| Show mj ija I 1 2 3 19 CON or fl EX P LA I 1 a E 0 seek the removal of state school superintendent from politics utah vo voters are arc being asked to study amendments 1 2 and 3 to the state constitution on which they will vote at the election november 3 the amendments are non partisan in character since both major political parties in their platform of 1934 pledged themselves selves s to work for the removal of the state superintendent of schools from politics the last legislature almost unanimously and without regard to party lines approved these amendments dr C N jensen former superintendent in of public instruction said in his last biennial report Id 32 we agree with the view that the stale superintendent or state commissioner of education should be appointed by a board rather than to be subjected to the upheavals of a partisan election the present incumbent superintendent chaales H skidmore in his report of 1934 recommended the same policy leading educators school officials and teachers generally both in utah and throughout the united states have consistently advocated making the state superintendent a professional leader subject to a board of education in 1926 utah spent approximately for a survey of our schools by the U S department of education among the strong recommendations made was the removal of the state superintendent of schools from partisan politics in conformity with modem ideals and progressive practice in 1934 the investigating committee of the utah governmental units also recommended this change the present constitutional and statutory ly provisions provide divided and contradictory responsibility from the administration of the schools article VII section I 1 of tho the constitution makes the state superintendent an officer of the state government while article X section 8 states the general control and supervision of the public school system shall be vested in a state board of education the school laws of 1933 state that the state superintendent shall be charged with the administration of the system of public instruction and with general of the district schools of the state but the same law provides that the general control and supervision er of the public school system is vested in the state board of education the proposed constitutional tut ional amendment would place this responsibility on the state board of education the state board of education would in turn select a superintendent of schools to be its chief executive officer it is believed that a state board of education selected in a non parti san manner representing all sections of the state at present by conventions of local school board members within judicial districts can secure the best possible leadership for the public schools of utah free from partisan control and frequent change this would perm permit it a sound progressive educational policy to be carried forward in the state without interruptions caused by political uncertainties |
