A SCHOOLMASTER'S DUTY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13484, 25 July 1907, Page 3

A SCHOOLMASTER'S DUTY.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

REPLY TO HEALTH DEPART-

MENT'S CHARGES.

At the June meeting of the Education Board a charge was laid against the master of the Oaonui School of negligence. A letter from the Health Department stated that Inspector Gardir.er, reporting on a case of scarlet fever, commented in effect thus: — He had come to the conclusion that the disease bad probably been contracted at school , had interviewed the schoolmaster, who said he had noticed another child to be •'peeling*' on the hands, and that a parent had sent a note that her daughter was ill witlv scarlet fever; examineJ the child whose hands were reported to be "peeling," and found symptoms ->f scarlet fever ; went to the mother of thw child reported to be suffering from the fever, and was told that another of her children, who had been similarly ill am] who was then "peeling," was attending school. Asked why tho child was at school, the mothe» said the master hpd said it did not matter. The inspector afterwards interviewed tho committee, and it was decided that the school should be disinfected; that it should close immediately for winter holidays, and that parents should be warned that all cases of scarlet fever must be reported at once. The District Health Officer, Dr. J. P. Frengloy, wrote that v ith tho evidence before him ho coul-1 only come to one conclusion — that the outbreaks of scarlet fever in the various households were due to the culpable negligence of the master in having knowingly allowed a child suffering fiom the fever to attend school. The teacher's duty was clearly laid down in tho Education Act. Unless he could ofler a sufficient explanation, he was deserving of a severe reprimand fron\ the Board.

The Board wrote to the master (Mr Sims) for his explanation. The reply was read at the Board's meeting on Wednesday.

Mr Sims stated emphatically that Ji«> did not know that any child attending school had been ill with scarlatina. Ho did not receive a note from Mrs Cook to the effect that any of her children l:ad been ill with the disease. Mrs Cook informed him that she sent a verbal message by one of her children that she thought one of them had been ill with scarlatina, but these, had been a mistake somewhere,, for he had no.recollection of having received such a message. Ho had not been careless in this matter —on tho contrary, ho had always be^-i most careful. He gave several instances in which he had kept children from attending school when suffering from infectious disease, and also taken oth«»r steps to prevent its spreading. "Inspector Gardiner,'? continued the letter, "stated in his report that I admit-" ted having received a note from Mrs Cook informing. nje<*>frthe. case of scarlatina m her house: This is untrue. What I did tell the inspector was that the child was lying ill at Mrs Cook's, and I advised him to go there and investigate." ; The master enclosed a note from Mr: Cook supporting his statement. He had noticed the peeling of the skin on tie hands of a child named Fleming, but she told him she had not been til and did i.ot know the reason for the peolir^, which may have been caused by the cold weather or some trifling disorder. At all ©vents, he took the child?s word for it that she had not been ill, and thought no more about it. (He enclosed a letter from Mr Fleming saying he did not believe the, child had had scarlatina.) With regard to the Health Officer's reference in the. last -paragraph of his re port to his duty as laid down in the Education Act, he, wished to point out that clause 139 of the Education Act stated "that it shall be lawful for a teacher of any school to expel or forbid the attendance at school of any child who may be likely to communicate am r contagious disease." What was lawful for him to do was not necessarily his duty. In conclusion, he asked for his position with regard to the Health Officer to be more clearly denned.

A discussion ensued, and Mr Kennedy 'thought a copy of,, the correspondence should bo forwarded to Wellington. Mr Morton proposed that the Board considered the explanation of Mr Sims to the Health Inspector's complaint satisfactory, and that he should be requested to allow the children refused admittance to lesumc their school duties. Ho thought they should ignore the Health Department in the matter. They had had instances where they 1;;. 1 interfered with tho management of tlm schools, and it was unfciir. Tie believed Ibe st?tem<nt of the headmaster to '>» correct. Mr Triirblo seconded. Mr Arilam endorsed the remarks it Mr Morton

Mr Monhbousp moved an amenrlir»p^ incorporating Mr Morion's ivoLicm with *ho • following words added :--' That :\ ropy of the correspondence be fonvnr '- ed to the Health Department." X«» •aid he agreed with what Mr Mortoii }<ad said, but still the Health Department' was doing good work, and ihry should not flout them, even though thny had ma do a mistake.

Eventually the amendment was lost by five votes to four, and Mr Morton '^s motion carried. 1