MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20866, 7 May 1931, Page 10

MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS

QUESTION OF EMPLOYMENT. ACTION BY AUCKLAND BOARD. A decisive action toward the adjustment of the position of married women as teachers was taken by the Auckland Education Board yesterday. It carried a resolution which will have the effect of requiring every married woman employed as a teacher in the board's district to provide sufficient reasons against the ter,r mination of her engagement within three months. A long discussion on the question and the rights of certain married women to continue in employment was hold in committee, the chairman, Mr. A. Burns, announcing the intention of the meeting in open board. " Under Clause 34 of the Finance Act (No. 2), 1931, tho board, with the approval of the senior inspector, is given power to refuse to employ a married woman teacher, but if she is already in the board's service she still has the right to appeal," said Mr. Burns. " The extent of the board's powers in this direction was submitted to the board's solicitor for report. " The board has now resolved to take action in calling upon the teachers concerned to show cause why they should not he served with notices terminating their engagements within three months." Mr. Burns emphasised that the board was anxious not to inflict hardship on any person, and every case would bo. closely examined. Letters were received by the meeting from the Tuakau and Kara (Whangarci) school committees in which it was contended that, in view of the present economic circumstances, it was not in the liest interests of the country to employ married women as teachers while their husbands were in a position to support them. The board's request is expected to be forwarded to the teachers concerned today. Considerable controversy has distinguished the subject for some time past, and, at the time of the introduction of the new regulations giving education boards discretionary powers in retaining married women in their service, it was recognised that early action to decide the problem would result.