By Antonio D. French
Filed Wednesday, July 19, 2006 at 1:35 PM
KTVI Channel 2 is reporting that a lawsuit is being filed by citizens on behalf of former Superintendent Creg Williams and former Vashon basketball coach Floyd Irons, who were both were fired last week. The lawsuit reportedly seeks to remove board member Bill Purdy.
Channel 5 reporter Sharon Stevens gives a little more detail. She reports Purdy is being sued by fellow board members Flint Fowler and Ron Jackson and 47 other citizens, including Floyd Irons. The lawsuit claims Purdy is serving on the board illegally and should be removed.
KSDK reports the issue being whether a person can run for the school board if he or she has relatives who work in the district. Two of Purdy's daughters and a grandson are teachers in the district. A recent change in Missouri state statutes allows school board candidates to serve, even if there is family working in the system.
But according to Stevens, the school board bylaws still say that is illegal. Those bylaws have not been amended to reflect the state law and that is what the lawsuit is based on.
Developing...
23 Comments:
Just when you thought it was burnt to the foundation, the concrete starts burning.
7/19/2006 1:58 PM
If school board by-laws conflict with state law, doesn't state law take precedence? Even if there is some violation of the by-laws, isn't it a major stretch to say that Bill Purdy is serving illegally?
7/19/2006 2:06 PM
This is just further proof that NOT ONE Board member has anyone but their own best interest at heart in a VERY long time.
7/19/2006 2:24 PM
Before reading this, I was experiencing some distress over whether I had made a mistake supporting Downs/Jones in April. I have absolutely no doubt anymore that it was the right thing to do. Fowler, Jackson and Archibald are complete hypocrites for not questioning Williams' budget and suddenly becoming concerned over money now that Bourisaw is here. And they think this is going to make things better? At least Purdy actually shows up to and stays at the meetings, Archibald! This is one SLPS parent who the three of them had the chance to win back and they completely blew it, just like they have every other time in the last three years (yes I know Fowler hasn't been there that long). Those of us who refused to show up at the Board meeting for that circus last night do exist, and the parents who were there screaming are not indicative of the entire parent body of the SLPS.
7/19/2006 2:55 PM
STOP the madness!
Can St. Louis reach a new low!
The only thing we need now is public urination by a school board member!
This circus needs to end...
7/19/2006 3:07 PM
I was at the meeting last night and the loud parents were the minority of the whole crowd, they were from vashon and they are the ones slinging racial slurs at the white people speaking. Slay and some parent his crew knows both filed suit against Purdy. Even Irons has joined the lawsuit. The majority of the parents at the meeting last night were there to listen, learn and THEN DECIDE.
7/19/2006 3:09 PM
Hmmm, so if the mayor appoints a relacement for Purdy giving his "Dream Team" the majority again, and Irons and Williams get re-instated, does that release the gag agreement as to why Williams resigned? How cool would that be to release to the community at large! Methinks the man would protest re-instatement using some lame excuse about having moved on to another situation to avoid publication of potentially career damaging information. The saga continues.....
7/19/2006 3:46 PM
anon #4: whatever else you may think about Archibald, you need to know that he questions the budget constantly. He's a deficit hawk and has been fairly aggressive about it.
7/19/2006 4:07 PM
At the Board meeting prior to last night, Board Members Jackson and Archibald voted FOR a budget that included a deficit. Last night they voted AGAINST the very same budget that made (relatively) minor adjustments to bring the budget in balance. While I agree Archibald has been a budget hawk, why did he call for a 10% cut last night, but yet voted to approve a budget that actually INCREASED the deficit just two weeks ago.
Board memeber Purdey was elected to the Board a year ago, advertising that his daughters worked in the District. In fact, his bio on the Board website states the same thing. Board Member Jackson never had a problem with that until now.
I think it fair to ask these two 'we take the high road' Board members to explain not just their inconsistency, but their hypocrisy.
7/19/2006 5:16 PM
At the Board meeting prior to last night, Board Members Jackson and Archibald voted FOR a budget that included a deficit. Last night they voted AGAINST the very same budget that made (relatively) minor adjustments to bring the budget in balance. While I agree Archibald has been a budget hawk, why did he call for a 10% cut last night, but yet voted to approve a budget that actually INCREASED the deficit just two weeks ago.
Board memeber Purdey was elected to the Board a year ago, advertising that his daughters worked in the District. In fact, his bio on the Board website states the same thing. Board Member Jackson never had a problem with that until now.
I think it fair to ask these two 'we take the high road' Board members to explain not just their inconsistency, but their hypocrisy.
7/19/2006 5:17 PM
Anon 4 responding: I've been paying attention and I know when Archibald is there he may ask questions, but he never went against anything Williams wanted regardless of cost from what I saw. His recent statements about the budget smack of those of a sore loser trying to masquerade as the voice of reason. He would have voted for that budget if Williams was still Superintendent--he did at the last vote; when the other Board members asked Williams to make reductions at prior Board meetings Archibald voted against them.
