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DEF is a non-partisan, independent political blog based in the
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Sources tell Pub Def that Ken Franklin will be named Executive Director of the Missouri Democratic Party later today.
Franklin is currently an aide to St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and a former state party staffer. He will be the first African-American to ever hold the influential position.
Check back later for more...
UPDATE: Over the course of several months, a field of 32 potential candidates for the E.D. job was cut down to 16, then 5, then just 3. Of those three candidates, according to Missouri Democratic Party Chairman John Temporiti, Franklin was the unanimous choice of state party officials.
Readers will recall that there was speculation that the sudden resignation of Democratic Party Chairman Roger Wilson back in January was the result of a clash between him, the Legislative Black Caucus, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, and Attorney General and Gubernatorial candidate Jay Nixon over who should be the next E.D.
According to sources, all sides agreed that it was time for an African-American director, but who?
Brandon Davis, McCaskill's former political director, interviewed for the job and actively lobbied officials for weeks. But Wilson told Black Caucus members "no way" on Davis.
But it was the manner and tone in which Wilson told the Caucus "no" that some speculate quickly led to his resignation.
In February, Davis accepted a job as political director for the SEIU MO/KS State Council, taking his name out of the running for E.D. (and saving Wilson from embarrassment should Davis had been appointed despite his stern objections).
Today's appointment of Franklin both satisfies one promise to the strongest part of the Democrats' base and places the Party in the hands of a capable, well-liked director who may be able to build bridges across the state to help the Democrats retake the Governor's office next year.
UPDATE 2: It's official. At 12:45 p.m. the Missouri Democratic Party sent out the following press release.
The Missouri Democratic Party today announced that Ken Franklin from St. Louis will be the party's new Executive Director. The selection was made by Party Chairman John Temporiti and approved by the Missouri Democratic Party's Executive Committee at the quarterly state party meeting today in Jefferson City. Franklin has served since May 2005 as St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay's Deputy Legislative Director and formerly ran Gov. Bob Holden's St. Louis office. Along with his experience in government, Franklin has also served as Political Director for Mayor Slay's successful 2005 re-election, Base Vote Director for Sen. Jean Carnahan's 2002 campaign, and Press Aid for Freeman Bosley, Jr.'s 2001 mayoral campaign. He has also participated in the St. Louis RCGA's Public Policy Council and the St. Louis Downtown Partnership's Legislative Affairs Committee. Franklin previously worked at the Missouri Democratic Party from 2001-2002 as the Director of Voter Outreach. "Ken's experience both in government and politics in Missouri make him the ideal choice to continue the momentum the Missouri Democratic Party has built over the last election," said John Temporiti, Missouri Democratic Party Chairman. "Ken brings both the background and enthusiasm to help Missouri Democrats win up and down the ticket in 2008 and beyond." Ken graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia with a degree in political science. Before entering government and politics, Franklin taught social studies and language arts for two years at Holy Cross School in St. Louis. Ken lives with his wife and one-year-old daughter in St. Louis, where his father, Robert, is a pastor. He replaces Corey Dillon who left in February to join the U.S. Senate office of Claire McCaskill. Franklin will be the first ever African-American Executive Director of the Missouri Democratic Party when he starts work the week of May 14.
Is a system of independent charter public schools the future of urban education? With a waiting list of 10,000 students, the answer appears to be "yes" in Chicago. But what about here in St. Louis?
Recent moves by the Mayor, the Governor, and several legislators suggest that small, independent charters are becoming the chosen alternative (at least for elected officials) to large urban districts that have for decades underperformed.
But what about the performance of charter schools? So far, state testing shows charter students doing no better — and in some cases, considerably worse — than their district counterparts.
However, parents of charter students often point to non-academic factors as reasons they choose charters — safety, discipline, physical condition of the buildings, more professional and assessible facilty, to name a few.
This video, produced by the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, highlights some of the successes of our neighbor to the east.
According to data from the INCS, there are about 17,000 pupils enrolled in the 34 public charter schools across Illinois, mostly in Chicago. More than 10,000 students are waiting to get into an Illinois charter public school.
