SCHOOLS AND PARTY POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 236, 30 June 1920, Page 8

SCHOOLS AND PARTY POLITICS

BAD METHODS. (Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare .. League.) Prior to the- recent school committee elections we pointed out the danger of allowing/political parties to dominate.' A glaring .'examplb of this evil was witnessed at Lyall Bay. There the labour Party put forward an official Labour ticket (copy of which w&i have now before us), and it closes with these words: "Vote for Labour candidates .only." It is alleged that the election was conducted in a most irregular manner, and

that the chairman of the meeting.was dictatorial and unfair in- his rulings. After the election a petition _of protest was, we understand, sent in to the Education Boar'!. _ setting, out _ serious grounds of complaint and requesting that a, fresh election take place. The board fully investigated the charges which were made, and though we have ho means of knowing how many of t)ie charges were held by the board to be proven, the judgment went in'favour of the'petitioners. This clearly means that the political school committees practice, as fai- as the election went, was condemned. The board's decision, was that on account of ; ,the irregularities' arid informalities which had taken place tho election' be" declared null and void .and that a fresh election take place. The election of a : committee is therefore to take place at another meeting of householders. to be held on June 30. Wo trust all householders will attend on that occasion, appoint their own chairman, elect scrutineers, securo an exact report of the school's affairs, and, above all,elect a committee who will place the children's interests first, and the school affairs above party politics. This whole occurrence gives emphasis to ' the league's previous appeal to the householder against allowing party politics to dominate in such almost domestic affairs as school committee elections. ' In our opinion if. is a most trross evil that any political party should seek to secure a complete monopoly of the con--1 trol of school affairs, and it is narticu--1 larly objectionable to find people call--1 in? themselves Labour upholding a mon--1 opolist policy which all reasonable ! minded workers. condemn. Why should • householders' be asked .to vote for eeri tain men because thev, belong to a par- > ticulat political party? .The general pro- ! gramme of a political partv has nothing 1 to do with the affairs that a school " committee is called upon to administer.' ] Surely we have a wide enough field for J our party bickerings, strife, and personal i ambition without, forcing these things into the field'that concerns the children. ' It. looks cowardly to use the cliildrens' ' affairs in order to make rapital for any' : political party. If people want political . party squnbbles, for goodness sake let J them at least have the-decencv hot to ; dr.i'r the'children's concerns into it. Thp need is for householders on the i school committers who will work prnctic--5 allv unbiased by party prejudices for ; giving the children better school irrounds i and every facility for healthy develop- - m*nt. physically, mentally and morally, s The great danger is that 'by tlfeir s apathy the people may allow the wrong o th ! Kr'to occur, 0 We stromrly urge every householder in s the Lyall Bay district to f»t aside Wedi 1 nesday, June 30, and ,mako sure flint |] they attend the meeting. fl/Miiember it is ci .for the good of the children, and bo sure i- to attend and record your vote.