By Antonio D. French
Filed Wednesday, December 27, 2006 at 11:26 AM
READ IT HERE FIRST Labels: Appointments, Breaking_News, State_Senate
Senator-Elect Jeff Smith's Statement on Gubernatorial Appointee Donayle Whitmore-Smith:
Donayle Whitmore-Smith is a leader of courage and action. She has dedicated the last decade of her life to improving urban education by founding the Ptah Academy in St. Louis and attempting to provide additional educational options to children across the state. As an educator, an activist, and a parent, she has much to be proud of.
That said, she is not an appropriate candidate for the State Board of Education.
The State Board is the steward for Missouri's public schools. As such, its members should possess a breadth and depth of experience in public education and/or a background as strong advocates for public schools. Given Ms. Whitmore-Smith's lack of experience as a public school teacher, administrator, or advocate – and the fact that she has spent much of her adult life promoting private educational options – I am concerned about her ability to focus on improving our public schools. At a time when the St. Louis Public Schools are on the verge of losing accreditation and falling under the purview of the State, all members of the State Board must concentrate on the task at hand.
Equally troubling was Ms. Whitmore-Smith's noncommittal response to my question about the relative merits of teaching creation vs. evolution in public school science classes. In order to train a workforce that will help Missouri become a biotechnology hub, our schools must teach modern science and ensure that religious doctrine remains in appropriate venues.
It should be noted, as the co-founder of a group of public charter schools, I have advocated some of the very alternative educational options that Ms. Whitmore-Smith has supported. I neither retract my advocacy nor disparage hers. In fact, I appreciate her energy and her work. While I have not always agreed with Ms. Whitmore-Smith's policy prescriptions, she has been a passionate advocate for her cause and fresh voices like hers should be welcomed.
I have truly appreciated the input of thousands of Missourians while evaluating this nominee. Lamentably, however, some on both sides have succumbed to histrionics and demagoguery. Ms. Whitmore-Smith is not out to eviscerate public education; conversely, voucher opponents are not out to trap poor children in failing schools. And the abysmal outcomes of St. Louis public schools are not solely the result of bureaucratic dysfunction but, more broadly, the consequence of decades of segregation, benign neglect, and middle-class flight.
For the sake of our children and our state's economic future, we must move past petty political bickering to come together and find practical solutions to these problems. That means considering open enrollment policies so that children can choose any public school in a district, lateral certification opportunities for trained scientists, mathematicians, and linguists to ease the shortages of qualified teachers in their subject areas, continuation of St. Louis's voluntary transfer program, and expansion of innovative charter schools [such as the Knowledge is Power (KIPP) model] that provide increased choice within the public school framework while remaining accountable to the State Board.
Finally, I wish Ms. Whitmore-Smith the very best in her future endeavors. I hope we have opportunities to find common ground and work together on some of the above initiatives. And I hope that, in keeping with tradition and the historical mission of the State Board, Governor Blunt's future nominees have more extensive experience in public education.
25 Comments:
Thank goodness for this, and for the classy way in which it is phrased. He is right, she is a wonderful woman with a wonderful drive to serve the community. Just not the best suited to do it in this particular way. All the best to her as she continues to better our community in her own special way.
12/27/2006 11:51 AM
As Blunt has already appointed one person who does not accept evolution, one can only assume that any appointee of his will be anti-evolution, unless explicitly stated.
Thank God that Jeff has not ignored his original base of liberals, and his Republican in Democrtic clothing Catholic Mayoral Office supporters [Catholic Church accepts evolution] and helped someone that is opposed to evolution!
Thanks Jeff, for a very reasonably worded press release. Glad that I won't have to move out of Missouri immediately!!!!!
12/27/2006 2:26 PM
What silliness... to think one's eligibility is dependent having the same mindset of the group that caused the problems in the the first place explains why the problems continue. The letter applauds the individual for many of the similar strategies pursued by the author and even states that "fresh voices like hers should be welcomed". Then suddenly the author attempts to leap over this obvious need for innovation and "move past petty political bickering".
In essence, this letter succombs to pettiness and panders to those who want to continue to ignore the underlying issues. Doesn't the public understand that open enrollment is basically the same concept as vouchers but with fewer choices?
It's truly disgusting to watch how foolish people continue to ask for more of the same. This is the type of leadership which continues to keep the area from making progress.
12/27/2006 2:46 PM
I am very proud that Jeff made the right decision and I look forward to working with him in the legislature. MCN
12/27/2006 2:49 PM
I'm glad to see that Jeff came to his senses and blocked this nomination.
But let's not forget where Jeff stands on the issue of public schools and private, for-profit corporations. As many of you know, Jeff is on the board of and is co-founder of Confluence Academy, a charter school run by Edison Schools, Inc., a private, for-profit educational management organization. In Jeff's statement, the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) charter schools are mentioned as a promising alternative. Neither Edison Schools, Inc., nor KIPP should have any role to play in the education of children in St. Louis, or anywhere else in the country.
For more on KIPP and Edison, go to my blog and enter "KIPP" or "Edison" in the search box.
