By Antonio D. French
Filed Wednesday, July 18, 2007 at 8:30 AM
It came as no surprise when board member David Jackson made his motion last night for the St. Louis Board of Education to "cease and desist" all of its operations until the pending lawsuit is resolved. He had made his intentions clear in an article published in Post-Dispatch the same day. And so as quickly as he made the motion, Board President Peter Downs ruled it out of order and his colleagues, one by one, from yells to whispers, told him why they felt the Board must continue its fight against the state takeover. But it was board member Donna Jones who spoke first and loudest... Labels: Schools
20 Comments:
Way to go, Donna! I totally agree with all that she said at the meeting last night. I don't think we should lay down and "show our necks" like certain animals do when they are vanquished by their foes.
I don't think that the elected board, parents and teachers should capitulate to the will of Mayor Slay (who is driving this train) and his cohorts.
Mayor Slay has systematically and very purposely put in place people who would carry out actions which would result in the loss of many points of accreditation for SLPS. This put us in position for a state takeover.
I voted for the majority elected board of SLPS, and I know that by law it takes another election for these people to be removed. It is not legal to artibrarily remove any elected officer just because you have another plan. This is still the United States of America and not a dictatorship.
Incidentally, I am a product of SLPS where I received a very good education.
7/18/2007 10:06 AM
Everything Donna Jones stated was correct and everything David Jackson stated was correct.
Donna Jones understands that the end of the road is near for black people that are not at least somewhat wealthy in the City of St. Louis, however, the fight for Donna Jones is with the local and state black elected officials in office right now.
Everything that Donna Jones stated as concerns are due to the lack of leadership provided by these black elected officials. The black elected officials in this town are afraid of white people and are bought and sold.
Look at how white people buy these black elected official negroes with campaign donations and then some black elected official negroes buy other negroes.
In the end, the black community suffers and looks like crap. The black community has more killings, stabbings, shootings, prostitutes, hookers, street drug dealers, gang members, run down vacant buildings, corner liquor stores, shitty ass Family Dollar's, shitty ass corner stores, slum lord multi-family apartment buildings, undeveloped and underutilized parks, non-functioning water fountains in the parks (can't even get a drink of water), potholes, street lighting that doesn't work, crackheads, dopefiends, no good ass-congregation living outside the community black churches (good enough community for them to attend church on Sundays but not to live in), pimp ass black preachers driving Lexus'-Chrysler 300's-Mercedes'-but won't do anything except hold press conferences to do nothing, lying ass black community leaders and organizations that have been in existence for years-that claim that black empowerment shit for black people but look at the black community after all these years- ya'll ain't done shit but steal money, and black elected officials that rape private corporations-private donors-labor unions-city, state, and federal funds for their individual and families pockets at the expense of the black community suffering like a damnnnn dog.
The truth is the truth and all the people see you no good ass people for who you are, NO GOOD ASS PEOPLE!
7/18/2007 10:13 AM
Empowerment begins with self responsibility. There is a serious flaw in how we as black people perceive ourselves in St. Louis. We live and breathe victimhood.
Just as all of those things are happening in our communities, we cannot ignore that it is Us Killing Us. We will not take responsibility for our own stuff and our own communities. Yeah there might be other contributing factors but ultimately we must do what we must for ourselves and stop blaming white folks for our own lack of self responsibility. We must begin to expand our view beyond our immediate experience and evaluate our circumstance in from a wider viewpoint.
Blame is self defeating and disempowering. It leaves you begging others for what we must do for ourselves. Our community suffers from low self esteem. Where there is low self esteem, there is apathy.
At this point it is useless to complain about how we got there and who is responsible. It is a vicious cycle of victimhood, blame, low self respect, then victimhood again. We have fought so much we are now fighting just for the hell of fighting. We don't even know what we are fighting for anymore. Our fight must begin with surrendering the egos of the battle in order to embrace the healing of our communities. Two things cannot exist at the same time in the same space. We can either fight and complain, or heal and make progress.