According to a published report, in 2004, 100 percent of Illinois charter schools earned average Illinois Standards Achievement Test and Prairie State Achievement Examination scores higher than those district schools the students otherwise would have attended. Eighty-three percent of charter high school graduates enrolled in post-secondary education.
Data like this, it would appear, is why Mayor Francis Slay and others have pinned their hopes for public education in St. Louis on charter schools.
Following the release of the groundbreaking AppleTV, allowing us to watch video podcasts on our television — further eliminating the need to ever watch broadcast TV — we'll be updating our own podcast much more regularly. So subscribe today to have our new vids automatically download to iTunes on your computer and AppleTV in your living room.
And yes, it's free... But I think now is a great time to remind you about the costs associated with producing this site and these videos (video tapes, microphones, computer upgrades, gas – Oy vey!), and to remind you about that little "Make a Donation" button over there to the left. Hint-hint.
By a vote of 6-0, the St. Louis City School Board today ousted its controversial president.
After a procedural move to change the number of votes required to remove an officer, School Board member Donna Jones made the motion to remove Veronica O'Brien as board president. New member David Lee Jackson seconded.
After the vote, applause came from the audience of parents and district employees.
O'Brien did not attend yesterday's or today's school board meeting.
Also as expected, the new board majority voted today to challenge the district's loss of accreditation.
The Board approved a resolution to request a hearing before the Commissioner of Education, D. Kent King, regarding the accreditation status of the St. Louis Public Schools. State law allows any school board to file such an appeal if the members are dissatisfied with their district’s classification.
Board also voted to authorize the district’s legal counsel to "engage in legal research and dialogue with officials at DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) and take any such action, if necessary, to challenge the creation and authority of the proposed Transitional District and to have the proper authority of the Board declared."
Board member Flint Fowler voted against the action, saying he did not think it was appropriate for the financially-strapped district to spend money in such a way. But board member Peter Downs responded by saying that the district will spend much more if they are forced to pay for city students to attend County school districts as the loss of accreditation would allow under current law.
When the St. Louis School Board meets this morning, its new majority won't waste any time in taking the reigns and changing direction of the troubled school district.
The board will vote to remove Board President Veronica O'Brien, who over the past year has become the poster child of the district's dysfunction. Sources say that the Board will not elect a new president at this time and will instead allow Board Vice-President Bill Purdy to lead the Board at least until its normal election of officers in June.
According to the meeting's public agenda, that action will quickly be followed by steps to fight the pending state takeover.
The Board plans to request the State Board of Education to reconsider stripping the St. Louis City schools of their accreditation. They will then authorize the district's legal team to challenge of the authority of the proposed "transitional" board.
This morning's meeting will be at 10:00 in Room 108 0f the Administrative Building, 801 N. 11th Street. Here is the agenda:
OPEN SESSION AGENDA
1. Call to Order
2. Resolution: Amendment of Bylaw B9120 to change removal of an officer to 5/7th vote of the entire Board.
3. Vote to remove current President from office
4. Resolution: Request for Reconsideration of Unaccredited Classification Designation
5. Resolution: Challenge of the Creation and Authority of the proposed Transitional District and to have the proper authority of the Board declared.
6. Motion to direct Administration to report back to the Board with a plan for bringing building maintenance and food service back in-house.
7. Motion to direct Administration to report back to the Board with a cost estimate and plan for implementing effective smaller classes in low performing schools
8. Motion to direct Administration to report back to the Board on the effectiveness of each purchased professional services and whether each of those services provides value to the school district.
9. Approval of all items listed in the March 29, 2007 Consent Agenda
10. Approval for Ms. Donna Jones, Board Member, to attend the NSBA Annual Conference, April 13 – 17, 2007, San Francisco, California.
11. Legislative Update: Mr. Steven Carroll: St. Louis Public Schools Site Based Pilot Schools Proposal.
12. Motion to go into Closed Session for legal, real estate and personnel matters.
EXECUTIVE SESSION 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. Motion to adjourn 8. Adjournment
Two community forums will be held this week (including one tonight) to address concerns about a plan on the table to close more city schools.
Tonight's meeting is from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Carr Lane VPA, 1004 N. Jefferson Ave. Check back later for video.
