Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-14
Scores Judge

I was shocked to read a
news report of the opinions
Of Judge Ralph Shure, the
judge in the case Of three
Montgomery County teachers
who challenged the legality
Of having records Of County
teachers fingerprints re-
moved from the confidential
files Of the Board Of Educa-
ton and turned over to the
police department.
In ruling that the files
should have been turned
over to the police depart
ment, and ruling against the
action Of the State Board Of
Education which ordered the
local board to withhold the
records, Judge Shure was
quoted as indicating one
reason behind his ruling was
the very fact that the three
teachers had instituted legal
proceedings to prevent the
local boards action. If I did
not know Of the record and
reputation of your news
paper, I would be tempted to
conclude that the Judge was
misquoted or certainly quoted
out Of context.
His statement clearly i'm
piled that he believes these
teachers may well have some
thing to hide. Are such con-
illusions and implications by
Judge Shure in harmony
with the long established
principles of fair play en-
bodied in our American Judi
cial system? In an attempt
to uphold what they honestly
believe to be their rights by
instituting proper legal pro-
ceedings, should these
teachers be put on trial in
the mind Of this Judge and
now in the minds Of citizens
of Montgomery County be-
cause of his public statement
in rendering his decision?
What strange Interpretation
Of justice can this be?
Perhaps Judge Shure
would be interested to know
that these three teachers
have the unqualified support
of the overwhelming majority
Of the teachers of Mont
gomery County. Would his
suspicious be increased and
would he feel stronger in his
opinion that the police de-
partment should have these
records because so many
other teachers are support
ing this suit? Certainly no
responsible member Of the
teaching professor in Mont
gomery County or elsewhere
would attempt to shield q
wrong-doer in our profess
sional ranks. Our past &C
tons have shown that school
officials across the Nation
have co-operated with law
enforcement agencies in an
attempt to supplement their
careful screening Of the
complete background Of all
professional and non-pro-
fesSional employees who have
the grave responsibility Of
working daily with our chill.
dren. I believe that Mont
gomery County teachers feel
that close cooperation be-
tween school officials and
police officials is sufficient
to add an extra degree of
protection to that already
provided by the school per-
sonnet department.
If the teachers have no
legal grounds for making this
protest "a protest supported
by the Maryland State Board
Of Education), let the Judge
rule on these legal grounds,
but let him not impugn the
motives or character of those
willing to stand up for their
legal rights. unless he has
more evidence than the filing
Of the suits. Might this not
put fear of such implied OF
open accusations by the
judiciary into the thinking
of any citizen who desires a
redress when he feels that
his legal rights are being
violated in a similar case?
I congratulate these three
teachers and those support
ing them for standing up for
their citizenship rights and
their professional rights.
urge them to appeal this de-
ciSion with the expectation
that the judges own state
mentS will reveal the weak
ness of his reasoning. Re-
CARELESS of the ultimate de-
cision in this case, its far
reaching implications ought
to give both iurists and lay
men alike pause for thought.
Robert W. BOgen,
Executive Secretary,
Arlington Education
Association =.