7/18/2007 11:24 AM
"At this point it is useless to complain about how we got there and who is responsible"
That statement is stupid as hell. Anyone that wants to solve a problem must examine how they got there and who is responsible. The point is that black people, community leaders, pastors, and elected officials are responsible for our current situation.
White people just amplify a toxic situation by purchasing, giving awards, and placing on boards our pastors, community and organizational leaders, and former and present black elected officials, that they know don't give a damnnn about the black people in the community. These black people only care about putting money in their pockets.
If this black group mentioned above did care about the black community then the black community would function better and look better.
The solution is clear, ask for the resignation of all CEO's of organizations aiming at helping the black community, resignations from pastors of churches in the black community, resignation of all current black elected officials, and replace the current black community leaders with new ones.
This group has not produced major significant change in the black community for at least (10+) years, so they need to resign for accountability sake.
The white man can't be blamed for these shameless and shameful, shiftless, worthless, pastoral whoremonging, not loving Jesus or God, pisspoor, thieving, and terrible role models.
When black people have friends like these representing them, who needs enemies.
7/18/2007 1:02 PM
Like Percy Green. Everything is about Slay. Is it true what they say, Bourisaw has Percy on the payroll? So this means Percy Green works for Rick Sullivan.
7/18/2007 3:23 PM
Anonymous # 2
Has it ever occurred to you that the reason few want to invest money in those neighborhoods is because it's gets torn up right away? Just because people are poor doesn't mean they have to break out windows, litter the streets, roam the neighborhood at all hours shooting and carrying on.
7/18/2007 6:29 PM
This does not bother me---but it does make me wonder--- from the south county journal---
State takeover opponents to hold fundraiser
Tuesday, July 17, 2007 2:51 PM CDT
Save Our Children's Education, the legal fund for the lawsuit to overturn the state takeover of St. Louis Public Schools, will hold a concert and silent auction this week to raise funds.
The concert will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester Road. Music will be performed by The Black Notes - from the Metro High School Jazz Quintet - and The U-Turns. The cost of admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children. Drinks and food will be available separately in the restaurant.
Anyone wanting more information should contact Darren O'Brien at daobrien@watson.wustl.edu.
I wonder if Sullivan has thought about telling Bourisaw to tell them not to do this----and I wondered if Darren is related to takeover supporter (unless she has changed her mind) Veronica O'Brien.
hmm. kjoe
7/18/2007 7:48 PM
I have been working with children who attend St. Louis City public schools and their educational experience seems woefully inadequate. They complain time and again that the classroom atmosphere is often like a zoo. This year I met two 13 year olds who read on a third grade level (they have no disabilities) and one 15 year old who is borderline MR but has never been tested and assessed for special education. Just in the past week I know three St. Louis City public school students whose parents are moving to the county and two students who are electing to attend a charter school because of the SLPS loss of accreditation. I praise David Jackson’s comments during the school board meeting last night. I wish his advice would have been headed. I fear that the actions of the SLPS elected board (excepting David Jackson) recently only show to the city of St. Louis and the greater St. Louis Metropolitan area that the state was right to appoint a Special Administrative Board. I ask myself, does the elected school board even care about their students, or are they mainly interested in their own careers and garnishing media attention. I thank god my son does not attend a St. Louis city school.
7/18/2007 11:38 PM
The staff said that Bourisaw told the school the children could not perform at the fundraiser. Bourisaw also sent a letter to the staff telling them to keep up the fight. The question I have is where does Sullivan really stand. He keeps Bourisaw is working both sides. This sounds like white people sticking together. Sullivan needs to move on and maybe find another job for Bourisaw. Donna Woods was at a local bar and told people Sullivan and Bourisaw were getting verrrrry
close. Office romance!
7/19/2007 1:07 AM
"This sounds like white people sticking together."
This and other comments make me think that the problems of SLPS won't be solved until the district does something about the rampant racism.
As long as St. Louis makes "White people" the enemy, the city will continue to stagnant, or worse.
7/19/2007 2:39 AM
You are right in this case the enemy is white. As long as we have white people like you acting like race is not a problem then things will just explode. People like you are the problem
7/19/2007 10:03 AM
TIRESOME! WEARISOME! Veronica always trying to dig up crap on someone. Her vendetta against Bourisaw, now including Sullivan and using Donna Woods as the vehicle, and throwing out the race card (how can she love her half white children and blame white people so much?) would be comical if it wasn't so tragic.
