Susan Turk Reports on the unfolding fiasco organized by the SAB to undercut democratic governance of St Louis Public School System - unparalleled reporting because Susan has lived and struggled this entire history.

St. Louis Schools Watch The First Alternative Forms of Governance Task Force Meeting Was a Night to Remember By Susan Turk November 6, 2017—St. Louis—Approximately 300 people attended the first meeting of the SAB’s task force on alternative forms of governance meeting tonight.  The crowd was diverse but there was a large contingent of SLPS principals and senior staff for whom attendance was mandatory.  All seven elected board of education members were also in attendance. There was a change of personnel on the task force from what had been published in the Post Dispatch.  Better Family Life’s James Clark declined his appointment due to being appointed to another board that would take up a considerable amount of time. He was replaced by SLU and Lindenwood Law School Professor Stephanie Hudson. After the meeting we learned that Rolanda Gladden, the teacher who had been appointed to the board and attended the first meeting resigned due to the level of controversy involving the task force. Another teacher, Kaylan Holloway, was appointed to take her place. The haste with which the SAB put this together has not worked so well. The three experts who presented at the meeting were Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, Esq., Executive Strategic Advisor in Equity Programming for the National School Boards Association, Melissa K. Randol, Esq., Executive Director, Missouri School Boards Association and a former school board member from Prince George County in Maryland and Janet Tilley, Director of Board Development at Missouri School Boards Association.  Tilley presented the background information on elected boards. In summary, elected schools boards are the most common form of school district governance in the country. They represent democracy in its purest form because they are non-partisan and their members are not paid to serve. They work for the children and are directly accountable to the community at the ballot box. In our 40 largest cities 82% of the school boards are locally elected, 15% are appointed and 3% are hybrids with both elected and appointed members. Nationally school boards were originally appointed but 100 years ago during the Progressive Era there was a movement to transform them to democratically elected boards. They were meant to provide local control and to be insulated from political influence by having their elections off cycle and by being non-partisan. They are models of democratic process.  They increase stakeholder and community engagement in schools by being directly accessible and offering greater independence from political influence. There has been criticism that there is low voter turnout for school board elections. The national average is 7% turnout. St. Louis is different. Our most recent school board election had a 30% voter turnout, the same percentage as voted for our mayor.  Even though our school board is not governing the district, the voters are committed to the board.  Elected school boards represent the entire community and serve as gateways for minorities to enter elected public service. Direct election ensures the public in public education. They are the most accountable form of governance to stakeholders. Four key studies which showing a positive correlation between academic performance under elected boards were referenced. The ability of the board to work as a team with the superintendent and staff contributed to that success.   Other factors were communication with all stakeholders and continuous training. A conclusion of the 2010 Danforth Freeman committee’s report was repeated that there is no perfect or proven board model.  The model that best reflects the values of your community should be implemented. Task force members asked questions for about half an hour. During that time, former elected school board member Bill Monroe disrupted the meeting.  He attacked SAB member Richard Gaines by name stating that Gaines was doing a disservice to the community by not allowing the audience to speak.  Then he stormed out. Since time was allotted for the audience to speak, Monroe’s brief melodramatic interruption served no purpose other than to remind people about a deficiency of elected boards, sometimes demagogues like Monroe succeed in getting elected.  But then the electorate corrects that mistake at the next opportunity.  Monroe, after all , was the reason the state board of education terminated the transition planning discussion last year. He crashed a meeting forcing its abrupt cancellation. It would not be unreasonable to surmise that his behavior was scripted then and now to handicap the elected board. His many performances during public comments at SAB meetings over the years always seemed designed to embarrass the elected board. But he lost his re-election bid earlier this year.  Democracy took care of the problem he presented. Twenty-five audience members were able to address the task force.  Each was allotted 3 minutes.  Among them were retired SLPS teacher and Local 420 Vice President Byron Clemens, Twenty-second Ward Republican  Committeeman Robert Vroman, Board of Education Member  Donna Jones, Board of Education Member  Dorothy Rohde Collins, Board of Education President  Susan Jones, UMSL Professor of Education and former Board Of Education Member Rebecca Rogers, Daryl Smith, SLPS teacher Nick Metropolis, Fifteenth Ward Democrats Chairman Richard Buthod, Bill Reardon, Jessica Payne, Fifth Ward Committeeman Rasheen Aldridge, State Representative Michael Butler, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists former President Lew Moye, SLPS students Jane and John Gillespie, Board of Education Member  Bill Haas, SLPS parent Katie Berry, State Representative Bruce Franks, Bill Gruhn, SLPS parent Megan Betts and SLPS parent Clara Holmes. The speakers consistently expressed support for the return of the elected board of education to governance. Some of the highlights of their remarks were Donna Jones’ mention of the ambition of the business community to control the millions of dollars in the SLPS general operating budget and how money has not been spent wisely to renovate and resource our schools.  