CHARGES AGAINST SCHOOL TEACHER

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 12 June 1917, Page 5

CHARGES AGAINST SCHOOL TEACHER

SCHOOL COMMITTEE INQUIRY

A case somewhat unusual for Tair

fhape came before the Taihape DisSchool Cimmittee at the monthly meeting, held last night, when the Rev. W. F. Stent preferred a complaint against a pupil teacher at tie Taihape School of having administered improper punishment to his son, a child of seven years, by pinching him on the arm and neck. There was a full attendance of the Committee® Mr. Thurston (Headmaster) was present, and the Rev. Mr. Stent, by request of the chairman, was also in attendance. It was decided that the proceedings should be open to the Press. Mr. Joblin occupied the chair, and briefly outlined the course the inquiry should take. He said the complaint had been referred by the Education Board to the Committee to deal with. Mr. Stent had spoken to him about the matter, and made the charge conscieniously, believing it to be true — of this he had no doubt whatever. He read tl« letter from Mr. Stent, in which the charges were made that

Miss Brodrick had pinched the boy on the neck and arm on May 16th, and pinching was particularly painful as the boy at the time was suffering from swollen glands in the neck, and was sufficiently severe to • have left a very noticeable bruise.. The chairman stated that a letter had been sent to the Headmaster, and his attention drawn to the. matter, notwithstanding which the child had been pinched again subsequently. He asked Mr. Stent to state his case before the Committee. The Rev. Mr. Stent said it was not

his wish to have the inquiry into his complaint take the form it had. There was no doubt the boy had been pinched very severely, and on the lad complaining of the punishment he had examined him and found a large bruise as a result of The pinching. He had questioned the hoy most carefully and was- told Miss Brodrick had done it, and cften pinches children. Questioned as to why .he did not complain before jthe hoy said he did not like to tell tales. In the face of this be felt justified in laying the complaint-and having the practice stopped. He had made very careful inquiries, and had received corroborative evidence from otlpr children. He ireaognised the difficulty of proving charges of this nature where children of six or seven years of age were concerned, and the reluctance of parents to lay complaints against teachers. He had no wish to prove the teacher cruel or untruthful. He had nothing to gain by the inquiry, otherwise he might have taken the matter to the Magistrate’s Court. In reply to a question, Mr. Stent said it was possible a child might he pinched on the back of the neck by another scholar and be none the wiser. He had himself seen the teacher punish the child, which was a contravention of the regulations. On passing the school on Thursday, 15th May, he had seen the teacher hit the child with a ruler sufficiently hard to make a bruise. This was at drill in front of the school, which he considered was a breach of the rules, which allowed no pupil teacher to administer corporal punishment. In laying his complaint he never anticipated the matter would take somewhat the 0

form of a magisterial inquiry. Mr. Joblin said they could not allaw a charge be made and let it slide, and any complaint laid must be fully investigated. Mr. Joblin (turning to Miss Brodric&J;: Did you on any occasion, pinch Mr.'Stent’s child?

Miss BVodrick (with decision): No. I have never pinched the child nor taken him by the arm, even playfully. I cannot recollect ever having a ruler

in my hand. Mr. Stent; I have seen a ruler in her hand repeatedly. Mr. Joblin: Do you consider your child was singled out for special treatment?

Mr. Stent declined to express an opinion. Anyhow the treatment complained of was meted out to his child Further pressed by the chairman he did not think his child was exceptionally treated.

Mr. Joblin: If the treatment complained of is general it is strange we have had no complaints from the other parents?

Mr. Stent said that was easily explained. Parents were very loath to complain, as it might affect their children’s school life. Mr. Thurston said he would like to explain what he knew Mr. Stent’s complaint. On Wedi?jday, 16th May, Mr. Stent complained that one of the teachers had pinched his hoy on the neck and on the arm, andjthat pinch on the arm had left a bruise -rffe told Mr. Stent he would inquire into the matter. On the day following he asked the teacher in charge of the

infant department during Miss Me

Donell’s absence, and under whose supervision the teacher complained of works, to tell the pupil teachers that he had received a complaint, and that he would like to talk to them about it later on. While in the playground on Thursday he had a talk with the boy Stent, and questioned him about the ill-treatment he had received from his teacher. The boy assured Him that the teacher had not on any occasion pinched him on the arm, but that once, a long time ago, she had pinched him on the neck. On Friday, in his office, he spoke to the pupil teachers about the matter, when Miss Brcdrick denied •having pinched th® boy or ill-treated him at all. He then told them that the Board’s regulations forbade them to administer corporal

punishment in any shape or form. He

told them not to put a hand on any child] 'and if any child should prove troublesome and require correction to send it to the infant mistress or the head teacher, to be dealt with. Durin gthe next two days Miss Brodriclc had occasion to send the boy Stent to the infant mistress for correction. On Wednesday morning he received a letter from Mr. Stent. Ho intended writing to Mr. Stent with regard to the complaint, explaining the position and asking him to come to the school ana question the lad in the presence of his teacher and himself. • However, from various circumstances, Mr. Thurston said, it appeared to him that Mr. Stent had satisfied Mr. Joblin the child had been ill-treated; all that

was necessary was to pass sentence on and punish the teacher. Therefore, in justice to himself ,the school, and the teacher, he had asked for an inquiry into the matter by the School Committee. The sticks (or rulers) complained cf by Mr. Stent were “pointers” supplied by the Education Board, and if a teacher used one as a cane Then certainly the regulations had been broken, and he would be the first to reprimand a teacher so misus-

ing it. Mr. Stent said the teachers had frequently stated that if children did not bring a pencil or a book .they would get the strap. If the teachers did not seem as if there was any illbeen stated, this was simply an idle threat. ' '

Mr. Thurston said if the teachers said this it was a very foolish thing to say. He might mention that the. attendance at the school at present was 96 per cent., which to his mind did not seem as i fthere was any illtreatment of the little ones. Mr. Stent said he had no desire to punish the teachers; his action was prompted solely for the welfare of the children.

The Committee then proceeded to discuss the evidence given, and after a very careful consideration of the matter the following resolution was moved and carried unanimously: “That the charge made to the Committee by the Rev. W. F. Stent has not been Sustained.” The incident then closed.

FOOTBALL NOTES

The selectors of the Taihapc Football team have selected the following to lower the colours of the “Has Beens” next Saturday:—Collier, McSweeney, McDermott, Windsor, Fitzsimmons, Waller, Marphy, Waters, Feasey, Chase, Maher, McDonnell, Takarangi, Connolly, Easton, Murphy, MrTnteer, and W. Collins.

The Taihape team is strengthened by the inclusion of Collier, otherwise it is the same that defeated Ohakune easily and drew with Taumarunui. Provided the team plays the open game and keep the “Has-Beens” on the run, they should maintain their unbeaten record.

They have the advantage of two games together and the backs play with combination in attack and safely in defence.

The forwards whilst lighter than their opponents will not be lacking in dash and .should outshine the opposing pack in the loose.

Each side is confident of success and the public are assured of a good exhibition of football;, even if that of the “Has-Beens’ ’ will be a bit out of date.