2005

The Washington Post today reported that the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee dropped $500 million in proposed food stamp cuts, thanks in part to the protests of Jim Talent (R-MO) and Rick Santorum (R-PA). According to…

St. Louis School Board member Bill Purdy called the program "a national scandal" and "a travesty" and refused to vote for it at the school board meeting on October 11. Fellow school board member Ron…

December 13, 2005 -- The St. Louis Board of Education tonight gave the go ahead to Superintendent Creg Williams' plan to revamp high schools and middle schools in St. Louis.Williams plans to create up to…

The Public Safety Committee of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen will be meeting tomorrow to discuss Board Bill #69. The controversial bill, sponsored by Ald. Terry Kennedy, would create a Civilian Review Board to…

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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

St. Louis Board of Education member Veronica O'Brien says she was denied access to district records per instructions from district lawyers.In an email to Board President Darnetta Clinkscale, which was forwarded to the media by…

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…

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen voted Friday to pass a bill that aims to make it more difficult to recall city officials.Board Bill #310, sponsored by Aldermen Jennifer Florida and Ken Ortmann, proposes new…

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…