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State Senator Maida Coleman (D-St. Louis City) today voted against the reappointment of Peter Herschend of Branson to the State Board of Education. Coleman spoke against the nomination for more than 40 minutes in committee Wednesday and for nearly an hour on the Senate floor today before he was eventually confirmed by the Republican-controlled senate.
She released this statement afterwards:
“In the committee hearing yesterday, Mr. Herschend told me I should be embarrassed of my school district,” Sen. Coleman said.
“I think Mr. Herschend should be embarrassed that he has decided to play politics with the children of my district. He should be embarrassed that he callously disenfranchised the citizens of my district by turning control of the St. Louis School District over to the state.”
In March 2007, the St. Louis Public Schools lost their accreditation when the State Board of Education voted 5-1 to rescind the accreditation after concluding that the district had met only four of the state's 14 academic performance measures. Peter Herschend was serving as President of the State Board of Education when the decision to strip the school district of local control was made.
At the time the state board voted to classify the St. Louis Public Schools as unaccredited, several other school districts possessed 2006 Annual Performance Review ratings that were equal to or below the scores assigned to the St. Louis City School District.
“It makes me wonder why Mr. Herschend has taken no action to reclassify other low-performing school districts,” Sen. Coleman said. “There seems to be no apprehension by Mr. Herschend or the Board that they are disenfranchising the voters of a predominantly black city. We are still forced to pay taxes, so we have taxation without representation.”
Additionally, Sen. Coleman expressed reservations about any person serving such a lengthy term on a state board or commission. Peter Herschend has served on the State Board of Education for 16 years, and with his confirmation by the Senate today, will serve another eight years on the board.
“Is it a good idea to allow anyone to sit on what is arguably the most important board in state government for 24 years?” Sen. Coleman asked her colleagues on the Senate floor today.
“If someone were to serve the maximum amount of time in the General Assembly, they could only serve 16 years. If the citizens of Missouri think it’s a good idea to limit the terms of their elected representatives, surely the length of service of an unelected official should be limited as well, especially one who wields so much influence over our children’s education.”
Members of the Missouri Senate affirmed the reappointment of Herschend to the State Board of Education today on a voice vote.
St. Louis Public Schools has scheduled four community forums next week to hear public comments regarding the preliminary recommendations for school reconfigurations and consolidations. Here are the dates and times:
Monday, February 11 at 6 p.m. Lexington Elementary, 5030 Lexington Ave.
Tuesday, February 12 at 6 p.m. Wyman Elementary, 1547 S. Theresa Ave.
Wednesday, February 13 at 6 p.m. Walbridge Elementary, 5000 Davison Ave.
Thursday, February 14 at 6 p.m. Blow Middle, 516 Loughborough Ave.
As part of the preliminary plan, the district is considering the closing of several schools. They are:
Mitchell (students move to Hamilton)
Gundlach (students move to Ford, Lexington and Laclede)
Wilkinson ECC (move program to Roe)
Shenandoah (students move to Wyman)
Simmons (students move to Hickey, Cote Brilliante and Farragut)
Lyons (students move to Blow)
Mark Twain (students move to Walbridge)
Meramec (students move to Monroe and Froebel)
The proposal also includes reopening Carver School as a pre-kindergarten to fifth-grade school.
Public comments may also be submitted online at www.slps.org, by calling (314) 331-6100, or by writing to: Operations Division, St. Louis Public Schools, 801 N. 11th St., St. Louis, MO 63101.
Peter Downs, President of the St. Louis Board of Education, today expressed disappointment that Cole County Circuit Court Judge Richard Callahan upheld the State's takeover of St. Louis Public Schools.
"We were all aware that Judge Callahan had a record of ruling against education for children in Missouri, but it was still hard not to hope that this time would be different," Downs said. "So, although this ruling was expected, it is still disappointing. This was never about us as board members, this was about fighting for better schools for city children."
Noting that most of the members of the present board were elected on promises to stop the demolition of public education that began in 2003, Downs said the state board of education took control of the district to continue the process of demolition.
"The reports from the state board of education, and the comments of top Republicans like Rod Jetton, made very clear that their chief goals for St. Louis were to close schools and cut spending for they wanted cheaper education, not better education. The state-appointed board's proposed school closings show that they are following that mandate," he said.
