TEACHERS "FETTERED AND MUZZLED"

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2208, 22 July 1914, Page 9

TEACHERS "FETTERED AND MUZZLED"

, A DEFENCE LEAGUE STORY WHAT A SCHOOL INSPECTOR SAYS [Published by Arrangement.! Tho National Schools Defence League recently published, in Leaflet No. -7, some remarkable statements concerning tho; experience with Bible lessons in New South Wales. State schools. Theso were exposed at the time,.but;here is ■further testimony: : Air. .A.--'Lobban, late Senior '■ Inspector of Schools, New South Wales, 45 year's in the Education Department, ■ writes:— ' . "I am surprised to hear that doubt has boon cast by the opponents of - Scripture lessons in the Stato schools '' of Now Zealand on tho testimony of ■ officers, inspectors, and teachers of the Department of Public Instruction in New South Wales as published in pamphlet form by the New Zealand Bible- | in-State Schools League. ! The teaohers. whoso opinions are given in that pamphlet were scattered all over.Now ■."South Wales and represent membership of all! the' loading religious denominations. .; • '■• ; ; ''From an intimate acquaintance with teaohers in New South Wales for more than half a, century, I can say that as. : a body, they .have,, and still, do, exercise > .'marked influence for good', in their, respective spheres of usefulness. That they have been influenced in any way, by official coercion or even suggestion is an utterly unfounded, assumption. ,•' ' "The replies given by them were in ao way official, having' been supplied in answer to inquiries furnished by gen-; • tlemen' who wore : personally unknown to most of them. The people of New Zealand, may rest assured- 'that ..the . teachers of New South Wales value the Scripture lessons they - give to their pupils, and cordially welcome the clergymen who attend and give special religious instruction, while the great majority of the parents regard this feature of our education system as a price- . loss boon. • . .. '. -. ■ "It may'not ; be known in New Zealand that the New South. Wales public school Jeachers are in no way hampered by severe' regulations as to personal I ■ or religious duties and no objection has 1 ever .been made to teachers occupying positions as teachers or. superintendents of; Sunday schools.' There is a Teachers? Association *in "New South Wales which has ;in .existence for many years; and there is'also .a Teachers' Union which is of later origin.' Both these bodies meet and discuss ' educational matters and Departmental rules . - with unrestricted freedom, and criticise defects. which they ; believe ;to ! ": exist either in the administration -of the De-' part-ment or its regulations;, but neither association hjis.ever hinted at any objection to the, reading :of Scripturo' lessons in the schools or the'visits, of ■clergymen to give special ■ religious in- . struction..- Several.teachers have gone 1 Into Parliament, but not one. cf theso " has ever. hinted- at 'an alteration of the Public Schools Act in regard to religious instruction. On the other hand,.many,teachers,who have retired : from service/. both male and female, devote a considerable portion-.of their: leisure to giving special religious instruction in connection . with: the churches to which they;belong,;in the schools in thei,V neighbourhood.".■•> •/■«- ■ "I have retired from .the Educational Department, of this State;-but I can . '•itever,;,.cease .to. appreciate. •. tho . high : character of-tho great body of teachors and their loyal, faithful and-efficient V service. .-' • ....'■ - ' - ."(Signed) - A, LOBBAN, - "Wirrimbi, Wentworth-Road/ "Vaucluse,. Sydney, N.S.W., - • . ''29th June,'l9l4.'V • ; . THE , CONSCIENCE CLAUSE FOR TEACHERS., . ,Tho Wairarapa "Times" of 11th inst., in an editorial notej writes:— ' "Much noise has been made by teaoh■crs and others over, thei;necessity of a conscience clause for teachers-in oon-, nection with the -proposed Bible-feading - lessons in our State schools. It does not, appear to us that the conscience 1 clauso for-teachers is either necessary or-desirable. It is not necessary;for the simple reason that the teacher is not, required, as far as we can judge, • to give anything but the pure mechanism of a leading lesson. In fact, he' or she is forbidden to do otherwise, and is, certainly expressly; forbidden 'to give any .religious instruction. Now, if the teachers of the country are to take up tho position'that they cannot superintend.- the teaching of'any lesson save those in which they have conscientious belief, we may as well close up half the institutions of .learning in the land. ; teacher of'.philosophy, if he' is : a tneist; cannot teach theories, of terialism in the,-various forms in which ~ thoy have been presented in the history of philosophy, The teacher of science in every One-"of -its branches of chcmistry, physcics, biology, psychol T f.cy, astronomy, and geology must be silent upon.overy theory advanced in ' --l , anc ' living in the present with which lie does not conscientiously agree. Furthermore, the proposed safeis not desirable in the interests of _the teacher. It gives his completo : independence as far as the parents are concerned. Suppose a teacher in a district where 75 per cent, of the parents desiro such lessons for their children, refuses ; such, on ground of conscience. Ho at once brings himself into an invidious position by the conscience clauso, particularly if he .follows a , teacher who had', formerly given the instruction. If; however, lie can say: I have 110 alternative; theso are my orders,' lie is at oiico placed in a position of independence. '"The abscnco ,of a conscionce ilause "je safeguarding ,of . the teacher. Furthermore, he cannot antagonise parenfcs who do not desire the reading leasons, because they havo the right to . withdraw their children from both reading lesson and special relictions instruction by the ministers. The conscience , ; clause provided seems to us the only conscience clauso necessary and desirable—the "conscience' olaiise for the parents.",.., /

REFERENDUM BILL,

("Hansard," Vol. 128, p. 106, Julv 1 : 19010 ' The Right Honi Mr. SEDDON (Pr&mier): Sir, in moving the second reading of this JSill I desire to place before the House the views of the Government upon .the measure. I. feel sure that the Bill will be passed., It is practically the Bill of last year. It is a measure that has been askod for by the country. IT HAS BEEN PASSED BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE, AND, WITH SLIGHT MODIFICATIONS, HAS BEEN TWICE REJECTED BY,ANOTHER PLACE. As to its being sound in principlo regarding given questions going direct to tho people, there is no member of the House who will deny that. Members must admit that to submit questions'diroct to the people is proper in ?, self-governing country like Now Zealand. The statement that there is anything to-fear from the electors'in respect to this, or. giving them tho power to'decide questions, is, to iny mind chimerical. Wo lmvo had' tho opinion of the people direct on given subjects, and have it at every general election; and I myself fail to seo grounds -for the fears that are expressed by many in reference to submitting direct to the people what is provided for under this Bill.- ; . Before I come to what'l think has lod.

to the introduction of the Referendum Bill in the past, I would like to say that there are one or - two questions ■ which I think should be referred to the people. One quostion above all others is as to whether there should 1 be Bible reading in> our public schools. ' I myself have ever been, and remain, a, steadfast believer in our liational system, aud I'would bo the last to do anything, or be a party to doing anything, that would jeopardise that great, boon which has been conferred upon the masses of the colony. I am only the servant of the people, and for me to say that 1 would refuse, or had the power of refusing, to the people the right to have this mattor referred direct to them—lf ,1 were to take up that attitude, I ccrtainly would be placing myself In an invidious position. I should not be doing my duty, either to the country or to the high position whioh I occupy. There Is no necessity for : me to go into the question fbr or against ' the principle that has been asked shoujd bo referred to the .people. , All that this Bill would do, if either, the Bill is passed'or if resolutions were, passed—tlie machinery provided in thiß. Bill would allow such matters to go to the people'. ■