POLITICAL VIEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 67, 18 February 1932, Page 6

POLITICAL VIEWS.

SCHOOL TEACHERS’ RIGHTS. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN Feb. 17. At a meeting of the High Schools Board of‘Governors in December, the following resolution was carried: “That this board expresses its conviction that as the schools of the Dominion were established, and are maintained, for the education of the children in the Dominion irrespective of the political opinions and conviotions of the children’s parents, those placed in charge of the children in the schools are debarred absolutely from, any active participation in political matters, and from an expression of political opinions in the schools, in the Press, and in public meetings, and any such participation or expression of opinion on the part of any member of the staff of either schools be regarded by the board as a flagrant breach of trust. This board regrets that at present there exists no means of dealing satisfactorily with such breaches of trust, and respectfully requests the Minister of Education to take into consideration the possibility of providing such means by legislation or by regulation.” A copy of this resolution was forwarded to Miss King, principal of the Girls’ High School, who took part in the political campaign prior to the general election. At a meeting of the board to-day a letter of protest was received from Miss King, who claimed that she had been “condemned without trial.”

A letter was received from the Minister of Education agreeing with tho board that the classroom should bo kept free from political strife, but expressing the opinion that it would not be wise to interfere with a teacher’s activities as a private citizen so long as such actions did not bring discredit on the teaching profession. After a lengthy discussion, it was decided to rescind the former resolution and to substitute the following: “That this board disclaims any desire to prevent an expression of opinion by school teachers on questions of public interest that are not 1 related to Parliamentary or civic elections, and that are not matters of political party controversy.”