"In the coming weeks, we have to decide what are our best strategies for blocking continued cuts and fighting for quality education," he added.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which includes individuals and the St. Louis Board of Education, have 30 days in which to decide if they want to appeal the decision. Downs said he expects the school board will decide at its meeting on February 12 whether it will join an appeal of Callahan's decision. That meeting will be at Carr Lane Middle School, 1004 N. Jefferson Ave.
For the second time, State Senator Jeff Smith has decided not to support Gov. Matt Blunt's appointment to the state board of education.
“As I noted when his appointment was first announced, Derio Gambaro has been a dedicated public servant for a decade, from his tenure in the state House to his work on the Election Board. He continued this work as a diligent and thorough member of the State Board of Education.
“However, given the specificity with which I outlined my opposition to the governor's earlier appointee from the 4th District, I was disappointed that the administration chose the same path. These appointees have vocally supported school vouchers and the consideration of religious theories of human origin in public school settings. While I continue to support public school choice, I fear that the aforementioned positions may breach the separation of church and state, and I cannot sponsor nominees who advocate them.
“I thank Mr. Gambaro for his service in the interim, and hope to have the opportunity to work with the governor's office to help find a suitable replacement.”
Gambaro, a former state representative, was one of Smith's opponents when he was elected in 2005 in a five-person race. Smith also opposed Blunt's previous appointment to the Board of Education,Donayle Whitmore-Smith
Because Gambaro lives in Smith's district, according to senate custom, Smith's support is needed for Gambaro's appointment to be confirmed by the senate.
Gambaro has served on the Board of Education since June 2007. His nomination was briefly withdrawn in August to avoid a senate vote.
The appointed Special Administrative Board running St. Louis Public Schools will hold a special board meeting Thursday at 2:00 P.M. at the offices of Lewis, Rice & Fingersh, L.C., Attorneys at Law, 500 N. Broadway, Suite 2000.
The SAB will immediately go into executive session. The agenda is as follows:
Concerned parents (and interested reporters) may have a tough time keeping up with the boards of St. Louis Public Schools Tuesday. Both boards — the elected one and the appointed one — will be meeting Tuesday for four sessions.
First, the real estate committee of the Special Administrative Board (SAB) will meet at 3:00 p.m. at the Administration Building, 801 N. 11th Street, in the Foundation Room.
The SAB will meet again at 6:00 p.m., also at 801, for a regular meeting. That meeting will be immediately followed by a closed executive session to discuss legal, real estate and personnel matters.
The elected school board, which was stripped of most of its powers last year by the Missouri Board of Education, will be meeting at 7:00 p.m. at Carr Lane VPA Middle School, 1004 N. Jefferson Ave.
On June 15, the State Board of Education snatched control of St. Louis Public Schools out of the hands of the elected school board and handed it over to a three-person board headed by a Chesterfield real estate developer appointed by the governor.
In March, students staged a five-day sit-in protest of Mayor Francis Slay's office opposing the pending takeover of St. Louis Public Schools, which Slay supported.
The Special Administrative Board of St. Louis Public Schools will hold a Special Board Meeting on Friday at the Administrative Building, 801 N. 11th Street, Room 108. The Special Board Meeting will begin at 2:00 p.m. and is open to the public. The agenda is as follows:
The opponents of the takeover of St. Louis Public Schools are having another fundraising concert tomorrow to raise money to fund their legal fight.
The benefit concert for the "Save Our Children’s Education Fund" will be on Saturday from 2:00 to 6:00 PM at the Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester Rd, in "The Grove" neighborhood.
Musical talent slated to jam the afternoon away include: The Black Notes with The Raw Earth Experience, The Ivory Coast Drummers, and DJs Toby and Britton.
Tickets are $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for children.
The mayor's education liaison's PR event with a group of St. Louis Public Schools students Friday got a little too real when a parent asked why recently air conditioned schools were closed and sold off by the past school board supported by Mayor Francis Slay.
Robyn Wahby told parent Yolanda Nelson that the mayor's office had nothing to do with that decision, that it was entirely the decision of the school district, a separate government entity.
