2005

Future of Gifted Education, Magnet Schools in DoubtBy Peter DownsNovember 22, 2005 –– Last Friday, David Welch, director of gifted education programs for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, gave representatives from metropolitan…

The Post-Dispatch is reporting that the St. Louis City elections board has gone with Diebold as its new supplier of electronic voting equipment.The selection of Diebold is somewhat controversial. The company's machines have been thrown…

October 17, 2005 -- Kudos to the staff at Shaw Visual and Performing Arts Elementary School for moving away from group punishments, and for trying new techniques for maintaining order in the lunchroom, and kudos…

Ald. Jeffrey Boyd got a belated Christmas gift from the St. Louis Election Board today when Board Chairman Ed Martin, a Republican, announced that the recall petition submitted against Boyd fell short of the required…

November 21, 2005 -- Vince Schoemehl resigned today from the St. Louis Board of Education. Mayor Francis Slay has appointed Urban League president James Buford to replace him.

November 16, 2005 -- At noon today on the corner of Olive and 7th streets downtown, Amy Jeannette stripped down to her panties and sat on the cold concrete to protest the treatment of circus…

October 31, 2005 -- According to Deb Peterson's column in Sunday's Post-Dispatch, State Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman is still "waffling on the decision" to run in the Democratic primary for state auditor.As we reported…

PUB DEF Weekly is pleased to announce it is now hosting a blog for Peter Down's informative St. Louis Schools Watch.The URL is http://slswatch.pubdef.net and it will be updated often, so check it regularly.This continues…

A new textbook committee began meeting October 17 to evaulate social studies textbooks for middle school. As of October 12, district administrators were still looking for parents to sit on the committee, but as one…

December 1, 2005 -- Fifty years ago today, a 42-year-old Southern black woman made a decision to no longer be a party to her own disrespect. Rosa Parks said “no” to the question of her…