MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21242, 24 January 1931, Page 19

MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS.

EDUCATION BOARD’S PROTEST. (Special to Daily Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, January 23. I.wish to point out that seven teachers have resigned to be married, and four of the teachers appointed are married women,” said Mr R. Wild at a meeting of the Canterbury Education Board today. The board decided to protest against the appointment of married women teachers, and to bring the matter before the notice of the department. Mr G. S. Thompson moved that attention be drawn to the fact that the board has been forced to appoint four married women teachers, some in circumstances where the husband is able to keep them, and that an emphatic protest be entered against having to administer the law as it exists. “ At the same time,” said Mr Thompson, “ some of the married women are the best teachers we have.” Mr W. Johnson, in seconding the motion, questioned the wisdom of the State expecting a person to go through the probationership and then debar that person because married women are appointed. There were single teachers who were breadwinners, yet married women stood in the way. The New South Wales Minister had prohibited such appointments, and the same thing could be done in New Zealand. The appointment of married women was quite wrong in these days of depression. Mr W. P. Spencer thought the board had been too weak. Such women should not be appointed. The motion was carried, members stating that the protests of Auckland and Otago should be supported.