Evening star., 1950-05-02
Senators Weigh
Views
On Teacher Bill
Witnesses at Hearing
Discuss LiberoIizinq
Sick Leove Setup

A Senate District subcommittee
had before it today conflicting
testimony on the need to LIBERAL
ize the new school teachers sick
leave law.
Difference of opinion as to de-
tails broke out during a public
hearing of more than three hours
by the subcommittee on health.
education and recreation. headed
by Senator Leahy. Democrat. Of
Rhode Island. But all parties to
the dispute agreed some changes
should be made to perfect the act,
passed by Congress last year.
School Supt. Hobart NJ. Corn
ing laid before the subcommittee
a program approved by the Board
of Education, carrying some pro-
visions similar to those in a pend
ing bill by Senator Johnston.
Democrat, of South Carolina. but
others quite different.
Teachers Groups Split.
School authorities took sharp
issue with the Johnston proposal
to give teachers an additional SO
days of leave, if they pay sub
stitute. Such a proposal had been
denied during consideration Of
the sick-leave bill last year, DR..
Corning said.
Teachers groups split in their
support of the Johnston bill on
the one hand and the School
Board proposals on the other.
Senator Johnston said Congress
should clarity what 1t intended
to do last year" when 1t passed
the teachers sick-leave bill, now
law. Some of the rules promul-
gated for carrying out the law,
he said, had worked hardship on
some teachers. particularly when
they were absent for long periods.
Mrs. BOrchardt Backs Bill,
Mrs. Selma Borchardt. vice
president of the American Fed
Grafton of Teachers. supported the
Johnston bill. in addition to pres
ent law, claiming 1t would cost
the taxpayers virtually nothing.
Miss Marion B. Magruder, also
of the American Federation OF
Teachers, charged the present law
was causing loss of morale in the
school system.
Others supporting the Johnston
measure included: Don B. Good
los, and DR.. Paul Cooke, of Local
q (AFT); Mrs. Isabelle r. Ward,
Local 876 (AFT); Mrs. Dorothy
M. Harding. president of the De-
partment of School Attendance,
and Richard Ware, Of the Fed
Grafton of Civic Associations.
Leading supporter Of the school
board program was Miss Helen E.
Samuel, chairman of the Joint
Legislative Council of the Edu-
cational Organization of the Dis
trict Public School System.
Would Drop Retroactive Limit.
She outlined proposals of tho
Board of Education. They in
cluded authorizing teachers and
attendance officers to use leave
for religious obServances; allowing
teachers and attendance officers
to use not more than three days
of their leave each year for press
ing personal business. under rules
of the board; change the total
accumulation of sick leave from
It's present so days to rs days.
Also, to eliminate the limit Of
20 days placed on the amount Of
retroactive leave now allowed each
probationary and permanent
teacher.
Also to allow teachers to borrow
25 days against future sick leave
instead of the present 20 days.
Three other minor amendments
were recommended by the school
board and its supporters. Ono
would allow teachers, and at
tendance officers promoted to be-
come officers. to transfer their
sick and emergency leave to their
credit when promoted.
Other witnesses for the Board
of Education plan included Miss
Elizabeth Griffith. president Of
the Elementary Classroom Teach
ers; Sidney Zevin. president of
the Junior High School Teach
ers' Association; Mrs. Martha w.
Scott. president of the Junior
High School Classroom Teachers
Association. and James w. Taylor,
president of the Education Asso-
citation of the District.