2005

By Peter DownsSt. Louis Mayor Francis Slay yesterday unveiled his first major moves to retain control of the school board. He announced the resignation of Vincent Schoemehl from the board a mere four and a…

Creg Williams has clearly demonstrated a passionatecommitment to overhauling the SLPS, but he has alsodemonstrated a lack of appreciation for problems caused bythe misguided policies of the past few years, which,if reversed, might resolve some…

National opinion has finally turned on the Bush Administration. The Iraq War is now seen by most Americans as a failure and, perhaps more importantly, as unnecessary. The question is now being publicly debated whether…

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…

November 9, 2005 -- St. Louis Schools Watch has a redesigned blog. Stories from the newsletter published by Peter Downs, parent and former school board candidate, can now be seen online at www.SLSWatch.PUBDEF.net

November 7, 2005 -- According to a report in yesterday's Kansas City Star, several St. Louis legislators are among those being wined and dined by the Chiefs football organization.Senator Pat Dougherty and State Rep. Amber…

According to the Missouri Ethics Commission, Steve Brown, treasurer for Jeff Smith 2006, has "bad PM". For some struggling to read Brown's chicken scratch on Jeff Smith's latest campaign finance reports, bad PM means bad…

Here's the right-leaning National Review's John J. Miller's assessment of the Talent/McCaskill Senate race:The Democrats didn’t recruit their best candidate to challenge GOP senator Jim Talent -- that probably would have been secretary of state…

Jeff Smith, the young college professor who almost beat Russ Carnahan for Congress and is now running for state senate, is very good at raising money. In the last quarter alone, he has raise more…

The campaign of State Rep. Yaphett El-Amin (D-57) is getting off to a slow start, but contrary to earlier reports she has raised some money. Her campaign has raised $5,225 since announcing her candidacy for…