WORKLESS TEACHERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 13, 6 April 1927, Page 13

WORKLESS TEACHERS

SERIOUS HARDSHIPS “WEEDING-OUT WANTED” REASONS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT Impressed by the fact that 137 teachers in the Auckland district have no permanent appointment, the Education Board considered reasons for this unemployment today. Reasons advanced were, first, the flocking of Southerners to Auckland; second, the employment of superanuuated teachers; and third, the employment of married women. The board is applying for a discretionary clause in the next Education Bill. A report which was being considered showed that there were 137 teachers in the district who did not hold permanent appointments. Details were: 82 certificated, 1 licensed and 15 uncertificated teachers, all extraining college students, and the following who were not ex-training college students, 37 certificated and 2 licensed teachers. Mr. T. U. Wells said he would be interested to know just how many Southern teachers had come to the Auckland district in the last 12 months and how many Aucklanders had gone to Southern districts. He considered that a much larger number of Southerners were coming here than there were Aucklanders going South. “We don’t want to look at it from a parochial point of view,” he said, “but it would be interesting to know the figures.” The chairman, Mr. A. Burns, said that since the grading scheme had been instituted Southerners had certainly been coming to northern positions. By Southerners, he meant teachers from places south of Auckland. Many Hawkes Bay people had come here. “A PROMISED LAND” Mr. Wells: I think Auckland is looked on as a promised land. The Chairman: We cannot cavil at it, as the positions were all won in fair competition. Replying to a question, the chairman said that he hoped positions would be found for all the certificated teachers in the province before the end of the year. The fact that Southerners were coming here made it difficult to find positions for the local teachers who had gone through college. “And we’ll have another batch at the end of the year,” said a member. It was decided to provide Mr. Wells with the comparison he had asked for. Mr. E. C. Banks raised the question of whether teachers who could not be found employment should be released from their bond. The Chairman: Some of them do not want to give up their bonds. They want to wait for employment. Mr. Burns said that some of the teachers had been so hard up that when they were given relieving positions their fare had to be given to them in advance. One teacher, who was something of a heroine, had gone into domestic service in the meantime. It was decided to recommend to the Department that teachers who could not be found employment within three months should be relieved from their bonds if they wished to be. “WEEDING OUT” WANTED “Are all certificated teachers and ex-trainees to be given turns at relieving work?” asked the chairman. “The unfortunate part is that I’ve got to meet teachers and parents, and I know some of them are up against it.” Mr. Banks: We employ a lot of superannuated teachers. It would be better if we got them out and let youngers ones take their places. Mr. R. Hoe: Pressure ought to be brought to bear on some of the teachers who should be superannuated. The process of weeding out should be begun straight away. The Chairman: We come back to the married woman teacher who is not the sole breadwinner. Why should she be given employment while the younger ones are walking about. We should apply to the Department again to get discretionary power. The clause was deleted from the Bill last time by the influence of the Teachers’ Association, but all the boards are of the same mind that where a married woman is not the sole breadwinner she should stand down. If a referendum of all the teachers in the Dominion was taken I’m sure they would vote against her appointment. The chairman declared that the time had arrived now, and the position would only become more acute, when the board should have the discretionary power. Many of the married women were splendid workers, but there were lots of young women who were supporting mothers and brothers and sisters, and who were prevented from getting advancement by the married women. It was decided to apply for a discretionary clause giving the board power not to employ superannuated teachers.