LXF2LLING PUPILS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3742, 1 December 1925, Page 36

LXF2LLING PUPILS.

THE POWER OF TEACHERS. AN AMENDMENT SUGGESTED. An amendment of the Education Act in regard to the powers of teachers in expelling pupils on lines recently suggested to the Department by the Auckland Education Board, was indicated in a letter received at the meeting of the Wellington Education Board from the Education Department. “The attention of the Department has been drawn by one of the Education Board and one of the senior inspectors to the fact that inexperienced teachers occasionally exercise without due consideration the power of expulsion granted under section 58 of the Education Act,” stated the letter. “Expulsion is resorted to without adequate reason sometimes, pupils of tender years being expelled, and there has been no provision for the future education and welfare of these pupils. The Act says that a child may oe expelled by the teacher for want of cleanliness, gross misconduct, incorrigible disobedience, etc., and provides for appeal first to the committee and then to the board, but parents are not aware of this provision, and occasionally injustice is inflicted. Expulsion may be necessary in some cases, but inexperienced teaehers should not be given this power. It r has therefore been suggested that the Act be amended so as to provide for suspension by the teacher and report to the board. If this is done drastic action would not be taken without full consideration. The board will be glad to have the opinions of the boards, the senior inspectors, and the New Zealand Educational Institute on the suggested amendment of the Act. Further, if a child is expelled the services of the Child Welfare officers of the Department should be availed of so that tne future wellbeing of the child should be in the hands of those competent to deal with such cases, and the child not allowed to develop into a young criminal. Boards are therefore requested to see that all cases of expulsion are reported to the Department or to the local Child Welfare officers.”

It was decided to approve of the proposed amendment in the Act.