There is also a meeting scheduled for the same time tomorrow at Roosevelt High School, 3230 Hartford St.
Some highlights from the current proposal:
Three new programs for alternative students will be introduced in three buildings – Ford Elementary Annex, Turner Middle, and Des Peres High School.
Bunche International Studies Middle School students will be relocated to the current Madison Alternative School site at 1118 S. 7th St. There will be no reconfiguration of either Dewey International Studies Elementary or Soldan International Studies High, as was previously recommended.
Students from the Lafayette 9th Grade Center will be relocated to the Humboldt facility. The Lafayette building would then be closed.
McKinley Classical Junior Academy will be expanded. A 9th grade class will be added for the upcoming school year. At the end of 2007-2008, district officials would examine the success of adding grades to the popular gifted magnet program.
All parents and stakeholders are encouraged to attend one of the public meetings and voice concerns to district officials before the plan is voted on by the school board.
When the school board meets for a special meeting at 10:00 a.m. Thursday morning, the new five-person majority will likely remove Veronica O'Brien as board president and elect new officers. But who will they select as the new president?
THE FACTORS
RACE — The last two board presidents have been African-American women. Eight out of ten children that attend the city's public schools are African-American. Four out of the seven school board members are black. With Governor Matt Blunt selecting a white male from Chesterfield to lead the new "transitional" board, the new school board majority may choose a president that is more reflective of the city.
EXPERIENCE — No board member has more experience with the city schools than Bill Purdy (as evidenced by the fact that in the 1970's he was the high school principal of one of the board's new members, David Jackson, who is no spring chicken himself). But Purdy's past tenure as board president only appears to be the Good Old Days in comparison to the district's controversy and rapid decline since 2003.
The next experienced — and knowledgeable — member of the majority is Peter Downs. Downs is a parent of District students and ran for the board three times before being elected. He is well-known (if not always well-liked) and his St. Louis Schools Watch newsletter keeps hundreds of people informed about what's going on in SLPS.
Donna Jones was elected in April 2006, the same day as Downs, as part of a slate supported by the teachers' union. She is also a parent of District students. Her vocal and emotional involvement with recent anti-takeover demonstrations have earned her many fans for her passion, but has also caused her to be written off by many others as another "angry black woman".
Katie Wessling and David Lee Jackson each have exactly one board meeting under their belts. They are both parents of District students. They were both elected with the lowest voter turnout in St. Louis history. And both showed themselves to be articulate and passionate candidates.
THE CANDIDATES
The new president is most likely to come from the new five-person majority. Even though there is a great deal of respect on the Board for moderate Flint Fowler, whose vote thwarted an attempt months ago to oust Superintendent Diana Bourisaw, his refusal to pursue the presidency before as a concensus alternative to O'Brien will likely leave him off the list this time.
That leaves Purdy, Downs, Jones, Wessling, and Jackson.
Purdy and Downs may be the wrong faces at the wrong time.
Jones may not be able to articulate the message the board needs to convey at this time, that of calm reasurance that O'Brien has been neutralized and stability has returned to the district.
Wessling is a lawyer by profession — something that will surely come in handy over the next year. She and Jackson both are free of the taint of past controversies and can help convince the public that a new day has indeed come to the school board.
Jackson may be the best choice. As stated before, as a new member he doesn't carry the political baggage of the past. His personal story — being a former SLPS student who now serves on the board with his old principal, and a parent of children currently in the district as well as successful SLPS graduates — speaks of the successes of the district at a time when the public knows only of its failures.
The St. Louis Board of Education met Tuesday for the first time since last week's election shifted its balance of power once again.
There was no action taken Tuesday to replace Veronica O'Brien as president. Board VP Bill Purdy announced a special meeting of the board for Thursday at 10:00 a.m. At that time, the board may select new officers and vote to authorize the district's legal team to fight a state takeover.
Gov. Matt Blunt today announced that 2200 Gravois, LLC, has been approved for $106,251 in Brownfield Redevelopment tax credits from the Missouri Department of Economic Development to renovate and rehabilitate the Polarwave Ice and Fuel building, 2200 Gravois.
The tax credits will facilitate the redevelopment of the property into commercial office, retail, restaurant and residential space, projecting to create an estimated 51 jobs.