Despite Wahby's assertion to a parent, the mayor's office — through Wahby — was indeed very much involved in decisions made by the school boards of 2003 through 2006, including big ones like:
the decision to hire a $425 per hour New York-based corporate "turn-around" firm to run the district for a year;
the decision to close 16 schools (mostly in north St. Louis); and
the decision to outsource the district's food service and maintenance.
Last week at a press conference in city hall, parents angry at the results of Mayor Francis Slay's years of involvement with the city's public schools joined with organizers of the effort to remove him from office.
The group is angry about Slay's new plan to rapidly expand the number of charter schools in the city. Charter schools are funded by St. Louis Public Schools, which is mandated to pay the schools based on their number of students.
"There has been approximately $60 million diverted from the St. Louis Public Schools," said State Rep. Jamilah Nasheed. "If we want to fix the St. Louis Public Schools we can not continue to take from the St. Louis Public Schools."
Board member Richard Gaines assured parents and the public that top dollar will be sought for these buildings and that the properties would not be given away or sold for fractions of their value as previous school boards have done.
VIDEO: City Schools to Examine Bringing Food Services Back In-House
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Friday, November 16, 2007 at 8:10 AM
At its regular meeting last night, the Special Administrative Board of St. Louis Public Schools voted to contract with the Council of Great City Schools to determine the exact cost of bring the district's food services back in-house.
Board member Richard Gaines, who has long questioned the wisdom of the 2003-2004 school board and former superintendent Bill Roberti's decision to outsource food services, said that traditionally food service has always been a source of profit for the district. The other, more important issue, he said, is nutrition.
"The other issue for us must always be nutrition," said Gaines.
At its regular meeting last night, the Special Administrative Board of St. Louis Public Schools announced the creation of a new Comprehensive Planning Committee, which will begin to look at long-term planning options for the troubled school district. The committee will be headed by board member Richard Gaines.
Of the more than 32,000 students that attend St. Louis Public Schools, only slightly more than 4,000 of them are white. Despite whites making up only 14% of the district population, two out of every five seats in some of the city's best schools — top-performing magnet schools — are reserved for white children. And because so few of their parents are choosing to send their kids to SLPS, many of those seats go unfilled, despite the fact that waiting lists of black students wanting to attend these good schools grow longer every year.
Yesterday, at a public meeting of parties in the Liddell v. The Board of Education case (the historic desegregation case which led to 15 years of court-ordered busing between city and suburban districts), teachers union president Mary Armstrong asked the parties if they would consider releasing those empty seats to black students whose families are desperate for better educational opportunities.
Armstrong said many of those families choose charter schools because they are turned away from SLPS magnets, costing the district millions of dollars every year.
In this exclusive video Armstrong mentions Mayor Francis Slay's plan to aggressively expand the number of charter schools in the city, which will put further economic strain on the district. And attorney William L. Taylor, the lead lawyer in the desegregation case, asks Armstrong her position on pay-for-performance plans for teachers.
State Rep. Jane Cunningham (R-Chesterfield) will be holding a press conference Wednesday to announce a schedule of investigative hearings and legislation to address the AP findings and Missouri's disproportionately high ranking.
A victim will be sharing her personal story of sexual abuse by a teacher who is still teaching in Missouri. PTA representatives will be on hand to alert parents and teachers of the importance of parent involvement and learning the "red flags" for spotting sexual abuse.
The press conference is tomorrow, Nov. 14, at 10:30 AM in the House Lounge of the state capitol.
SLPS Student Accuses Teacher of "Inappropriate Behavior"
By Gabe Bullard
Filed
Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 4:39 PM
A Gateway Elementary student has accused a teacher of misconduct. Details have not yet been released, but the teacher has been suspended.
From Superintendent Diana Bourisaw:
A student in the St. Louis Public Schools has accused a district employee of inappropriate behavior. Because this is a sensitive matter involving a student and teacher at an elementary school, there are few details that I can share at this time.
The student attends Gateway Elementary, where the employee works. Based on information we currently have, no one witnessed the alleged incident. Still, in accordance with district policy, the teacher was suspended with pay, pending completion of a state investigation. The district was informed of the allegations at the end of the school day on Tuesday, November 6. The employee’s suspension went into effect immediately. That individual has not been present at the school since the allegations were made.
The school district has no indication that the employee was involved in inappropriate behavior. Based on information we have at this time, no one witnessed the alleged behavior. The veteran teacher, up to now, had a spotless record.
