By Antonio D. French
Filed Monday, July 17, 2006 at 9:16 PM
A crowd of more than 50 people picketed outside the home of School Board President Veronica O'Brien tonight calling for her removal from the board and the rehiring of basketball coach Floyd Irons. Labels: Schools, Video_Reports
The crowd, led by local sports personality Demetrius Johnson, shouted chants of "Veronica must go!" and "recall, recall" while O'Brien sat on her front steps protected by nearly a dozen City police officers.
The protesters promised to come out in force at tomorrow's school board meeting. They also said they would return to picket O'Brien's home again.
"It's on," said Johnson. "The gloves are off."
12 Comments:
She has a nice house, no wonder she sends her kids to Clayton schools.
If they were subject to the SLPS, then perhaps they might not achieve such economic success.
Nice to see people are not taking this stuff anymore.
7/17/2006 11:32 PM
I'm getting really tired of this class-envy crap inferring that successful people cannot "relate" to poorer people. I agree that O'Brien's handling of this matter has been arrogant, but that doesn't mean that someone in a nice house is disqualified from trying to help.
7/18/2006 12:22 AM
I also refuse to fault any parent for doing what is best for her/his children. Sending one's kids to schools that you are in a position to know are inferior in order to make political hay would be an act of child abuse.
7/18/2006 12:24 AM
Interpreted Quote of the Day:
Oracle:
"Sending kids to the SLPS would be an act of child abuse."
7/18/2006 6:23 AM
I am not sure I disagree with Oracle/anonymous. While every school is different and should be judged on its own merits, if I had the money, I would ensure that my child got a good education. The SLPS cannot make the assurances that Clayton, Webster Groves or many Catholic schools can.
People with money have choices. Being a good parent means making intelligent choices on behalf of your children.
7/18/2006 8:42 AM
Obviously I agree with all of you guys.
If I had a kid, an I had money, I would not send my kids to the SLPS.
In fact, I know couples who have no money, who send their kids to private school.
Whether having your kids in the SLPS, and being a board member is a good thing, I cannot say. Before Williams was fired, I though that since Downs and Jones are parents, with kids at the SLPS, they would do the right thing (whatever that is).
Since Williams was "fired" I have a bad taste in my mouth regarding Downs and Jones definition of the right thing.
This drama certainly will not be ending anytime soon. Thanks to Antonio and the bloggers for such great coverage. The local news could learn a thing or two.
7/18/2006 9:00 AM
Doug:
I realize that most bloggers don't fact check, but they really should. Ms. O'Brien's children that go to a county school do so under the voluntary deseg program.
7/18/2006 9:38 AM
Travis,
Doesn't matter that the kids are in the deseg program. They're still being educated by the Clayton district, not SLPS.
Doug,
If you don't know what the "right thing" is, how do you know this recent move by the Board wasn't it?
They should not have done it this way. I supported Downs/Jones and am not happy at all with the way this was handled. But maybe it did need to be done, albeit in a different manner. The problem with being the top decision maker is you don't get to defend yourself when it would involve discussing private personnel issues. Williams' abrupt about-face from saying he wouldn't go to a meek departure strikes me as a bit curious and seems in line with the actions of one who needed to nip something in the bud. He had a lot of energy and good ideas, but if he wasn't playing by the rules then it wasn't going to work.
7/18/2006 10:44 AM
It's interesting that there are people who actually believe that a person has to live at a certain socieconomic level to "understand" it.
And...that there is contempt for someone sending their children out of the district if they are able. What kind of parent would keep their children in a school that has low achievement, poor morale, and violence, if they could send them someplace else?
It's unfortunate that the public could not spend a day in an SLPS teacher's shoes last year and see just how messed up the system has become since Creg william's arrival: veteran teachers required to reapply for their jobs, a sham interview process, his out of district entourage that came into schools and treated principals and teachers like second class citizens.
Mandatory summer school for 8th graders: The public didn't get to see that the district was so short of teachers the first two weeks that some classes had 60+ students in them. Because of the superintendent wanting to have good attendance in his program, the students are not being suspended and are running amok in the schools. Also, most students and parents don't know that the children are not receiving ANY credit for these classes. The teachers have been told to lie or avoid the issue to them to keep them in school. The public doesn't get to see THAT side, only that the awesome summer school program has 87% attendance. Woo-hoo!
