By Antonio D. French
Filed Monday, June 04, 2007 at 3:28 PM
Rick Sullivan, the Chesterfield real estate developer selected by Gov. Matt Blunt to run the city schools after it is stripped of its accreditation on June 15, met with members of the Aldermanic Black Caucus Friday in the Congressional Room of City Hall. Labels: Schools
According to an attendee, Sullivan told the aldermen that he'll be there to be the CEO of the district, not the education leader.
He spoke candidly about his lack of educational background and said he's not planning to get directly involved in the education decisions of the district. Sullivan said he doesn't expect his lack of experience in public education to be a hindrance.
During the 30-minute meeting, most aldermen seemed to follow the lead of freshman Ald. Marlene Davis, a former president of the St. Louis School Board, according to sources.
One alderman tells PubDef.net that the Caucus members seemed generally satisfied with Sullivan's answers.
"Most felt like we have to give the transitional board a chance," said the alderman. "We don't have much choice."
21 Comments:
thanks for the follow up report.
6/04/2007 4:05 PM
The single biggest education issue there is would be the future role of charter schools.
"he's not planning to get directly involved in the education decisions of the district."
kind of hard to believe, but we shall see.
6/04/2007 4:14 PM
First we had a suit salesman (Roberti) now we have a hammer swinger (Sullivan) that know absolutely nothing about managing an urban public school system! Who's next to be appointed when Sullivan further destroys public education for the masses of St. Louis city students,maybe a custard maker,Ted Drewes? I doubt if he will damage the schools as bad as these two!
6/04/2007 6:34 PM
PubDef has been told that members of the Black Caucus have many questions waiting for Sullivan concerning his take on the academic and financial situation of the district, as well as his stance on privatization and charter schools.
and
He spoke candidly about his lack of educational background and said he's not planning to get directly involved in the education decisions of the district. Sullivan said he doesn't expect his lack of experience in public education to be a hindrance.
He is good at this stuff.
6/04/2007 7:01 PM
If Sullivan is not going to deal with educational issues then why is he here? To get the money?
6/04/2007 11:54 PM
Sounds like a introduction, not a meeting.
6/05/2007 2:21 AM
The structure of McBride & Sons as a company suggests Sullivan was selected to implement a mass charterization of the schools. (McBride & Sons operates as a collection of semi-independent businesses in coalition). If Mr. Sullivan thinks that charterizing the school system is a "mere" business or financial concern with no educational ramifications (thus his lack of interest or involvement with educational issues) he is entirely missing the point.
The federal government, through NCLB, has treated urban children as if they have no social or human needs which could interfere with their ability to learn and given the government license to ignore those problems. The state of Missouri has treated urban children as if they are not humans, but test scores, and given the government license to discount and trash the votes of their parents. A new administration that does not even recognize that there are educational considerations involved in restructuring the district will turn urban children into dollars, giving those in power license to shift them around like corporate investments.
I am sick of all this.
I have devoted my life to these children.
I am praying that the courts uphold justice and stop all these evil plots from unfolding.
The fact that all of them claim to be doing it "for the children" makes my blood boil.
President Bush: Build schools, hospitals and healthcare in AMERICA--FOR THE CHILDREN!
Governor Blunt: Fund the schools properly--FOR THE CHILDREN!
Mayor Slay: Support the blighted neighborhoods instead of decorating your favorite neighborhoods--FOR THE CHILDREN!
There is a God in heaven who is father to the fatherless and advocate for the poor of this world. Whatever you manage to "get away with" now, YOU WILL ANSWER TO HIM.
6/05/2007 7:46 AM
We all know that Sullivan will do the bidding of Slay's orders to him! This is about setting up pseudo private schools (charter) for the elite paid for by public funds!Think of all the money Sullivan will make for McBride and Sons by building $300,000+ homes in the city while the poor to middle class are pushed out of the city!I call it gentrification with ethnic elimination!
6/05/2007 8:45 AM
Yeah Helen you don't have to pray because Bourisaw said he is following her lead. All of us that work at 801 hope he didn't come her to follow her. We hate her and her staff.
6/05/2007 10:26 AM
The staff at 801 seems to have a lot of hatred in them...glad you are not in the classroom!
6/05/2007 11:09 AM
The posting about 801 staff hating Bourisaw & her staff probably came from a disreputable and pathological liar who serves on the board and is jealous of and hates Bourisaw.
Is Helen praying or is the above-mentioned person once again judging and condemning others? Man, she gets so religious in her mean-spiritedness and fanaticism. "We hate her and her staff" -- sounds like you know who to me, and Rick Sullivan is intelligent enough to see when someone is imbalanced.
By the way, someone said a certain vocal and hateful board member asked to go on an expensive trip to New York at Board expense. Does anyone know if that is true?
6/05/2007 11:21 AM
This whole thing sounds like a mess. Sullivan not working on education, Bourisaw and existing board running things by way of Sullivan. What a waste of time. How will Sullivan be able to work with the district if he can't talk to them. Sounds like the have no choice but to bust the district up.
6/05/2007 12:14 PM
Can we all just get along. Why such long hateful postings. Such personal comments aimed at board members when we know who you are talking about.
6/05/2007 12:30 PM
I agree take the personal comments somewhere else. This time of day is for those of us that don't have a life or a job.
6/05/2007 12:46 PM
Yes, Yes, praise his holy name. Praise him the almighty
6/05/2007 12:55 PM
Are you referring to someone who has written so many personal comments about a current board officer and the superintendent?
A certain Kirkwood hairdresser was heard talking about someone on the board who gets her hair fixed there at a get-together on the plaza. No respect for her customer.
6/05/2007 1:15 PM
I am anon 7:46 a.m.
I am the one praying for justice.
I am not Helen.
I am a teacher.
I thought it should be known that there is more than one person out there who knows Who wins in the end.
The Bible says "The FEAR of God is the foundation of wisdom." It defines a person who has no FEAR of God as...a FOOL. It is also a fundamental principle of scripture that one will "reap what one sows". To this Jesus added that judgment will be meted out with the same measure one has used on others.
Some people are truly lining themselves up for disaster.
6/05/2007 2:32 PM
Praise all, prsise the almighty. Disater will come to those who stray. Let their afro's catch on fire.
6/05/2007 3:43 PM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
6/05/2007 3:58 PM
I also share great concerns about the future of the Saint Louis public schools. As a father of a 7 year old presently in the system.
I have grown tired of constantly fighting with my wife, who wants to sell our home in the city because of the present school system.
I have attended a couple of school board meetings and felt that I was at a live taping of the Jerry Springer Show!! I was embarrassed for many of the people that spoke. Yet, I share alot of their anger.
As concerned parents and citizens we truly need a better plan to effect change for the future ALL OF OUR CHILDREN!!
I love Saint Louis and do not want too move, However I don't how much more of this B.S. I can tolerate.
I know I personally hold Mayor Slay accountable for the present state of our school system and plan to hold him accountable at election time! Please encourage everyone to remember these facts come election time and vote!
6/06/2007 11:02 AM
Hold him accountable all you want. If he wants to be the next mayor again then it will happen. I can see O'Brien and her team out there now knocking on doors for him. Wonder were they working together the whole time?
6/07/2007 12:13 AM
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