Peter Campbell
Missouri State Coordinator
Assessment Reform Network
12/27/2006 3:04 PM
The letter was elequent enough. I question, however, that he brought up the creationalism vs. evolution as a basis for opposing her. For one, no one was there at the begining so it is all theoretical at best. Given she seemed non committal, who truly could be certain. Second, matrilineal dna actually disputes some of the evolutionary theory in that humans were supposed to have evolved from neanderthals. They have said this for years yet DNA proves otherwise and shows that neanderthals were in fact a separate species all together. Further, the theory of evolution was one of the political policies of Hitler in that he justified his actions because he felt that the white race was superior in that it was the last to develop on the planet and therefore the most evolved. He felt that Jewish people were closer to Africans because of their development out of Cush ( Ethiopia) They essentially equated being closer to Africa in origin as being closer to being animals and therefore inferior. This same theory was postulated as a justification of slavery.
I am not saying that creationalism is correct. There are different opinions of what creationalism ( intelligent design) actually means depending on the source. I am saying that we simply do not know enough to determine political and/ or educational policy based on it.
12/27/2006 4:12 PM
Well put Mr. Smith
12/27/2006 4:19 PM
I wonder who wrote this excuse for Jeff Smith. He only decided not to sponsor Ms. Smith after he generated the much needed attention he has to have. After all, what has changed about Whitmore-Smith today that wasn't the same when the Governor's office approached him in September?
12/27/2006 7:25 PM
Good question.
12/27/2006 7:47 PM
It sounds like he could have cared less about people opposed to vouchers or on Ms Whitmore's position on it.
Seems like the Wash U scientist had more influence on his decision.
It is also painfully evident that a good majority of the board does not have a great deal of public school experience.
12/27/2006 8:33 PM
This decision, to not support Ms. Whitmore-Smith, is just one more example of people who profess a kinship with people-of-color and by hteir very actions undermine their advancement.
Mr. Smith, by virtue of deciding to run for a seat that has historical significance to the African-American community in the city of St. Louis, has shown his true colors all along. Lest we forget this is the same Mr. Smith who tried to bribe African-Americans for their vote with a basketball & chicken event billed as a "community coming together" event during the campaign. He was told not to run against a white man he almost beat and like a slavemasters obedient son, he went and attacked the very people he claimed to champion.
A vast number of children are not being educated in this system and some people seem to be happy with that. How can you all continue to advocate for a system that fails so many????? Would you leave your parents in a senior living facility that failed to meet standards?? Would you live in a house that was substandard? An apartment where the maintenance owners failed to keep up the property?? I doubt it!!! But you ask those of us who want better for our children to leave them in a system that is no better than that. You leave us with the only option of getting out is if we hit the lottery.
HOW DARE YOU!!! I HOPE IT IS NOT YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER, MOTHER OR FATHER WHO IS MAMED,MUGGED OR MURDERED BY SOMEONE THIS SYSTEM LEFT BEHIND!!!!!!!
Antonio, you used to advoacate for w hat was right. I supported you when you ran for the school board, but I'm sure this won't stay up because . . oh, never mind, I have to get on the phone and start organizing.
12/27/2006 9:31 PM
Smith’s articulate explanation was appropriate.
However, as I opined on Political Fix, let's not lose sight of the fact that the net result of a power struggle over whether the governor or minority party senators get to make gubernatorial appointments will be that gubernatorial appointments will go only to persons who reside in districts represented by majority-party senators (at least for positions not geographically restricted to areas represented solely by minority-party senators). Senators who try to dictate gubernatorial appointments from their districts will ultimately deprive their districts of representation in appointments.
12/27/2006 10:03 PM
Oracle, you are certainly correct but I would ask the question 'so what?'
If a person is wrong, then living in a Democratic district doesn't make them right.
12/27/2006 10:55 PM
Bad move Jeff, bad political move.
12/28/2006 12:52 AM
Smith hasn't even made it out of the gate and is proving how awful he is going to be as a senator. Donyale represents much to the african-american community in St. Louis and has been very active and supportive of children.
Smith represents these same people and they won't forget. Let's hear it for "One Term Jeff."
12/28/2006 10:08 AM
Most large systems of power cannot and historically have not fixed themselves without outside motivation. People in power always want to maintain their power. Hitler, Stalin, Saddam, slavery, tobacco companies, energy companies....Even if the unions started as the underdog, they have now become the power that keeps all opposition out. Anyone that even suggest anything different is pounced by the big bully. This was one woman. The media campaign orchestrated against this one woman was amazing. They had websites, picket signs, and whole newspapers tryiing to make her out to be the devil himself. All she has ever tried to do was to get money for community children to get an education. Even if you did not like her suggestions, her heart was sincere to help children. Yet, the big bully feared her. They called her names and laughed at her struggles. They tried to lynch her in the media while their watchdogs lapped around waiting for the scraps. Why is the big bully so hell bent on her distruction? She is not personally responsible for the state of SLPS. She didn't create their classroom conditions. She didn't manage their budgets. She didn't develop the curriculum The big bully had a lot more to do with that than ANYTHING Ms. Whitmore has done. Historically, when any of the bullies have acted this way in the past to destroy their enemies, the enemies usually had the truth on their side. Hmmm It is time to think people.
