As most of you know, PubDef.net is a side project for me. My day job is political consulting and campaign management. And right now is an incredibly busy time for me, with 18-hour days every day until E-Day. Not only am I managing the state senate campaign of Rep. Rodney Hubbard, but I am also a candidate myself for Democratic Committeeman of the 21st Ward.
Needless to say, I don’t have much time for side projects nowadays. But that being said, I’ll try to keep updating the site (with the help of my intern, Cengiz) as much as I can between now and Election Day, August 5th. Mostly with videos.
So keep visiting and keep commenting.
PS — If you care to make a contribution to my campaign, here’s my PayPal link. Thanks for your support.
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July 18th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Maybe you could sneak a video from one of the many recent “closed session” SAB meetings…that should generate some comments. Also, if you win how is PubDef affected?
July 18th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
During the long dramatic saga of the takeover of slps—beginning roughly in June and July of 2006, with the confrontation of Floyd Irons by Veronica, Bill, Peter Downs and ms Jones, which led to a resignation of superintendent Williams, who was replaced by Dr. Bourisaw, this was the place you came to get the most complete and wide ranging possibilities of what was actually taking place.
Mayor Slay seized the opportunity to use the firing of Irons with the accompanying resignation of Williams to demand a state takeover, and the public relations operation he was able to construct was masterful.
The actual substance of the justification for the takeover was caused by the people chosen by Slay; they were being replaced by the voters with the people who took action against Irons. (part of the justification was the frequent change of superintendents–the sab has remedied that by having three this year).
Little was said anywhere but here about the mysterious execution (12 bullets) in August of 2006 of 21 year old Tim Bacon, who had a family services report saying that he had been beaten by Irons when he was 15–he was apparently about to file a lawsuit regarding the incident just before the statute of limitations ran out.
For whatever reason, after that murder, Veronica O”brien changed sides–fully supporting the takeover, and trying hard to fire Superintendent Bourisaw. During the 2006-2007 school year, events moved inevitably in the direction Slay desired, and the takeover became official by the sab in June of 2007, even though the most important member of the 3—Rick Sullivan—was not approved by the legislature until early 2008. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Bourisaw declined the offer to get in line with all others to apply for the job she held. (Her two year stint was relatively long by slps standards).
Lately, information about slps has come mainly from two reporters at the Post Dispatch—Steve Gingrich and David Hunn.
Issues regarding inevitable choices of where to make cuts, who is and will be superintendent, the fiascos with a couple of Slay’s precious charter schools, including the texascan people hired by the same people who took over (against the recommendations of dr. Bourisaw) have not been covered very much at this site—
There are still big issues which demand attention—I am sure it is the hope of many that time will be found somehow to press for more information.
July 18th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
I should have mentioned that almost daily, the elected board reprints or offers whatever information it can find—pd stories, letters to the editor, and meetings.
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:04 am
elected board sent out a letter the pd has not yet printed–is there a joke about the ny times or john mccain to insert?—I guess not.
We need and deserve more than editorials
One should put some things into perspective while reading the Post-Dispatch’s End-Game editorial of July 16, 2008. First, the SAB took control after the citizens of the city had a newly elected Board in place. It is a Board that has experienced leaders as well as members who have children in the SLPS. (Note: None of the SAB members have a child in the SLPS.) Second, it is interesting that the Elected Board, no matter its issues, always worked for the students’ better interest … yet, the SAB is willing to “hand the keys to the state?” Is this a failure of their mission? (Note: The idea of “pass the kids” started with the state’s blessing of a “turn-around” team lead by William Roberti some years ago.) Third, if the SAB is worried about the falling revenues, perchance it should look into the rising number of charter schools. Fourth, and most importantly: If the state of Missouri cannot expect, as Mr. Gaines says, that the SAB should solve the deeply entrenched problems of urban education, who will deal with these issues?
If the SAB is only a time-holder for the near-collapse of the SLPS, the citizens of the City have every reason to wonder for what the SAB is responsible … other than its own preservation. If the State gets the SLPS “keys” back, it will not be for lack of good intentions on the part of the Elected Board, the talents of the teachers, nor the vision, talent and dedication of now-deposed superintendent, Dr. Diana Bourisaw.
We need and deserve more than editorials; we need and deserve a Federal review of what has happened in St. Louis City in the name of “Education.”
James Wiswall - SLPS high school teacher - retired.