TEACHING REGULATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 76, 29 March 1924, Page 13

TEACHING REGULATIONS.

THE OBNOXIOUS CIRCTTI.AR.

ATTITUDE OF THE DEPARTMENT

At ;i meeting of the executive of the Auckland Headmasters' Association a letter, not received till Saturday, was rend asking the support, of the local teachers in a renewed effort to have the recent ly issued "Headmasters' Regulations' , withdrawn or amended.

Warm appreciation of the "Star's" leader i.n the sniped was expressed and m> room was lefl for doubt, as to thfi local iissdc-iiit ion's earnest desire that the renewed rlTort to have, the objectionable feature* of the repnila(m'li* removed would be entirely

Mn-cessful. The iinreasonnble attitude of the Department in thus issuing rejrulat ions, sometimes impossible and often needlessly irritating, saM one speaker, had reached the stage where the education of the children was being seriously interfered will). The great majority of parents had faith in their headmasters, 'vlioin they believed <o be doing their lies! for I lie children under their control. When: the whole facts of the dispute were known, he said, the parents were whole-heartedly with the teachers and resented the autocratic attitude of the Department, in its regulations regarding the internal management of the The whole altitude of the Department was one of distrust of its teachers -an attitude strongly resented and musing bitter discontent. It. had always been an axiom, he continued, that. "a discontented teacher is a menace to education," yet the Department had apparently set. itself to a policy of biireaiuratifi autocracy, which if proceeded with was in danger of transforming a law abiding conscientious body of public- servants into potential rebels. It was pointed out that so far as the relations between teachers and the Kduiation Department, were concerned, Ihe responsible branches of Hie profession had spared no pains to bring about, a letter understanding hetween the two. but so far all efforts had been unavailing, owing to the policy of the Department in completely ignoring the wi-hes and advice, of the teaching bodies. -No better feeling could be brought about where one party refused to take part in any amicable arrangements.