7/18/2006 11:39 AM
To anon #3, I would like to say I don't have any problem with any teacher having to reapply for their job this year. Many teachers disagreed with Dr. Williams, and as his employee if they didn't want, or wouldn't, do the job he required them to do they should have been gone. Also since the only stable thing in this declining distict was the "veteran teachers" I think that their performance should be looked at.
As a quick note I think 87% attendance to anything having to do with the public schools and education is a big number, not something to be laughed at.
7/18/2006 12:13 PM
Anon 2,
Maybe it should have been done, maybe not. I am far from an expert when it comes to Education Administration. I can only say that the political struggle of the school board needs to end. I am quite upset that the new majority took such action without taking the issue to the public. The public should have been allowed to enter the debate over Williams continued employment as Superintendent. The taxpayers fund his salary, and are the ones directly affected by his decisions, they should have been able to voice their opinion.
I will agree that the process of Craig's "removal" was completely wrong. Whether or not the new Super does a better job, well I can only hope she does. The debate over Craig is not really important anymore. We really should focus on keeping the board in unison with the new Superintendent. The board needs to work with her to make reform. When the board and the Superintendent are going in different directions, there are problems.
Anon 3,
If you are referring to my comment, I do not look down upon Veronica for sending her children to the best district possible. I believe every parent would want the best for their children, albeit within their socioeconomic means. If the SLPS cannot deliver, then send your kid elsewhere. I was merely making an observation that she obviously has the financial means to send her children to another district. Regarding the voluntary desegregation program, I would say thats a good thing. I am not familiar with the demographic makeup of the Clayton schools, but I would guess that sending minority students to that district is a good thing. We all know that de-facto segregation is a bad situation, and only propagates resentment and stereotypes.
7/18/2006 1:45 PM
I supported Downs and Jones and I'm not surprised or disappointed at what has happened. Change is painful, so someone would have to be in pain if change were to occur. Mr. Williams made his choices too, so he's not innocent. Creg Williams baled out before his "ideas" were discovered to be just that, ideas with little substance.
I attended school board meetings, my son has graduated from Cleveland, one of the schools scheduled to close. My entire family went to public schools and a sister also teaches there. So I do have several perspectives on what has happened. I too wanted Mr. Williams to succeed, but from the beginning , after the new members were elected, he started to discuss what he "wasn't going to do". I don't know many people who would openly be insubordinate towards what were in fact his "bosses". How many of us can be publically critical of our boss and still have a job?
Additionally, having to reapply for jobs is one thing, but not knowing what would happen next, where teachers were to be assigned, etc. is deplorable. Having identified the 1,000 teachers was a process of elimination in of itself, yet you don't have a clue to how many will be returning?
What about the fact that even after requiring that students mandatorily attend summer school, teachers aren't paid on time? Whose fault is that if not the superintendent? Also, the $4 million surprise shortfall, is that the Board's fault? Two school board meetings ago, the board questioned the budget for the superintendent's office, instead of explaining why there was $250,000 allocated and what it was for, the superintendent took the position that it was minimal and shouldn't be an issue since the board was already in debt.
This man had ideas, some new and some recycled, but very little details. Unfortunately, the devils' in the details. I think we gave him an opportunity to run a large school system, something he hadn't done before and he took that opportunity and ran. He stated as much to Anne Stephens the other night.
We need to focus on how to move forward from here. There is no provision to recall the SB or the first "reform" board would have been recalled. People there is lead in the schools, some with air have been closed and sold, now they're trying to get more schools air conditioned. Students didn't have the basic in books last year. Classes are overcrowded. Sodexho is more interested in making a profit than in repairs and upkeep in the schools.
The superintendent stopped providing bus passes to students, who lived within 3 miles of their schools, despite some having to walk through dangerous/gang neighborhoods. Attendance actually dropped when this happened.
This uproar is about contracts and relationships, not the children. Even Demetris Johnson's picketing is questionable since his sister worked for Floyd Irons. This is a good example of facts getting in the way of a good story.
7/18/2006 7:15 PM
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