St. Louis Schools Watch
November 14, 2016
STATEMENT OF THE ELECTED BOARD OF EDUCATION ON THE APPOINTMENT OF DARNETTA CLINKSCALE TO THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD
Adopted: 11/8/2016
The St. Louis Board of Education, in its auditing and reporting powers, finds it necessary to report to the Community regarding the recent appointment of Darnetta Clinkscale to the Special Administrative Board by Mayor Francis Slay.
Darnetta Clinkscale is not new to governance in SLPS. She was elected to the St. Louis Board of Education in 2003, when the infamous “Slay Slate” was elected in a one-time chance to have four of the seven board members elected simultaneously. Mayor Slay, Civic Progress, and the Black Leadership Roundtable handpicked the four people they wanted to put in charge of SLPS, and handily won the election. Ms. Clinkscale was subsequently elected President of that Board.
At the first meeting of the Board Ms. Clinkscale led, public comment was eliminated from the agenda.
When Clinkscale took office, there was a budget shortfall of $55 million. Her Board’s response was to spend $5 million to bring in a consultant, Bill Roberti, to “fix” the budget problem.
During the tenure of Clinkscale and her colleagues on the Board, public opinion of the Board of Education hit bottom. Long time employees watched as the district fell down around them based on the decisions Clinkscale and her colleagues made. Under her tenure, the district rolled through five superintendents in three years.
In 2003, when Clinkscale took office, the district was within 2 points of full accreditation. In 2006, when voters finally got a chance to replace her and one of her colleagues at the ballot box, the district had lost 30 accreditation points. By 2007, when the final two of her slate were also ousted by the voters in protest at the decimation of SLPS, the damage had been done, and the district lost accreditation.
While it is clear that Clinkscale is a favorite of the Mayor, it is also abundantly clear that the people of the City of St. Louis do not want her in a position of governance over their schools. For Mayor Slay to appoint her to this position shows nothing but disdain for the citizens of this city and, more importantly, a complete lack of regard for the educational opportunities of the children of SLPS. As the voice of the electorate, the Board of Education condemns the appointment of Darnetta Clinkscale to the SAB, and will closely watch her choices and votes during what is, hopefully, her short time in a governance position over SLPS.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Questions for the Watch? Letters to the Editor? Stories to contribute? News tips? Send them to SLS_Watch@yahoo.com
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Please feel free to forward the SLS Watch to anyone you think will benefit from reading the publication.