“EDUCATION COUNCIL MERELY A BUFFER”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 156, 22 September 1927, Page 9

“EDUCATION COUNCIL MERELY A BUFFER”

CONSTITUTION ATTACKED LAYMEN FAIRER JUDGES ”T\7E may not be educationists* ’' but neither are the teachers, and it will be found that laymen are as good judges of what should be taught as the teachers.” This modest assertion was made by Mr. G. Brownlee, president of the Auckland School Committee’s Association, at the Quarterly meeting. He was speaking in support of the suggestion that there should be a greater representation of laymen on the Council of Education than at present. “The teachers are fine men and women,” said Air. Brownlee, “but their view on education matters is not always correct. THE CHILD’S POINT OF VIEW “There is far too great a representation of teachers on that council, and while they look at questions from the teacher’s point of view, we look at them from the child’s.' “There should be four lay members on the council,” said Mr. Brownlee. The Rev. W. C. Wood: The Council of Education is merely another buffer to ratify the decisions of the Education Department. “It is a ‘whitewashing’ process, and, as the Irishman says, it would be best improved by ending it.” Air. Brownlee then expressed the opinion that a layman should be head of the Education Department, because his freedom from learned bias would make for fairer decisions. It was decided to write to the Alinister of Education asking him to consider Air. Brownlee’s suggestion concerning the Council of Education.