Judge: SLPS Takeover was Lawful

From the Missouri Board of Education:

In a ruling issued today, Cole County Circuit Court Judge Richard Callahan gave state education officials a clear victory involving last year’s decision to strip the St. Louis Public Schools of accredited status.

“We are gratified with today’s decision by Judge Callahan,” said Commissioner of Education D. Kent King. “This ruling affirms the State Board of Education’s decision regarding the St. Louis school district. Every one of the district’s efforts to overturn the board’s accreditation decision was rejected by the judge.”

In March of 2007, the State Board of Education declared the St. Louis Public Schools to be unaccredited, after concluding that the district had met only four of the state’s 14 academic performance measures. That decision took effect on June 15, 2007, allowing the state to remove the local board of education and replace it with an appointed, three-person special administrative board.

At a hearing in Judge Callahan’s court last October, the elected St. Louis school board sought to overturn the State Board of Education’s decision. The district claimed numerous technical, legal and constitutional reasons why the accreditation decision should be reversed.

In today’s ruling, Judge Callahan stated: “Based upon the facts presented at trial, the credibility of the witnesses presented to the Court, and the totality of the circumstances facing the State Board of Education, this Court finds that the State Board of Education’s accreditation decision was reasonable, that it was amply supported by the facts, and that it was neither arbitrary nor capricious.”

In addition, the ruling specifically upholds the authority of the special administrative board to govern the St. Louis Public Schools, in place of the elected board of education.

“This case provides clear confirmation of the state’s authority to set and enforce accreditation standards which are designed to protect the educational interests and welfare of children in every school district,” King said.

From St. Louis Public Schools:

Today Judge Richard Callahan of the Cole County Circuit Count ruled that the state legally had the right to name the Special Administrative Board (SAB) to govern the St. Louis Public Schools. In his 61-page ruling, Callahan agreed with the state on all claims.

Most notably, Callahan ruled that the Special Administrative Board assumed complete control of SLPS operations on June 15, 2007. State law allows the elected board only the powers of “auditing and public reporting.” Elected board members may continue to meet, as well as to monitor and report on district activities.

Today’s court ruling – according to SAB members – reaffirms that the appointed board governs the St. Louis Public School District. The Special Administrative Board is made up of Rick Sullivan, Melanie Adams, and Richard Gaines.

The SLPS elected board made more than a dozen claims, among them:

– The law providing for the creation of the SAB and the Transitional School District for the City of St. Louis was unconstitutional.

– The process that the State Board followed in removing the SLPS’ accreditation was unlawful.

– The appointment of Rick Sullivan, chief executive officer of the Special Administrative Board, was improper.

– The elected board retained governing authority over the SLPS, even after the district lost its accreditation.

SAB members hope that today’s ruling will answer all questions concerning governance of the district. The appointed board says it wants to put the legal issues behind and move forward with its primary mission – the education of children.