Letters have been sent home with students, informing parents of this situation. Counselors will be made available to students, should they need them.
As a school district, we are troubled by any report that an employee engaged in inappropriate behavior. For this reason, the district will fully cooperate with authorities.
Protecting the welfare of all students and proving a safe, secure learning environment is our first priority.
The following letter was sent to parents:
Dear Parents:
In an effort to provide accurate information to the school community, I want to inform you of a sensitive situation. Within a few hours, you may see news reports involving a staff member at Gateway Elementary. As a principal, I value my responsibility to share information with our parents. For this reason, I am providing the following details – hopefully before you learn about them elsewhere.
One of our students has accused a teacher of inappropriate behavior. Because this is a sensitive matter involving an employee of the district, there are few details that I can share with you at this time. I can say that based on information that I have at this point, no one witnessed the alleged behavior.
In accordance with district policy, the teacher has been suspended with pay, pending the outcome of a state investigation. The individual has not been present at the school since the allegations were made.
The school district had no indication that the employee was involved in inappropriate behavior. The employee is a veteran teacher, who, up until now, has had a spotless record.
We understand the concerns and questions you or your child may have about this report and subsequent developments, should they surface. As a school district, we are deeply troubled by any report that a teacher may have engaged in inappropriate behavior. Therefore, the school district will cooperate with authorities. Counselors will be available for the students, should they need them. Parents with concerns are invited to contact me.
In the meantime, please be assured that protecting the welfare of all students and providing a safe, secure learning environment is our first priority.
School officials attending a conference this weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks may get a political message on their drive to the Tan-Tar-A resort.
A group called Americans for Prosperity - Missouri has bought a billboard attacking the nearly 300 school boards, including St. Louis Public Schools' and its Special Administrative Board, for supporting a lawsuit against the state seeking more money for public education.
Carl Bearden, the former state representative who left the House to accept the state director position with the group, says many of the state's school districts are guilty of a "misguided effort" to funnel tax revenue to lawyers in an unsuccessful effort to force the state to increase state aid to public schools.
Bearden said that if the school districts prevail in court, "the state would either have to raise taxes by $1 billion, cut services by that amount or a combination of both."
The billboards direct people to a website which outlines the group's position on the school funding lawsuit.
Americans for Prosperity calls themselves "the nation's premier grassroots organization committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity." According to campaign finance reports, AFP spent $25,000 last year opposing the proposed tabacco tax increase.
On Tuesday, the man appointed by the governor to turn-around the city schools met with the SLPS Parent Assembly for the first time.
SLPS CEO Rick Sullivan immediately opened the floor for questions, most of which were about the Special Administrative Board's plan to improve the schools. Sullivan, a suburban homebuilder, said the SAB's plan will soon be ready and available in its full form for parent review.
Other questions focused on legal actions, school conditions and parent apathy. The meeting ran nearly 45 minutes past its scheduled closing time of 8:00 PM.
In related news... Sullivan, who still has not been confirmed by the senate, will testify Wednesday morning in Jefferson City before the Joint Committee on Education on his first 100 days as CEO of the district.
Andrew Wimmer, a parent of two students at McKinley Middle and Metro High magnet schools, spoke during the public comments section of Tuesday's meeting of the Special Administrative Board of St. Louis Public Schools. As he's done at previous meetings, Wimmer challenged District CEO Rick Sullivan on the legality of his appointment by Governor Matt Blunt.
Special Administrative Board CEO Rick Sullivan will be the speaker at the SLPS Parent Assembly Meeting on Tuesday, October 23 at Metro High School at 4015 McPherson Avenue. The meeting starts at 6:30 PM and is open to the public.
According to Parent Assembly President Dorris Walker-McGahee,Sullivan was supposed to be at the last two meetings but he couldn't attend because of a packed schedule.
VIDEO: Bill Monroe Faces Hurdles with New High School Proposal
By Gabe Bullard
Filed
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 9:59 PM
At yesterday's meeting of the Special Administrative Board of St. Louis Public Schools, community educator Bill Monroe grew frustrated after he was cut off by District CEO Rick Sullivan after Monroe used his alloted speaking time attempting to explain his proposal for a new vocational high school.
