NO FINES, PLEASE!

Evening Star, Issue 19722, 24 November 1927, Page 13

NO FINES, PLEASE!

TEACHERS’ COMMENT ON AMEND-

ING BILL [AniUUGEU FROM PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. November 23. Comment on the Education Department’s explanation of the “lining” clause in tho Education Amendment Bill was made to-day by Mr H. A. Parkinson (secretary of tho New Zealand Educational Institute). Points, as they occur in the department’s statement, were referred to as follow ; “ Ileprcscntations made by several education boards.”—Two of_ the most important boards have definitely repudiated tho clause, and another is known not to have been concerned in it. “The only .penalty an , employing board can inflict on a teacher is dismissal.”—The expressed censure of a hoard is a thing that no teacher worthy of tho name would incur willingly or regard lightly. If that is not a sufficient cheek on “ offences of a minor character,” these cense to be of a minor character, and the proper punishment is dismissal. Tho grading systenp affords a much better means of discipline. It nfleets the teacher’s prospect of promotion. and may affect his salary to some extent. “The teachers say that tho proposed fine would bo u slur on the character of teachers as a whole, and} that the punishment provided for public servants would be an indignity if inflicted on a teacher.”—Teachers have not referred to the Public Service in this connection. They have said, and they repeat, that their own service has not deserved this slur, and never loss deserved it than now. “They should not ho able with impunitv to ignore tho lawful instructions of their head teachers or employing hoards.”—Certainly they should not. Dismissal is tho proper treatment for those who are guilty of tho conduct described. Paltry monetary fines are no remedy, nor will the spirit and tone of the teaching service be raised by this proposal to inflict them.