What goes around comes around. Her day is coming.
7/19/2007 10:47 AM
Until the district does something about rampant racism? Are you kidding? So now the schools are not only expected to fix the problems of poverty, homelessness, lack of medical care, and violence, we add fixing racism into it. How about until we, the people, do something about these problems, as citizens, instead of comfortably sitting back typing grand pronouncements into a computer.
7/19/2007 11:30 AM
Anon at 11:30,
Thanks for pointing that out...I had missed that. (I laughed even though I know it is not funny)
7/19/2007 11:59 AM
anonymous at 7/19/2007 11:30 AM is correct in stating that the SLPS district is not responsible for eliminating racism. They are responsible for education, and should focus on that.
It was sloppy writing on my part. I should have said "the problems of SLPS won't be solved until the people of St. Louis does something about the rampant racism."
anonymous at 7/19/2007 10:03 AM is wrong in stating that I am acting like race is not a problem. On the contrary, I emphatically stated that racism was rampant in St. Louis.
That racism goes both ways. Instead, both sides are on one side you have white people who think that ALL blacks are ignorant, shiftless people, and you have black people who think that all whites are the source of ALL of their problems. Neither characterization is true.
St. Louis is not a very diverse city. Instead, it is predominately black and white, with a very small population of Latinos and Asians. Because of its lack of diversity, St. Louis looks at issues in a black and white, or "us" versus "them" mentality.
In my last visit to St. Louis I noticed the racial tension. People like anonymous at 7/19/2007 10:03 AM are one side of that problem. I doubt he/she realizes that he/she shares the same mindset of racial bigotry as the white racists.
7/19/2007 2:16 PM
If the same amount of time and attention that is now being given the St. Louis Public Schools had always been provided, the system would not be in the horrible condition that it is. I personally know Rick Sullivan and appreciate/admire the fact that he was willing to accept the GOVERNORS (not Mayor Slay's) apoointment to try to fix something that is so broken. Assuming everyone on this blog is an adult, I beg you to not resort to the childish tactics of implying a relationship.
7/19/2007 3:03 PM
Neither Bourisaw nor Sullivan deserve that type of slander and maligning.
Digging up or throwing dirt on others is serious business.
7/19/2007 3:24 PM
If all the elected board can provide is a forum for public discussion, SO BE IT! Forums of public discussion are what built this country. STAND WITH THE PEOPLE!!
The elected board has become a galvanizing point; a symbol of the struggle for MANY in the St. Louis community to be heard and treated fairly by those currently in power. Every scrap of power taken from the elected board represents a slap in the face of people in St. Louis--of all races--who have been used, abused, bought and sold, ignored, manipulated, disenfranchised and discounted by the current "regimes" in St. Louis and the state of Missouri.
Do not lose sight of the fact that we are American citizens who have a right to be treated justly by our government and who have a right to change and influence that government. We must not factionalize among ourselves. That only helps those in power make fools of us and keep us weak. There is more than enough blame and responsibility to go around black and white. Let's just focus on fighting those in power who are hurting ALL of us.
7/20/2007 9:09 AM
Kjoe-
No Darren O'Brien is not related to Veronica...
And the benefit last night was to help fund the legal fight against the State appointed board.
Bourisaw was not "in charge" of the benefit last night. She did not organize it or even attend it. I don't know her thoughts on it.
This benefit was organized by members of a group called Save Our Schools which supports the ELECTED Board.
lbuxx
7/20/2007 8:34 PM
Anon 11:38
Can you please tell me what the State Apppointed Board or more specifically Rick Sullivan since he seems to want to run everything has accomplished so far?
Other than illegally firing 34 people?
I'm just wondering why you would think it is such a good thing the State took over.
What good has happened so far? What is his plan to improve our schools? Betcha can't tell me that since he hasn't enlightened any of the general public....
lbuxx
7/20/2007 8:38 PM
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