CLAUSE FIVE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 19 November 1927, Page 4

CLAUSE FIVE

EDUCATION AMENDMENT BILL. RESENTED BY TEACHERS. Much indignation is being felt, and expressed, by the teachers of the Hastings schools—and no doubt by the teachers of the whole of Hawke’s Bay— at the action of the Government in including Clause 5 in the Education Bill at present before ParLament. This clause states that— The Board may, with the approval of the Minister, inflict a fine, not exceeding ten pounds, on any teacher guilty of wilful disobedience to any lawful command or of neglect of duty, and such fine may be deducted by the Board srom any salary payable to the teacher. Teachers feel that this clause casts an unwarranted slur on the character and record of the service, and is not in keeping with the dignity of the 1 profession. They contend that the Minister of Education has been illadvised in allowing such a clause to be introduced into the Bill. There is quite sufficient machinery in the Education Act and Regulations to control the service without the necessity of placing teachers in the same fategory as criminals. Teachers already feel that they are overgoverned, and the attempt to place such an act on the Statute Book will estrange the whole teaching profession.

It is to be hoped that Cabinet will remove the obnoxious clause and prevent a feeling of resentment from permeating the education service.