Evening star., 1948-06-29
Rule 10 Bar Lobbying
By Teachers Rejected
By Board Committee
By Colt HendIey, lr.

The Board of Education's Rules
Committee has rejected proposed
change in board regulations which
would have curtailed lobbying ac-
tivities of public school teachers.
The committee yesterday turned
down School Supt. Hobart NJ
Corning's proposal for rule saying
the board would look with disfaVor
upon an effort on the part of its
employees to effect legislation, unless
the same has been first submitted to
the board for its consideration and
approval"
Not only did the committee turn
down this proposal, but it deleted
from the rule book current regula-
ton on lobbying which was worded
in somewhat similar fashion. The
full board now has to pass on the
committees action.
New Pay Fight Opened.
In other actions yesterday, board
committees:
Started anew the fight to get a
pay raise for teachers equal to the
pay raise granted Federal employees
by Congress this month, after DR..
Corning forecast serious difficulty"
in obtaining personnel during the
coming year.
Requested a conference with the
District Commissioners to discuss
tsa need for a sick leave and emerg-
ency leave plan for teachers which
the Commissioners turned down
this year because of the unbalanced
District budget
Renewed efforts to get number
Of "inquities" in the Teachers Sal
ary Act of 1947 corrected.
All of these matters will be taken
up at the school boards last regular
meeting OF the year, scheduled for
10 am. Thursday at Franklin Ad-
ministration Building.
The proposal to curtail lobbying
activities of teachers had the sup
port of Adelbert w. Lee, board
member, who said certain groups of
teachers were hurting themselves"
and acting in an "unprofessional
manner" by lobbying on Capitol Hill.
They are our employees, and pro-
.fessional. ethics require them to
work through their superior Of
ficers," he declared. He added that
in many instances, teachers had
taken off from school to testify
before Congressional committees on
matters not approved by the school
board. -
Board Member Albert E. Steinem
commented:
You are interfering with their
personal liberties If you say they
can't advocate things they think
will benefit Them
Cannon Opposes Rule.
And Dr. James A. Cannon said:
I'VE pay them to teach. When
they are through they are citizens
Of the United States and when they
are through they can express them
selves anywhere and anytime"
George E. C. Hayes and Mrs.
James Williams, other board men,
bers present. also expressed them
selves against the rule.
On the teacher pay question. DR..
Corning said the teachers had been
treated unfairly" He pointed out
that teacher with a bachelors de-
gree begins at $2,500 a year, while
a grade 4 clerk, usually high school
graduate, can start in the Federal
Government at $2,724 and a grade S
clerk at $2.975.
The grade clerks salary is only
$25 less than the beginning salary
of a teacher who possesses a mas
ter's degree, he added.
He predicted a shortage in labor
ers for the school custodial forces
next year because the schools can
begin a man only at $1,954, while
the Federal jobs offer beginning
salary of $2,284, about II per cent
higher pay.
The board Legislation Committee
voted to take the matter up with
congressional leaders Immediately.