7/19/2006 9:21 PM
Floyd Irons is gone. Creg Williams is gone. Faith in the ability of the St. Louis Public School Board to achieve anything meaningful for the children is gone. The opportunity for the children to see adults act like they have some common sense is gone. Any meaningful display from adults of rationality to address concerns at a School Board meeting is gone. About the only thing left is the children, but damn isn't that what the St. Louis Public Schools are really suppose to be about (THE CHILDREN)!
Hell with calling this a circus, because at the circus there are designated circus personnel that perform to amuse people. The performances that are occurring daily by the opinionated adults on both sides of the debate over our schools only amuse the wardens of the prison systems and GED programs throughout the City of St. Louis. Are you asking why?
Well, if we don't come together to reduce the drop-out rate that prevails at most high schools throughout the St. Louis Public Schools, many of our children will end up trying to get a GED or going to prison.
I know that many of us have expressed that our personal issues with the School Board supersede the educational outcomes of the children for right now or our need to show that we are the boss and seek personal revenge against employees (and their friends/family members) by destroying their opportunity to earn a living (firing them), but wake up and smell the coffee. We must come together for the future of our children, and maybe some of us should resign in the best interest of ending this war that is escalating on a daily basis.
The children are watching us everday, and remember that "we must first be the change that we seek........."
STOP THIS PUBLIC DISPLAY OF BLATANT DISREGARD AND DISRESPECT FOR EACH OTHER FOR OUR CHILDREN, SOMEONE MUST TAKE THE HIGH ROAD AND STEP BACK OR STEP DOWN!
7/20/2006 2:47 AM
Burn it all down! It is what you pathetic fools all deserve! I hope your kids can't read! At this rate, they would be lucky to flip burgers at Mickey D's!!!!
You all ordered this shit sandwich, now you all have to take a bite!!!
Munch munch
7/20/2006 7:36 AM
anonymous above me, what are you talkng about? Things haven't looked this good in a long time. Finally people who are willing to make tough choices to get back to acadmics and accreditation that we almost had before the mayor got involved. they had a shot and blew it.
7/20/2006 12:20 PM
sorry, I meant academics
7/20/2006 12:21 PM
Anon, three posts above. How funny to say "Finally people who are willing to make tough choices to get back to acadmics and accreditation..." When the last board said it was doing that by closing schools, and adjusting the curriculum, everyone went crazy, and called for their ouster. Now that Your Board is doing it, it is good. That seems a little two faced.
7/20/2006 2:09 PM
Worried cititzen,
I'm pro student, pro teacher. The board before wasn't. This board is and their choices and words are proving that for me.
7/20/2006 2:39 PM
I agree with the blogger who said things haven't looked this good in a long time. This new interim super said one word that sold me
-accreditation- Roberti and Williams didn't have much to say about that. Once the dust settles, and school starts I think we will see a huge improvement in student and teacher morale which will lead to achievement.Things are different now. Be positive and help make SLPS the successful place it will be!
7/20/2006 2:50 PM
In that article that BMCMF mentioned I found this sentence, "Interim superintendent Diana Bourisaw said the district is going to modify what is does".
I know they ment IT insted of is, but this coincadence raises some questions.
Is every thing associated with the work of the district (grammer)messed up in some way?
or
Do TV reporters need to spell?
7/20/2006 7:12 PM
anonymous, you've got to be kidding. Look at the way you spelled grammar.
7/20/2006 7:38 PM
and four or five other words - I guess it was a joke I didn't get!
7/20/2006 7:40 PM
Do Jackson or Fowler have relatives that work for the district?
7/21/2006 3:56 PM
First, Ron Jackson and Bob Archibald should be sued for this frivilous lawsuit. It is a waste of taxpayers money.
When Purdy ran for office in 2005, the School Board had to "certify" him as an eligible candidate. His familiy was knowingly working for the district at that time, however the State Law had been admended to allow him to run. ALL SEVEN SITTING MEMBERS VOTED YES. This included Jackson and Archibald. Not only does State statute supercede the bylaws, but the bylaws are written to state that they are written to be incompliance with the State law. The only reason to file this suit is to keep this craziness before the public and to stir up more trouble.
As a taxpayer, this is a waste of my money and school district funds to take this matter to court. Secondly, why go after Purdy. Yes Fowler does have a relative working at the district who was not hired UNTIL AFTER HE WAS ELECTED! Many board employees are aware of this, including Flint. No one wants to state who it is, but it will come out in court and then what will this look like? An intentional assault on Purdy with total disregard to the children or the district.
It seems to me, that both Jackson and Archibalds' participation in this comedy qualifies as grounds that they should be removed. I know they claimed Rochelle Moore was crazy, but they aren't far behind.
7/22/2006 10:15 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home