Byline
Peter Downs
27 stories in the archive
Where are they now
Founder and editor of the St. Louis Schools Watch, the education-watchdog sister site of PubDef. A veteran St. Louis journalist, Downs was elected to the St. Louis Board of Education in April 2006 — during the very months covered in this archive — and went on to serve as board president. He later drew on those years inside the district for his book Schoolhouse Shams: Myths and Misinformation in School Reform (2012).
by Tina Rutherford, Sarah Hyduke, Paige Kuske, and Heather RollA group of Washington University graduate social work students surveyed students from Vashon High School and the ninth grade center at Williams to establish whether or…
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Below are answers from school district administrators to questions from St. Louis Board of Education member Peter Downs regarding items on the administration's consent agenda for April 18, 2006.Textbook items: (Numbers 4, 5, 11, 12,…
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by Peter DownsMarch 20, 2006 -- Richard Pack made a modest proposal to the St. Louis Board of Education on March 14: teach children how to focus by teaching them chess.Pack said he was a…
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by Peter DownsMarch 2, 2006 -- Nearly 80 people attended a meeting at Mullanphy School last night to discuss problems with student transportation and a longer school day. The meeting was arranged in response to…
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by Peter DownsFebruary 22, 2006 -- Superintendent Creg Williams' announcement at the St. Louis school board meeting on February 14 of a "strategic plan" for city public schools obscured another important act at the meeting:…
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by Peter DownsFebruary 19, 2006 -- Confused, frustrated, feeling a little seasick from one quick reverse after another from the St. Louis Public Schools? The repeated backward and forward of press releases and retractions from…
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A recent wave of high-fives and hearts fluttering greeted news from Dr.Creg Williams that he was initiating some bold moves to address the age-old problem of school achievement. We should congratulate, commend and support Dr.…
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by Katie Wessling and two other members of St. Louis Parents for KidsBoard Statement for Feb. 14thThank you for hearing our concerns this evening. Many parents from a number of schools are concerned with the…
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by Peter DownsFebruary 10, 2006 -- Aramark can't seem to get it right. On Wednesday, February 8, teachers reported that Aramark had tried to serve a tray of moldy apples to a self-contained classroom of…
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By Susan Turk and Peter DownsFebruary 6, 2006 -- A group of parents gathered at Washington Montessorion Friday morning to express their continueddissatisfaction with the school. Parent DelisaTaylor, who has had children in the Montessori…
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