National
Education Association.
The recommendations were made
in a report prepared by the 'NEA
and released by Willard E. Givens,
executive secretary, in which the
present teacher shortage was called
a national crisis"
Mr.. Givens characterized the plan
quite similar" to that advanced by
John L. Lewis, United Mine Work
ers leader, in his fights with the
mine owners and the Government.
The NEA did not indorse the
breaking of contracts by members
of the teaching profession because
that would deprive children Of the
educational opportunity they agreed
to provide, Mr.. Givens said. How
ever, he added, as teachers fulfill
the terms of current contracts or
agreements with schools and school
boards, they should insist on new
contracts calling for higher salaries
and improved working conditions.
Recommendations Pending.
MEAS pay boost recommendation
came as the District, Maryland and
Virginia made ready to do some
thing about teacher salaries. Action
in the three localities shaped up
like this:
l. District school officers are pre-
pairing pay recommendations which
are expected to go to the Board of
Education this month. A study of
local pay scales by. the schools
Joint Legislative Council forms the
basis of the recommendations which
will be given finishing touches by
the board and presented to Congress
before February /.
2. The Maryland State Legisla-
ture, which convened last night, Is
slated to take up a far-reaching
school expansion program, including
teachers pay raise proposals.
3. The Virginia State Legislature
will convene in special session Mon
day for the purpose of doing some
thing positive" about a teachers
pay increase.
Could Avoid Strikes.
Mr.. Giyens said the NEA felt that
if the teachers were organized into
professional groups on local, State
and national scale, they could dis
cuss problems with boards Of edu-
cation and parents and, in most
cases, avoid strike situations.
If agreements satisfactory to the
teachers could not be reached by
this means, he indicated that the
procedure followed in the recent
teachers walkout in Norwalk, Conn,
would be satisfactory. In this case,
the teachers refused to 60 back to
work until new contracts, with
promised raises, had been given to
them.
Mr.. Givens insisted that refusing
to work without a contract dld not
constitute a strike.
The NEA report stated that dur
ing the last six years, more than
350,000 qualified teachers have left
the profession, this number being
over the losses expected from nor
NAL causes. Without publicity, they
were forced out of the profession
because they could not live on their
salaries asS teachers and because, as
capable people, they could earn far
more elsewhere
Unqualified Are Recruited.
Thousands of classrooms have no
teachers and thousands of class
rooms are so overcrowded as to
make good instruction impossible
regardless Of the effort and ability
of the teachers, the report stated.
In many communities teacher mo-
rale is low with serious effects on
children.
In addition, the report stated, in
struction is below standard for mil
lions of children because unqualified
persons have been pressed into serv-
ice in at least 10000 classrooms.
The present shortage of teachers
and educational facilities has
reached proportions which can lead