She called it “stealing”. Dorothy Rohde Collins mentioned that our city is hurting because people’s voices are not being heard.  “We need more democracy, not less.” Rebecca Rogers pointed out the accumulation of white privilege and white supremacy by denying the citizens the right to elect their school board. Darryl Smith’s emphasis was on the importance of the children in the city and that the best way to help the children and hold the school board accountable was the elected board. Nick Metropolis spoke about modeling democracy for his students. High school teachers are trying to teach students about civic engagement. Richard Buthod said the disenfranchisement of the citizens of St. Louis was paternalistic. Bill Reardon questioned how we could call this a democracy id we don’t have the right to vote and elect our leaders. He also objected to asking the legislature to change the law about SLPS governance because they had taken our minimum wage increase away from the city and showed they did not have our best interests at heart. Rasheen Aldridge said that trying to take away our right to vote for our school board is beyond disrespectful. He further criticized the SAB for their disrespectful behavior at the October elected school board meeting. Michael Butler said that the law is clear that since the district is fully accredited the elected board should be returned to governance. He asked whether if the citizens make their support for the elected board clear would the task force recommend the return of the elected board to governance.  Richard Gaines combatively responded that the task force and SAB could not tell the state board what to do (which is laughable)  and would not commit to what they would recommend. Lew Moye said we should not be debating giving up our right to vote. He was followed by a teacher named Evelyn who emphatically stated that you shouldn’t have the right to take my vote away.  Glenda Thornton asked Gaines why there were no black parents on the task force. Bill has erroneously stated that having served for 15 years, he was the longest serving board member since Dan Schafly when John Mahoney served for 24 years, reiterated the history that lef us to this moment, the repeated misinformation in the Post-Dispatch, Haas called it a canard that the excuses that have been put forth for the installation of the SAB, the unstable leadership and low academic achievement was caused by Mayor Slay’s slate and the financial problems were caused by the state.  Haas continued that the appointed board is not the solution.  They are the problem because test scores have been flat for the ten years they have been in power. Haas concluded that it is a disgrace. SLPS parent Katie Berry  expressed fatigue about Jefferson city’s overreach.  “They’ve taken away our pay increase and women’s rights.  I’m not ready to give them my schools too. These people are taking away my voice about the things that most impact me.” she said.  Bruce Franks expressed support for the elected board.  He said if it is not returned there will be issues oin our city and promised to protest for the children.  SLPS parent Megan betts asked how much this process cost.  Ricard gaines told her $75-80,000.  He insisted that no one on stage was being paid.  But he declined to tell her what the money was being spent on.  He then went on to say that, “We, (meaning the task force and the SAB) don’t make decisions, we make recommendations.  He told her that you can make recommendations  yourselves”.  While that may be technically true, the recommendation that the SAB sends to DESE will carry weight that our recommendations not have.  Nevetheless, everyone who is concerned about the future governance of the SLPS, should endeavor to contact DESE Commissioner Vandeven and the state board of education to express your opinion. It is worth a try. The state board can be reached at 573-751-4212 sbe@dese.mo.gov The commissioner can be reached at 573-751-4446 margie.vandeven@dese.mo.gov commissioner@dese.mo.gov If you do send emails, please copy them to sls_watch@yahoo.com so that we can tally communications. The survey the SAB is hosting will be available on slps.org from November 14-28 and there is also a link for public comments on https://www.slps.org/governance now. Voice mail comments can be left at 314-435-5755. There will be one public forum on hybrid boards, Monday, November 13 at 6:30 pm at Northwest Academy of Law HS.  Public comments can be on other types of board.  Almost all speakers thusfar have emphasized support for the elected board of education and the right to vote for them. Democracy matters. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Correction:  The date of the meeting where the task force members were chosen was misprinted in the last issue of the Watch.  It was October 27, 2017 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. The editor encourages readers to forward The Watch to anyone you think would be interested. Our city and our schools need as much public awareness and public engagement as we can muster at this time. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Questions for the Watch? Letters to the Editor? Stories to contribute? News tips? Send them to SLS_Watch@yahoo.com …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Calendar November 13, 2017, Monday, Special Task Force on Alternative Governance for SLPS Meeting, 6:30 pm, Northwest HS, at 5140 Riverview Blvd, St. Louis, 63120. November 14, 2017, Tuesday, Board of Education regular monthly meeting, 6:30 p.m., Mann Elementary School, 4047 Juniata St., St. Louis, 63116 November 20, 2017, Monday, Special Task Force on Alternative Governance for SLPS Meeting, 6:30 pm, location yet to be determined November, 21, 2017, Tuesday, Special Administrative Board meeting, 6:00 p.m., 801 N. 11th Street, room 108 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Please Subscribe to the SLS Watch. If you have never subscribed because friends have forwarded The Watch to you, please consider subscribing now. Internet newsletter mailing and management services are not free. The Watch has always concentrated its efforts on getting you the news and analysis of the SLPS that you value rather than on keeping itself in the black. But in order to pay our bills, we do need your subscription. For a dollar a month, you will get news, opinion, and analysis that you won't see elsewhere in the media. 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