Missouri Governor Matt Blunt was on the campus of the University of Missouri in St. Louis this morning to sign into law Senate Bill 389, which includes his controversial plan to take $350 million from the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MoHELA), which makes loans for college tuition, to pay for new construction projects on campuses around the state.
In addition to the funding of construction projects, SB 389 also included several other provisions, including State Sen. Jeff Smith’s “Teach for Missouri Act“.
Modeled after the national Teach for America program, Smith’s plan (renamed “Missouri Teaching Fellows Program Fund”) would allow certain graduates of Missouri colleges who are hired to teach in unaccredited or partially accredited school districts can have some of their student loans forgiven for each of their first five years teaching.
There is a rumor that Riverview Gardens has been notified that the state is about to step in. Last week we asked Gov. Matt Blunt if state involvement in troubled districts was going to end with St. Louis Public Schools.
UPDATE: Today DESE released the agenda for the State Board of Education’s April meeting. It specifically noted that neither the St. Louis City schools nor the Riverview Gardens School Districts will be discussed this month.
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.
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.
Democrats young and old, incumbents and challengers, watchers and winners crammed into the southside hip spot, The Royale, Tuesday night to watch (and jeer) the President as he delivered his next-to-last State of the Union address.
A representative from the Missouri School Boards Association conducted a workshop this evening for members of the St. Louis Board of Education to discuss successful practices of functioning school boards. All but one school board member attended tonight’s session. Board President Veronica O’Brien left before Dr. David Lineberry began his presentation.
State Reps. Robin Wright Jones and Jeanette Mott Oxford, Teachers Union President Mary Armstrong, and Rev. James T. Morris, a parent of children in SLPS, were among the speakers at this morning’s event.
Check back later for videos of two school board members defending the district from takeover.
