SCHOOL TEACHER ABUSED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2316, 25 November 1914, Page 3

SCHOOL TEACHER ABUSED

BOARD TAKES ACTION. ' The following report from the secretary of the Wellington Education Board was read.'at yesterday's meeting of the board, and its publication authorised:— "The board recently received- from the headmaster of one of the largest City ' schools a report that a parent had entered tho school, and, in the hearing of the pupils in class nssemoled, had not only upbraided, in tho most abusive terms, a member of tie staff... for the punishment of his, boy, but bad even threatened him with personal violence. Having satisfied itself of the - fact through ' careful inquiry, the board instructed its solicitors to instituteproceedings under Section 168 of the Education Act, 1908, whioh reads: 'Any person who wilfully disturbs any sohool, or who upbraids, insults, . or abuses any teacher in the presence or hearing of the pupils assembled in 6chool, is liable to a fine not exceeding two pounds.' The Board is aware that action might have been taken bv'the teacher and by the Educational Institute, but it fconceived that as the body- charged with the administration of education in this district it should itself take proceedings. "Before the case was heard the parent had tendered to the teacher a sufficient apology in. writing, and this the board agreed to accept on his paying the costs. The parent had no grievance, but, assuming a case in which the parent had a grievance, evon then lb is not open to him to adopt the mode of redress to which the board has taken iexception. 'The man who. has a grievance will find our teachers courteous and ready to disouss, in a reasonable spirit, matters relating to school discipline; further,' he has a right of appeal first to the committee and then to the board, but to attack a- teacher within the precincts of the school is not open to him—grievance or no grievance. In the present instance it was open to the Board, to institute proceedings under a section which provides a much severer penalty, but a 6 the purpose of the board was not to inflict on the parent needless humiliation and expense,' but merely to vindicate the . right of the teacher to manage the school in a reasonable way, and to maintain reasonable discipline, it was considered tliat the course adopted would meet tho needs of the case. > '