The Board had canceled a scheduled meeting with Monroe last week, saying existing city schools currently offer, or will eventually offer, equivalent training. But Monroe, the founder of the defunct Thurgood Marshall Academy, says this is not the case and he thinks the board has not thoroughly read his proposal.
This week is the School Nutrition Association's National School Lunch Week. To celebrate, Aramark - who provides lunches to St. Louis Public Schools - is encouraging students to participate in the week's theme, "Vote for School Lunch."
By visiting the website voteforschoollunch.org students can vote for cartoon representations of their favorite school lunches. The website is also intended to educate students about healthy lunches.
In an article on health information blog groupvita.com, President of Aramark Education David Maple says the week is a time for Aramark to celebrate its commitment to healthy lunches.
The article also says that Aramark has developed new, healthier recipes. For St. Louis, this includes grilled chicken salad; baked chips; yogurt parfaits; 100 calorie snacks; chicken
quesadilla; teriyaki chicken with steamed rice; taco salad with rice and black beans.
Blunt Reaffirms Support for Sullivan, Commitment to Public Education
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 12:36 PM
At a press conference in downtown St. Louis today, Governor Matt Blunt restated what has been a regular campaign theme in his reelection bid: education is his number one priority.
In that spirit, Blunt congratulated SLPS CEO Rick Sullivan on his progress as head of the city's public schools and said he is confident that he and his State Board of Education appointee, Derio Gambaro, will be confirmed by the state senate in 2008.
The rumor mill is abuzz about what Governor Matt Blunt is about to say in his press conference on St. Louis Public Schools. Reporters, SLPS officials, and even members of the governor's own staff seem to be in the dark.
Will it be just another "progress report" or will the governor make an announcement on CEO Rick Sulivan's status?
Governor Matt Blunt today re-appointed Republican Peter Herschend to the Missouri Board of Education. The Branson native is co-founder of Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation, owner of Silver Dollar City theme park, and already serves previously served as president of the Board of Education.
As the bus drivers strike enters its second day, many parents are again forced to find a way to get their kids to schools. According to school officials, 1-out-of-4 kids didn't come to school yesterday.
Student attendance averaged 75% on Monday, says St. Louis Public Schools officials. Fifteen thousand students, about half of the district's total enrollment, ride the bus each day.
Officials recommend that parents, if they can, wait with their children at the bus stop in the morning. Parents may also take their children to school, consider carpooling, or ask a neighborhood church or community organization for assistance.
Families who cannot find alternative means may call the following number for transportation assistance: (314) 367-6074. Let the representative know the location of the student. A bus will be sent as soon as possible.
Last night, the Special Administrative Board (SAB) of St. Louis Public Schools agreed on several motions to expand Rick Sullivan's powers as President and CEO.
Sullivan can now settle legal claims of $5,000 or less without SAB approval. Both Sullivan and Superintendent Diana Bourisaw can now sign board-approved contracts. And both Sullivan and Bourisaw can now sign off on property deals with the board's approval.
SAB member Richard Gaines insisted that all property deals should be done with the knowledge of the alderman of the ward the property is in, which the rest of the board agreed to before voting to approve the motion.
The Special Administrative Board of St. Louis Public Schools will meet tomorrow (Thursday) at 6:00 PM in the Administration Building, 801 North 11th Street. This is a public meeting. Here's the agenda:
1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Pledge of Allegiance 4. Student Recognition 5. Public Comments 6. Approval of Minutes 7. Superintendent’s Report 8. Board Member Updates 9. Adjournment
After the public meeting, the SAB will hold a closed executive meeting. The agenda for this meeting includes legal, real estate and personnel matters. Here's that agenda:
1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Motion to go into Closed Session 4. Legal Matters 5. Real Estate Matters 6. Personnel Matters 7. Adjournment
Those awaiting the outcome of the trial to decide control of St. Louis Public Schools will have to hang on for another six days. According to SLPS spokesperson Deborah Sistrunk, Judge Richard Callahan has said he does not expect to make a ruling until at least next Tuesday.
Budget concerns were the main topic of the High School Athletics Administration/Management Subcommittee meeting last night. Due to budget cuts this year, each high school received $7,500 for athletics instead of the intended $10,000.
Athletics budgets have been lower than $7,500 in the past, but this $2,500 deficit could cause sports to be canceled and coaching staffs to be cut.
