Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-26
School Situation
Is Explored by
Subcommittee

NAAOO WONCAA IA WOAC 1NOO0AAso
by several subcommittee mem
bers Of their own school days.
Before the subcommittee
headed by Representative Whit
ener, Democrat of North Caro-
lima, are bills to authorize the
city's principals and teachers
to punish and dismiss students.
Under the corporal punish
ment bill. principals and teach
ers would be given authority
to "use reasonable force" to
maintain classroom discipline.
Clusters Also Provided
The companion m easure
would give school officials
power to GUST out-of- control
students under 16. which is the
current compulsory school at
tendance cutoff date.
Under the two measures,
both introduced by Mr.. Whit
ener, the District Board of Edu-
cation would be unable to block
adoption Of the disciplinary
weapons in public school class
rooms.
Members of the board of
education have voted oppose
ton to the bills because they
want to maintain a controlling
voice on the discipline ques-
ton.
There has been no report
on the stand of the board
members on the merits Of the
two discipline measures them
selves. Members have been
split on this issue, which has
been spotlighted since the
Thanksgiving Day violence last
November following a high
school football championship
game at District Stadium.
Precedent Seen
Today, Wesley s. williams,
president Of the Board of Ed
ucation, told the Whitener sub
committee:
I'm both Of these proposed
bills the responsibility Of the
District Of Columbia Board Of
Education Is being set aside
and a precedent established
that can weaken, rather than
strengthen, the structure Of
public education in the United
States"
/ Mr.. Williams warned that
the present legislation is not a
matter Of local significance
only, but Is an issue Of sim
port to boards Of education in
all Of the public school dis
tricts. :"
Fireworks Set Off
Lengthy and wide ranging
exchanges were set off by COM
ments from another board
member, Mrs. Louise S. Steele,
who. after indorsing Mr.. wiz
liam's statement, complained
to the subcommittee on several
points.
Mrs. Steele said it was very
hard TO sit here and listen to
the opinions Of people from
Texas and North Carolina -
on District school problems.
Her statement apparently
referred. in part, to earlier
testimony in support Of the
two bills by Woodrow Sugg,
city school superintendent in
GaStonia, North Carolina.
Mrs. Steele said 1t was also
rather insulting" TO have Mr..
Whitener sit through other
testimony and then walk out
when Mr.. Williams, the Board
OF Education president, gave
his statement. Mrs. Steele said
she hoped that the committee
would take up other legislative
proposals designed TO benefit
the school system, such as the
Administrators District budg-
ct financing measures.
Representative Hagan, DEM
ocrat Of Georgia. said Mr..
Whitener. who returned 10 the
hearing later. had been called
out on other congressional
business.
ID. G. Absurdity Seen
Mr.. Hagan later said that 1T
Is absolutely absured to let
school children run rampant"
and then issued a warning Of
his own.
The Congressman said that
he win not vote for any Of the
Board Of Education's classroom
improvement proposals. until
! see better judgment" by Dis
trict school authorities.
I'm not going 10 90 along
with people who sit up here
and tell me II Is brutal 10 adj
minister a little corporal pun
ishment 70 the backsides when
II Is needed !"
Representative Dowdy. Dem
ocrat OF Texas. said IN refer
ence 10 Mrs. Steele's stand that
more generous attitude BY
Congress 10 the school systems
long-range classroom needs Is
the real answer 10 disciplinary
problems-that corporal pun
ishment and not sky-high
spending Is what Is needed.
III the Federal Government
contributed 100000 per stu
dent. this move would not
make the students behave
themselves" Mr.. Dowdy said.