Blunt to Name Gambaro to BOE [Updated]

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PubDef has learned that Gov. Matt Blunt will be appointing former State Rep. Derio Gambaro to the State Board of Education tomorrow.

Gambaro represented south St. Louis in the House of Representatives for two terms between 1998 and 2000. In 2006, Gambaro ran in a crowded field of candidates to replace term-limited Pat Dougherty in the State Senate. He finished third in the race, behind political science instructor Jeff Smith and State Rep. Yaphett El-Amin.

In these two videos from June 2006 Gambaro sounded very critical of existing charter schools in St. Louis, particularly Confluence Academies which Smith co-founded.

During the campaign Gambaro was often criticized for supporting a scholarship program which many called a thinly-veiled school voucher program. He was also criticized for accepting financial support from Rex Sinquefield, a wealthy backer of school choice efforts in Missouri.

Because Blunt will be making the appointment while the State Legislature is on recess, Gambaro will immediately join the Board. However, when the Senate returns in January, Gambaro will have to be nominated sponsored by his state senator, Jeff Smith.

Smith tells PubDef that he just learned of Gambaro’s appointment today and has not decided whether he will support his former opponent next year. He said there are still some outstanding issues on which he would still like to see where Gambaro stands.

In the meantime, it looks like Gambaro will have several months on the Board to show Smith and everyone else where he stands on a whole range of education issues before he is up for confirmation.