"Breakfast and Forum on Political Tests for Teachers"
Item
You are Cordially Invited
to a Breakfast and Forum
on Political Tests for Teachers
at the ALDINE CLUB
200 Fifth Avenue (at 23rd Street) Sunday, April 27, 1941 — 10 A.M.
Subscription One Dollar
Brief talks by representative members of academic and civic life will introduce general discussion. Those
already suspended or dismissed from positions at City College will be invited to contribute information and
comment.
BASIS OF DISCUSSION
Tension and fear developing out of a war situation have enabled the Rapp-Coudert Legislative Committee and
its supporters to make an unprecedented attack upon public education and academic freedom. Many within the
academic world are meeting this threat with increasing effectiveness. The Board of Higher Education, however,
has passed a resolution which sets up political qualifications for teachers:
“Resolved that it is the purpose of the Board of Higher Education not to
retain as members of the collegiate staffs members of any Communist,
Fascist or Nazi group or society, or to retain any individual who, or
member of any group which, advocates, advises, teaches or practices
subversive doctrines or activities.”
Notoriously, similar resolutions have been the bases for attack on all independent thought. Already teachers are
being dismissed or suspended at City College. While it is not our purpose to defend any political philosophy
whatsoever, we wish to affirm, and hope that you will join us in affirming, the rights of teachers to be judged for
their private and public acts or opinions only by those means or standards used to judge all citizens.
—— SPONSORS ———_-
CIVIC LEADERS SAUL MILLS : : COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
BERNICE ABBOTT Sec'y ClO Industrial Council, NYC | RUTH BENEDICT HENRY PRATT FAIRCHILD
Photographer ISOBEL WALKER SOULE DOROTHY BREWSTER T. C. SCHNEIRLA
MURIEL DRAPER etizan L. C. DUNN ROBERT K. SPEER
Cita JOSEPHINE TIMMS Eee eee EDA LOU WALTON
DASHIELL HAMMETT cota ge Comm, Assn.. C10 | ee eC” MITCHELL WALTER S. SCHLAUCH
BEneh National Negro Congress WALTER RAUTENSTRAUCH
JEROME KLEIN J. RUSSELL SMITH HELEN M. LYND
Art Critic CITY COLLEGE HENRY R. WELLS Sarah Lawrence College
GEORGE MARSHALL doen annes HUNTER COLLEGE LOUISE ROSENBLATT
itizen ' DI rooklyn olege
CLIFFORD T. McAVOY ABRAHAM EDEL ay eat PGES OSCAR H. SHAFTEL
Deputy Commiss., Dept. of Welfare | EDWARD ROSEN V. J. McGILL Queens College
LEWIS MERRILL HARRY W. RUDMAN BERNARD F. REISS HARRY F. WARD
Pres. UOPWA, ClO MARK WALDMAN LOUIS WEISNER Union Theological Seminary
—_————
Send checks for tickets to Horace L. Friess, secretary of sponsoring committee, Room 1805, 104 Fifth Avenue, New York City
Graz
to a Breakfast and Forum
on Political Tests for Teachers
at the ALDINE CLUB
200 Fifth Avenue (at 23rd Street) Sunday, April 27, 1941 — 10 A.M.
Subscription One Dollar
Brief talks by representative members of academic and civic life will introduce general discussion. Those
already suspended or dismissed from positions at City College will be invited to contribute information and
comment.
BASIS OF DISCUSSION
Tension and fear developing out of a war situation have enabled the Rapp-Coudert Legislative Committee and
its supporters to make an unprecedented attack upon public education and academic freedom. Many within the
academic world are meeting this threat with increasing effectiveness. The Board of Higher Education, however,
has passed a resolution which sets up political qualifications for teachers:
“Resolved that it is the purpose of the Board of Higher Education not to
retain as members of the collegiate staffs members of any Communist,
Fascist or Nazi group or society, or to retain any individual who, or
member of any group which, advocates, advises, teaches or practices
subversive doctrines or activities.”
Notoriously, similar resolutions have been the bases for attack on all independent thought. Already teachers are
being dismissed or suspended at City College. While it is not our purpose to defend any political philosophy
whatsoever, we wish to affirm, and hope that you will join us in affirming, the rights of teachers to be judged for
their private and public acts or opinions only by those means or standards used to judge all citizens.
—— SPONSORS ———_-
CIVIC LEADERS SAUL MILLS : : COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
BERNICE ABBOTT Sec'y ClO Industrial Council, NYC | RUTH BENEDICT HENRY PRATT FAIRCHILD
Photographer ISOBEL WALKER SOULE DOROTHY BREWSTER T. C. SCHNEIRLA
MURIEL DRAPER etizan L. C. DUNN ROBERT K. SPEER
Cita JOSEPHINE TIMMS Eee eee EDA LOU WALTON
DASHIELL HAMMETT cota ge Comm, Assn.. C10 | ee eC” MITCHELL WALTER S. SCHLAUCH
BEneh National Negro Congress WALTER RAUTENSTRAUCH
JEROME KLEIN J. RUSSELL SMITH HELEN M. LYND
Art Critic CITY COLLEGE HENRY R. WELLS Sarah Lawrence College
GEORGE MARSHALL doen annes HUNTER COLLEGE LOUISE ROSENBLATT
itizen ' DI rooklyn olege
CLIFFORD T. McAVOY ABRAHAM EDEL ay eat PGES OSCAR H. SHAFTEL
Deputy Commiss., Dept. of Welfare | EDWARD ROSEN V. J. McGILL Queens College
LEWIS MERRILL HARRY W. RUDMAN BERNARD F. REISS HARRY F. WARD
Pres. UOPWA, ClO MARK WALDMAN LOUIS WEISNER Union Theological Seminary
—_————
Send checks for tickets to Horace L. Friess, secretary of sponsoring committee, Room 1805, 104 Fifth Avenue, New York City
Graz
Title
"Breakfast and Forum on Political Tests for Teachers"
Description
This flier promotes a breakfast forum discussing the Board of Higher Education's then recently passed resolution designed to "set up political qualifications for teachers." The resolution was adopted amidst the ongoing Rapp-Coudert Committee hearings which sought to rid New York's public schools of subversive influences, namely those with communist sympathies. The committee's creation was driven largely by rising anti-communist sentiment following the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939.
Among the list of sponsors for this event were photographer Berenice Abbott and author Dashiell Hammett, as well as instructors from various colleges across New York City.
Among the list of sponsors for this event were photographer Berenice Abbott and author Dashiell Hammett, as well as instructors from various colleges across New York City.
Contributor
Smith, Carol
Creator
Sponsoring Committee
Date
April 27, 1941
Language
English
Rights
Obtained from Contributor - Copyright Unknown
Source
CCNY Archives & Special Collections
Original Format
Flier / Leaflet (1 or 2 page handout)
Sponsoring Committee. Letter. “‘Breakfast and Forum on Political Tests for Teachers’.”, CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, accessed March 10, 2026, https://stephenz.tailc22a4b.ts.net/s/cdha/item/539