By Antonio D. French
Filed Wednesday, July 19, 2006 at 9:07 AM
Hundreds of people were unable to get into last night's school board meeting, the first since the board forced out Superintendent Creg Williams and popular Vashon basketball coach Floyd Irons. Labels: Events, Schools, Video_Reports
Reporters from PUB DEF, KMOX, The Arch City Chronicle, a photographer from The Post-Dispatch, members of the Clergy Coalition, and several elected officials stood in the summer heat, waiting to be allowed in. Even after a few of us were allowed into the building, we still could not enter the auditorium until dozens of people had left the meeting.
"By order of the fire marshal," we were told.
Inside, the crowd let the school board know that they were not happy with the events of the past week.
Chants of "Hey, hey, ho, ho! Veronica's got to go!" could be heard loudly in the hallways. Board members were booed and comments, some vulgar, could be heard after nearly every board move.
"Back to the bad old days," said one parent.
Among the business the board was able to complete was the passage of an almost $400 million budget for the next fiscal year. That budget, prepared by Williams and his team over several months, was questioned for the first time by board members Bob Archibald and Ron Jackson, both of whom are rarely critical of such things in public meetings.
After voting in favor of a budget last month that overspent by $4 million, Archibald asked the new superintendent, Dr. Diana Bourisaw, if $10 million could be further cut from this balanced budget in anticipation of the predicted financial crisis facing the district in 2007.
After little debate, the budget was passed by a 4-3 vote.
12 Comments:
As for the comment from one person who spoke at the microphone that we went from a Humvee to a Pinto - the analagy has some merit. We went from a Superintendent who was spending five times as much on gas to get to the same destination (accreditation). Just eliminating his upper cabinet of friends from Philadelphia and Chicago should save the first million.
7/19/2006 9:40 AM
Sure, we went from a guy with national urban experience managing our state's largest African-American school district to now a lady with a semi-rural experience managing one of the whitest districts in the state, which only until recently had just one high school in its entire district.
7/19/2006 10:20 AM
Why would the three board members vote against a budget that they previously approved with Creg Williams? Also, why would Archibald ask detail questions about air conditioning that he didn't care to ask of Williams. Sounds to me like the rest of Slay's appointees are trying to devert the blame from Slay and company to the new board. Besides Slay's team had how many years and spent how much of the schools money just to be in the same place as before.
7/19/2006 10:35 AM
A source reportedly close to Slay advised last night that Gov. Blunt is prepared to announce a takeover of the SLPS. (Given the statutory requirements to do so, it's not clear how this could be done, but why let the law get in the way?) Anyone else hearing this?
7/19/2006 10:38 AM
The question on those voting against the budget also crossed my mind. If they would have voted yes on the budget if Williams was still the superintendant, then this says a lot about the character of some of the folks on the board. The sad part about it is that many of the folks who showd up last night to declare themselves a product of this school system will never understand what really went on with the "no" votes.
I wonder how many of those outraged citizens have ever attended a parent/teacher conference or volunteered for something at their child's school.
7/19/2006 11:11 AM
Wouldn't it be nice to know how many of Mr. Irons basketball players have earned a four year college degree or even a two year assocites degree?
7/19/2006 11:13 AM
What national experience is that, Anon#1? He came to St. Louis with no experience or certification as a superintendent. We are his first gig, and he is still learning how to implement what he plans. His most experienced talent is his ability to talk a good game, but he was all smoke and mirrors to get suckers like you to buy into his rhetoric, even when disasters like the summer school staffing mess are right in front of their eyes.
7/19/2006 11:59 AM
But when we hired Williams, he had never been fired, unlike Bourisaw's previous experience. Way to go, O'Brien, hire a reject from Jeff-Co.
7/20/2006 9:42 AM
Bourisaw was let go because she uncovered spending irregularities and was punished for not sweeping them under a rug. A court of law ruled in her favor and those responsible for her firing were required to compensate her financially for what they did. Irons spending irregularities were swept under a rug by Williams. Even a simple mind should comprehend which person behaved honorably.
7/20/2006 1:10 PM
Apparently, the wrong budget was approved. They have to now go back and approve the new one.
7/20/2006 5:56 PM
Conversely, why would the four board members who only a week ago disapproved of this budget, suddenly vote for it? (I'm not sure I understood the clip correctly or completely, but what I heard Mr. Jackson ask was if this was the same budget that they voted on last week? And the response I heard was, yes.) Were all the changes made that the four 'nos' requested from the week before, or was the only change that Williams was no longer at the table?)
You are right, Anon 4...this does "say alot about the character of some of the folks on the board..." I am currently just not sure which folks!?!?!
7/21/2006 9:21 AM
Correction, Anony. At the board's administrative meeting the Tuesday before Williams' resignation, they approved his second budget. They rejected the budget he submitted in June, which was overbudget by $4 million.
Board members Purdy and Downs publicly thanked Williams for coming back with a balanced budget. While Archibald downplayed its significance.
Click here to read my earlier story and see videos.
7/22/2006 3:06 PM
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