Teacher Appeals Against Dismissal

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 106, 6 May 1941, Page 4

Teacher Appeals Against Dismissal

FAILURE TO SALUTE FLAG ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS Per Press Association. WAIHI, May 5. Holding she had not been guilty of “gross misoehaviour ” within tlie meaning of section 4 of the education Amendment Act, 1932-33, and that the Auckland Education Board had had no right in peremptorily dismissing her from her employment at the Waikiuj School because sue refused to salute tlie flag, Louisa Grace Kennedy, teacher, ox Auckland, sought redress from the Teachers’ Court of Appeal at a sitting at Waihi. Applicant submitted that the in structiou to salute the flag was not a lawful command given iu relation to her duties as a teacher and therefore could not even be a ground for suspension, still less for dismissal. She claimed that she was a thoroughly loyal British subject and had every respect for the British Hag and for the principles which it represented. She said she had endeavoured to inculcate in the pupils loyalty to the King anti respect for the hag. She further claimed that her refusal to salute the flag did not amount to and was not intended as disloyalty as alleged in the notice of dismissal but was dictated solely by her conscientious objection on religious grounds to disobey tne Second Commandment and other scriptural injunctions to the same effect. She was willing to show her respect for the flag by standing at respectful attention during the ceremony of saluting it. Mr. D. W. Dunlop, presenting the case for the Education Board, contended that Miss Kennedy refused to salute the flag on two distinct occasions, refusal amounting to misbehaviour and persistence in such refusal amounting to gross misbehaviour. Decision was reserved.