By Antonio D. French
Filed Thursday, June 07, 2007 at 3:51 PM
READ IT HERE FIRST Labels: Appointments, Governor, Schools
PubDef has learned that Gov. Matt Blunt will be appointing former State Rep. Derio Gambaro to the State Board of Education tomorrow.
Gambaro represented south St. Louis in the House of Representatives for two terms between 1998 and 2000. In 2006, Gambaro ran in a crowded field of candidates to replace term-limited Pat Dougherty in the State Senate. He finished third in the race, behind political science instructor Jeff Smith and State Rep. Yaphett El-Amin.
In these two videos from June 2006 Gambaro sounded very critical of existing charter schools in St. Louis, particularly Confluence Academies which Smith co-founded.
During the campaign Gambaro was often criticized for supporting a scholarship program which many called a thinly-veiled school voucher program. He was also criticized for accepting financial support from Rex Sinquefield, a wealthy backer of school choice efforts in Missouri.
Because Blunt will be making the appointment while the State Legislature is on recess, Gambaro will immediately join the Board. However, when the Senate returns in January, Gambaro will have to be nominated sponsored by his state senator, Jeff Smith.
Smith tells PubDef that he just learned of Gambaro's appointment today and has not decided whether he will support his former opponent next year. He said there are still some outstanding issues on which he would still like to see where Gambaro stands.
In the meantime, it looks like Gambaro will have several months on the Board to show Smith and everyone else where he stands on a whole range of education issues before he is up for confirmation.
9 Comments:
If this post needs senate confirmation, Jeff Smith will have to sponsor him. While Smith's top challenger for his seat was Yaphet ElAmin, the most bitter exchanges were between Smith and Gambaro. After Smith only reluctantly sponsored Republican Carol Wilson (a Gambaro supporter) for chair of the Election Board, it will be interesting to see what happens with the Gambaro nomination, especially if the Teachers Union (with whom Smith has fences to mend) objects.
6/07/2007 4:33 PM
If Smith supports Gambaro, you can already hear the cries of "What's the difference between pro-voucher Donayle Whitmore-Smith and pro-voucher Derio Gambaro except one is white?"
If Smith opposes him, then it's "He's putting politics above the interest of the people."
Yadda, yadda, yadda...
This puts Smith in a tough spot once again.
6/07/2007 5:01 PM
I do not support Gambaro.
At the beginning of the Hibernian St. Patty's Day Parade, this year, he tried to drive into the float area in order to drop off his daughter and what seemed to be her friend. It was past the deadline. He told us that he is Irish and a part of the parade. We obviously knew who he was and thought this was funny. For being dishonest, and a Republican, I cannot support Mr. Gambaro.
I hope Mr. Smith does not support Mr. Gambaro. We do not need any Italians who try to pass themselves off as Irish, or Republicans who try to pass themselves off as Democrats!
6/07/2007 5:47 PM
Take this for whatever it is worth.
Gambaro laid out a plan for his idea on charter schools during endorsement interviews at 420. (Smith, ElAmin, etc. also interviewed) It was complicated (a fact some used to pooh pooh it) but I will try to give you the basic idea:
He was promoting the idea of offering vouchers to SLPS students and at the same time giving the district funds (can't remember if they were matching funds or not) for every student we lost.
The idea being, give parents the much touted "choice" while providing additional funds for the SLPS students who remained. This still wouldn't solve the problem of the SLPS becoming in effect a district of largely special needs students, but at least would increase the money available per student.
I wish I could give you the details of where the money would come from. (I'm sure Blunt would like to know as well)
Being Republican and pro-voucher he knew he had little (no) chance of being endorsed but was very gracious.
I thought it was rather progressive for a Republican and apologize for not remembering details.
6/07/2007 8:26 PM
Gambaro had a pretty nasty campaign piece attacking Confluence Academies.
The official position of the Catholic Church is to support evolution. Ms. Donayle Smith did not appear to be a supporter of evolution. That gave Jeff Smith some cover in not supporting her.
Don't know if Gambaro follows Catholic teaching on evolution.
Pity that the city's representative has to be someone white.
6/07/2007 9:50 PM
Oh please none of you know a thing. You all are bloggers including French. No political background at all. Guess you have to start somewhere.
6/08/2007 12:39 AM
Anonymous, I have quite a bit of political experience, thank you very much.
http://adfrench.com/past-clients/
6/08/2007 12:46 AM
Anonymous (of course)...
Don't have to have a political background to tell the facts.
6/08/2007 7:26 AM
Regarding Mr. Heger's fear the SLPS become a district of largely special needs students--
I don't mind that because that would mean that the non-special needs children living in St. Louis were getting a free education that their parents want, whether it be in SLPS or wherever (not religious schools for first amendment reasons.)
SLPS could cater to those tough to educate children. I would demand the SLPS would be given enough funds to educate these tough to educate children. Without the money, it falls apart. Not all kids are economically equally easy to educate.
6/08/2007 1:56 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home