By Antonio D. French
Filed Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at 9:45 AM
When the school board meets for a special meeting at 10:00 a.m. Thursday morning, the new five-person majority will likely remove Veronica O'Brien as board president and elect new officers. But who will they select as the new president? Labels: Schools
THE FACTORS
RACE — The last two board presidents have been African-American women. Eight out of ten children that attend the city's public schools are African-American. Four out of the seven school board members are black. With Governor Matt Blunt selecting a white male from Chesterfield to lead the new "transitional" board, the new school board majority may choose a president that is more reflective of the city.
EXPERIENCE — No board member has more experience with the city schools than Bill Purdy (as evidenced by the fact that in the 1970's he was the high school principal of one of the board's new members, David Jackson, who is no spring chicken himself). But Purdy's past tenure as board president only appears to be the Good Old Days in comparison to the district's controversy and rapid decline since 2003.
The next experienced — and knowledgeable — member of the majority is Peter Downs. Downs is a parent of District students and ran for the board three times before being elected. He is well-known (if not always well-liked) and his St. Louis Schools Watch newsletter keeps hundreds of people informed about what's going on in SLPS.
Donna Jones was elected in April 2006, the same day as Downs, as part of a slate supported by the teachers' union. She is also a parent of District students. Her vocal and emotional involvement with recent anti-takeover demonstrations have earned her many fans for her passion, but has also caused her to be written off by many others as another "angry black woman".
Katie Wessling and David Lee Jackson each have exactly one board meeting under their belts. They are both parents of District students. They were both elected with the lowest voter turnout in St. Louis history. And both showed themselves to be articulate and passionate candidates.
THE CANDIDATES
The new president is most likely to come from the new five-person majority. Even though there is a great deal of respect on the Board for moderate Flint Fowler, whose vote thwarted an attempt months ago to oust Superintendent Diana Bourisaw, his refusal to pursue the presidency before as a concensus alternative to O'Brien will likely leave him off the list this time.
That leaves Purdy, Downs, Jones, Wessling, and Jackson.
Purdy and Downs may be the wrong faces at the wrong time.
Jones may not be able to articulate the message the board needs to convey at this time, that of calm reasurance that O'Brien has been neutralized and stability has returned to the district.
Wessling is a lawyer by profession — something that will surely come in handy over the next year. She and Jackson both are free of the taint of past controversies and can help convince the public that a new day has indeed come to the school board.
Jackson may be the best choice. As stated before, as a new member he doesn't carry the political baggage of the past. His personal story — being a former SLPS student who now serves on the board with his old principal, and a parent of children currently in the district as well as successful SLPS graduates — speaks of the successes of the district at a time when the public knows only of its failures.
So who will it be? Who do you think it should be?
8 Comments:
Jackson seems like the logical choice. He has dealt with Sullivan, before---in case the appeals fail, he would be in the best position to help the 7 member board still have some influence.
Ity would be great if race was not a factor---but it has been in this Slay-Blunt power grab. One, possibly two members of the three man board (not the most important one, of course) will probably be black. Public relations-wise----electing Wessling, Downs or Purdy, as well as Jones---with her association with the protest would make things easier for the new 3-man board.
Fowler has been the best of all of Slay's gang---but I do not think he would be as good a choice as Jackson.
4/11/2007 1:32 PM
When both Jackson and Wessling stated the obvious fact that O'Brien would be replaced as the first order of business if they were elected. I asked Jackson who he would vote for as the new president. Both he and Wessling's first answer was Peter Downs and then both listed the entire rest of the board as viable candidates as an after thought.
4/11/2007 2:50 PM
Has Downs been uncharacteristically quiet---even stingy----with words, lately?
4/11/2007 3:32 PM
One of the hallmarks of community involvement in the city school district crisis in the recent past has been the mutual cooperation and respect between races--a rarity for St. Louis.
I hope race will not be the issue but that competency and experience along with commitment to St. Louis public school education will outshine any other considerations.
More than any cigarette aimed at women can boast, "You've come a long way, Baby" certainly applies to various relationships in this normally factious city.
4/11/2007 4:58 PM
I found it interesting that the article stated that Wessling and Jackson were very articulate during the school board campaign. The only reason they had the knowledge they had was because members of the teacher's union were feeding them the information. They would tell them the question they were going to ask and then give them the answer to the question. I don't feel a newly elected board memeber is the right one to serve as president. They need some experience under their belt before that should happen. I think Mr. Purdy should step up to the plate; he is the one that has been on the board the longest.
If I would have been elected to the board, I would have stepped up to the plate. Unfortunately, the public listened to who the union and other organizations wanted on the board instead of thinking for themselves. One of the problems with the board is there is only one educator on the board, and it has been a while since he has been in the classroom. I worked for the district for 8 years and am currenlty a teacher working with children who are in the same situations as the children in the St. Louis Public Schools. Who knows better what the children of the district need other than someone who has been there. I just hope the new board, which is predominatly made up of parents, serves the district well. The last thing the district needs is a board that will fail them again! Also, I think it would be a disgrace if the new board decides that the district's lawyer should fight the state intervention. That would just be taking more money away from educating the children, which is not what they need!
4/11/2007 7:47 PM
Remember, election of Board President just until June when all officers will be elected. I think Peter has earned it and would be great, but maybe Downs until June then Jackson? As long as they work together, they'll be fine.
4/11/2007 7:49 PM
I think Bill Haus should be the next mayor.
4/13/2007 11:33 AM
This comment has been removed by the author.
4/13/2007 11:33 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home