MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 148, 18 March 1939, Page 7

MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS

Institute’s Views “STAFFING SCHEDULE OUT OF STEP” Members of the general public—and even a good many teachers —must have been puzzled by recent newspaper references to the “married women teacher problem,” as it has come to be called, states an article in “National Education,” the journal of the New Zealand Educational Institute. Over and over again, specially during the past few years, the cry has been raised that there are not nearly enough teachers available to bring about that reduction in the size of classes which everyone has agreed is necessary for a realistic education. Now, all of a sudden it is "discovered” once more that married women are "blocking the avenues of promotion” and otherwise obstructing the path of a progressive education system. As things are there is a certain limited measure of truth in such statements ; it is true for instance that married women are holding permanent positions while other trained and capable young teachers are in the relieving and supernumerary ranks. But it is not true that there is insufficient work to absorb all the available teachers into full-time permanent positions while there are still classes of 50 children and over. What stands in the way of the absorption into parmanent employment of far more teachers than are available is a mere ‘’scrap of paper,” a staffiing schedule that has got out of step with modern requirements even allowing for the more generous “staffing on roll” granted by the Government last year. The salaries committee drew up a new staffing schedule which more nearly approached the ideal and lack of teachers precluded its being put into operation at the time. If the position is half as bad as some education board members have indicated that they believe it to be, then the obvious remedymust be to bring the new schedule, or part of it, into operation at once. Iu its entirety it would leave gaps impossible to fill at the moment, but there is nothing to prevent its being brought into force, piece by piece when, as now, there is need for it, thus absorbing the present poorly-paid, so-called “supernumerary teachers” into permanent positions. • With the regret expressed by an education board member that the board did not now have power ®to give notice to quit to girls who marry” the Institute has no sympathy. Within the ranks of the institute and in every progressive organization outside of it a teacher is a teacher, and efficiency as such is the only criterion of her fitness to remain in the profession. Ln no other profession is this peculiar distinction between married and single women made; the sooner it is dropped the better.

BOARDS’ VIEWS Return Of Discretionary Powers Wanted By Telegraph—Press Association. CHRISTOHURCH, March 17. The restriction of young men from completing country service in schools because of the employment of married women teachers was discussed in committee at today’s meeting of the Canterbury Education Board. The matter arose when a letter was read from the secretary of the New Zealand Education Boards’ Association, Mr. W. I. Deavoll, quoting a letter received from the Southland Education Board, which stated: — “Under the new salaries regulations all teachers are required to complete three years’ country service before they are eligible to apply for A grade positions. Women teachers are able to obtain this service in sole or assistant positions, but men are restricted to sole positions. Since the 1938 amendment two women teachers iu this district have married and have remained in the service. One is in a sole position with a residence. This teacher is not likely to seek promotion, and is consequently further restricting young men from completing country service. It is expected that further cases of this description will occur.” Before the passing of the Act in 1938, individual education boards had the power to determine _ whether woman teachers, when married, could remain in the service. The Southland board, in its letter to the New Zealand association, said it was of opinion that the discretionary powers should be reintroduced.

Members of the Canterbury board approved of the Southland letter.