It is not for the children...they have never even made that claim. They expouse that it takes more money out of the public system for private profit. They conveniently forget the 1 billion dollar fund they are sitting on for their comfort and securtiy. Ahh.....Behind every bully there is also a money pot they are protecting....usually the one that is in their interest.
12/28/2006 10:38 AM
Unfortunately, most of the children from the current public system cannot even understand many of the words you used from your privileged private education Mr. Smith. I will put money on it that some of the teachers and administrators had to look some of the m up. I have already heard some of them trying to pronounce them. They are not even on the vocabulary list in SLPS. Yet only someone from that system is best for the job.
12/28/2006 10:50 AM
"Even if the unions started as the underdog, they have now become the power that keeps all opposition out. Anyone that even suggest anything different is pounced by the big bully."
What????
Slay is the bully----his pitiful showing in the election after dominating who decided what (disastrously) in the schools for several years caused the whole "screw democracy if they pick the wrong people" attitude on his part.
The big danger, from his point of view, is that two more parents would be added in march, and supporting Bourisaw along with the other more constructive board members, so much progress and improvement would be made by the end of 2007 without the interference of his idiotic appointments, that his power would be drastically diminished.
No problem--cancel the board and the board elections.
Bully.
12/28/2006 3:56 PM
So this takeover is a conspiracy by the Mayor scared that Bourisaw might finally improve our schools?!! ROTFLMAO!
12/28/2006 4:24 PM
I am no huge supporter of Slay yet I have heard him admit that he made mistakes and had some regrets. I have never heard anyone from the unions say they misjudged Ms. Whitmore-Smith. I have also heard Ms. Whitmore defend teachers even when they were attacking her. During the November meeting she attended at the State Board, she was the ONLY member concerned about the high number of students per class while Bourisaw tried to justify 33 students to 1. She called it a travesty and wanted to do something about it. She also was the only one concerned about addressing the social issues surrounding the children. Having taking in homeless children to her own school on her dime, she understood the dynamics.
( Ms. Whitmore took in two homeless girls whose addicted mother had them on the streets selling them. They had already dropped out of SLPS. In an effort to give them some kind of education to survive until social services could come help them they went to her school. They didn't trust anyone else and refused to go anywhere else. They were 10 and 12!)
These seem to be great concerns with the teachers, yet they shot her down when she defended some of their issues. Oh well, I guess we will just continue to do the same old thing expecting different results now that we will have yet another public school person in the seat. Insanity is the name of the game.
12/28/2006 5:00 PM
Anonymous said...
So this takeover is a conspiracy by the Mayor scared that Bourisaw might finally improve our schools?!! ROTFLMAO!
12/28/2006 4:24 PM
Precisely---I do not understand why you are rolling on the floor laughing---unless you are Mayor Slay, and you are laughing at the voters.
12/28/2006 7:28 PM
The "conspiracy" is becoming so obvious it can no longer be called a conspiracy. It has become policy from City Hall.
And did someone call unions "Big Bully"? That's so twisted it is hard to respond to. The teacher's union has been on the right side on most of this.
Fed-Up Parent, as a teacher I want to tell you that we are not wanting you to keep your children in a failing district...we want to FIX THAT DISTRICT for your children. If we allow public schools to fail by diverting resources away from them they will just get worse for more children like yours.
Why are we creating an entire new system of schools that will fail for all of the same reasons?
12/28/2006 11:01 PM
Word is this is Purdy's blog and he checks to see who made postings. If this is true then this could be the end of your blog.
12/29/2006 8:45 PM
Jim,
"And did someone call unions "Big Bully"? That's so twisted it is hard to respond to. The teacher's union has been on the right side on most of this."
It may be hard to respond, but given what happened,it is hard to deny. The people using attack dogs on equal rights activist in the sixties thought they were on the right side too. Most bullies feel perfectly justified in what they do especially when defending a long standing system.
12/29/2006 10:39 PM
Anon,
I'm not sure of what you mean when you talk about "what happened". (There has been so much) But exactly how do you see the union as a bully?
The union backed TWO PARENTS for the School Board. Downs and Jones were underdogs who pulled off upset victories not because the union bullied anybody. There was a huge cooperative effort made by many concerned groups of which the union was just one.
Every suggestion the union has made in the past couple of years has been geared towards helping students succeed. The union knows that if the students fail it will fail as well.
The union voted to accept a contract that resulted in a longer school year, longer school day, and increased professional development. The "pay raise" we supposedly got was actually a PAY CUT when viewed on an hourly basis.
The union certainly isn't perfect (I have had more than my share of disagreements with 420 leadership) but I really don't think you are justified when you characterize it as a big bully.
If you can be more specific I might be able to give you a better answer.
12/30/2006 11:58 PM
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