The 1.5 story warehouse has been vacant for several years. The southeastern portion of the building currently does not have a roof. The property has been used in the past for manufacturing pens and for the storage and sale of ice and fuel.
The Brownfield Redevelopment Program provides financial incentives for the redevelopment of commercial/industrial sites that are contaminated with hazardous substances and have been abandoned or underutilized for at least three years.
The St. Louis Board of Education will be meeting for its first administrative meeting since new members Katherine Wessling and David Lee Jackson, Jr. were elected last week.
Wessling and Jackson were sworn in last week even though the St. Louis Board of Elections has yet to certify the April 3rd election results.
In a repeat of an identical situation we reported last year, Election Board officials notifed the school board and their counsel that they believe it is inappropriate — and unlawful — for new members to be sworn-in before the election results are certified.
"As you may recall, Peter Downs and Donna Jones, the two successful candidates for membership on the Board of Education in last April’s General Municipal Election, were sworn in as Members of the BOE the day after the election," wrote Republican Director Scott Leiendecker and Democratic Director Mary Wheeler-Jones.
"Under §115.507 RSMo (2000), the results of an election conducted in the City of St. Louis are not official until they have been certified by the verification board of Board of Election Commissioners..." the April 3 letter states.
"Until certification occurs, and required Campaign Finance Disclosure reports have been filed, it would be inappropriate for the successful candidates in today’s election to be sworn in as Members of the BOE or attempt to act in any official capacity."
It is unclear if Wessling (who is a lawyer), Jackson, and the new board majority (includingDowns, Jones and Bill Purdy) will move tonight to replace Board President Veronica O'Brien or save that until their regular board meeting next week.
Tonight's meeting will be in Room 108 of the district's Administrative Building, 801 N. 11th Street, at 7:00 p.m. Check Pub Def later for video.
Democratic members of the Board of Aldermen met yesterday for their first caucus meeting of the new session. With all but one member of the Board being a Democrat, the meeting is practically an informal meeting of the full body with members letting their committee preferences be known and drawing for seniority.
New 19th Ward Alderman Marlene Davis was one of three Democratic aldermen who did not make the meeting. But despite her absence, and thanks to a motion to allow a colleague to draw for her, Davis will not be the lowest ranking Democrat. That distinction belongs to the new 6th Ward Alderman (who is by coincidence also the youngest city legislator), Kacie Starr Triplett.
Davis, Triplett and 4th Ward Alderman Sam Moore are the three freshmen on the Board.
The Democratic alderman with the most seniority is Ald. Phyllis Young (7th Ward). Although she and Ald. Fred Wessels (13th Ward) have served on the board the same amount of time, Wessels conceded seniority to Young.
Young's most senior status is going to make for an ironic photo op at next week's Board meeting. The downtown alderman was a vocal supporter of former Aldermanic President Jim Shrewsbury in last month's primary election, even being quoted as saying if his opponent was victorious she would resign her seat on the Board.
Well, next week as the most senior alderman it will fall upon Alderman Young to introduce the new President of the Board, Lewis Reed, and hand him the gavel for the first time.
Call it a case of being misquoted or maybe just saving face, but at yesterday's meeting Young told several colleagues that she never said she would resign if Reed won.
Not only has Soldan International Studies High School student Jeffery Hall been selected as a Gates Millennium Scholar (one of only 1,000 students out of 11,000 nationwide to be selected), but the 18 year-old has also been accepted to Harvard University.
Lexington Elementary forth grader Jimaniqua Baldwin has won a trip to New York City to perform in the America Scores National Poetry Slam at the HBO Theater on April 30. She will recite her poem "I Remember."
McKinley Classical Junior Academy student Mohamad Syed Ahmad won the district’s National Geographic Bee. Mohamad finished eleventh in the state-level competition, which was held in Columbia, MO on March 30.
Speaking of McKinley CJA, the school's chess team was crowned co-champions in the 6th grade and under division of the 2007 Missouri Junior High/Elementary Chess Championship. In the individual category, student Rio Pimentel is co-champion in the 6th grade and under division.
Sources tell Pub Def that Ken Franklin will be named Executive Director of the Missouri Democratic Party later today.
