By Antonio D. French
Filed Thursday, August 23, 2007 at 6:50 AM
Labels: Schools
On Saturday, August 18, St. Louis Public Schools Special Administrative Board member Richard Gaines spoke to a group of 1st Ward residents about the challenges which lay ahead for the city school district.
16 Comments:
Get rid of Sullivan.
8/23/2007 7:44 AM
Richard Gaines is truly an impressive man and makes me think that a turnaround of the SLPS is possible.
8/23/2007 2:12 PM
He's also the only one of the SAB who gets that their job is to be done as soon as possible so we can have democracy again. He visibly nods agreement when supporters of democracy talk at meetings. Thank goodness Reed talked him out of quitting after Sullivan and Adams pulled their little stunt allowing Sullivan to be both CEO and Board President.
8/23/2007 2:43 PM
a member of the general assembly told me tonight that Antonio's report about Sullivan being withdrawn during the special session, and reappointed was correct.
I asked why the post and kmox have been quiet about it---he said one of them did report it.
If they did, I missed it.
8/24/2007 2:36 AM
Kojoe the Post and KMOX are quiet because they get their slant from each other and the establisment. We have no media in this town that can stand alone. The Post and KMOX are appealing to their advertisers. You know how they say choice in education brings more opportunity? Well the same applies for the media. We have no choice in this town when it comes to the media. The Post tells Stevens what to air and KMOX.
Just research the reporting.
8/24/2007 2:14 PM
Is there any chance Sullivan and/or Adams will support looking into bringing the food service back in-house?
8/24/2007 7:55 PM
Infinit thanks to both the st. Louis fire department and the St. Louis Dream center located on St.Louis City North side for turning a small idea that other community organizations dismissed, into a huge success for a small city block. Their support and donations were needed, very much appreciated and will never be forgotten. If it had not been for their commitment and dedication to giving back to the community in a time and era where crime and lack of communication are of major concern, our youth as well as our elders, would not anticipate what is now being considered an annual event of promoting unity and love towards one another. Much appreciation to 21st ward state representative, Rodney Hubbard, for he was just cruising down Natural Bridge on Saturday,Aug 18th, saw the barricades, heard the music and his curiosity led him to walk towards the crows. Not only did he witness and join in on something meaningful and positive, but he took with him footage of a northside city community of both the young and old, having a good ol' time. The goal was met-unity, health awareness and positive constructive youth activities within a safe environment was promoted no thanks to the St. Louis police department who basically said "F" us when asked for their support. No thanks to Planned Parenthood,Dental Healthcare "for Kids" (what!),No thanks to Alderjoke Bennice King, no thanks to Matthew Dickeys! What a way to show love to our youth. Thanks again Rodney Hubbard.
8/24/2007 10:04 PM
There is a way to give praises to Rodney Hubbard without dogging out everyone else in the process. Your otherwise positive statement was overshadowed by your HATING
8/25/2007 7:11 AM
The SAB of the St. Louis Public School is in a position to gain support of the citizen/parents/taxpayers of the City of St. Louis. I believe Mr. Gaines has every intention of doing what is best for the children.
However, Mr. Sullivan is fooling himself. He does not want to step up to the plate and take the steps that he was appointed to take. WHY?
Mr. Sullivan is hiding behind or under the skirt of Diana Bourisaw who is a lier and sociopath with a serious character flaw. For Christ sakes, the woman cannot look you straight in the eye!!!!!!!!
Dr. Bourisaw continues to surround herself with administrative level staff who are incompetent so that she is the smartest of the group. Take a look at her team:
-Moss (CFO) who is incompetent;
-Laster (CIT) who cannot speak coherent english;
-Anderson (CO) who definitely is confused and she said this week in an interview on Channel 4 News that schools are open during the heat alert for the children - tell me how much learning is going on when children are riding hot school busses and teachers and students are uncomfortable and distracted throughout the day. Oh, it is about the ADA not the learning process!
-Hardin who doesn't know an application from a resume and thinks is best to get her picture in the party section of a weekly newspaper (Todd is not interested, he has another lady)
-the WF who have come from south county and outlying communities.
I hope that Mr. Gaines and Ms. Adams will take the blinders off of Rick Sullivan. Diana Bourisaw is a looser and a JOKE! Until the SAB gets rid of Bourisaw and her dummies, it is business as usual at St. Louis Public Schools. P.S. No, Veronica O'Brien did not write nor prompt these comments. I am an independent thinker who realizes the need for change.
8/25/2007 9:06 AM
I think it would be interesting to hear Antonio do a reflective, in-depth interview with Veronica.
Kind of a chronological journey of insights. At one time, Mayor Slay thought highly enough of her to appoint her to the board. It was probably after the voters re-elected her that something changed his opinion. I look at the period she was aligned with Purdy, Downs and Jones as something she should be proud of---but she might have regrets about that now. I don't know exactly how much she had to do with hiring Bourisaw--as a temporary replacement for Williams---but Bourisaw has lasted through a lot---her tenure as superintendent has already lasted longer than some of those who preceded her. I think Bourisaw has been good--and if Veronica helped choose her she could be proud of that, --obviously many disagree.
Most of all, I wonder exactly how what happened in July and August last year affected Veronica. She had Demetrius Johnson and Floyd Irons to contend with, and even being frightened about her children's safety did not seem to make any difference to the officials to whom she complained.
The murder of Tim Bacon was obviously frightening to her, even though we do not know what the motive was---maybe it was completely unrelated. The board which voted extra money to protect her was made of people she had been aligned with---somewhere in the second half of 2006, something(s) happened which she must have regarded as betrayal, which caused her to vote mostly with Jackson, Archibald and Fowler. She ended up wanting the same thing as Blunt and Slay---a takeover from her former allies. Now, she seems to have misgivings about the guy picked by Blunt.
Rather than say something like "Veronica just does what she thinks is right, no matter what", or the other extreme, "Veronica is always making trouble", I wonder if Antonio and she could focus on some specific things which seem to be contradictory---but really are not.
8/25/2007 4:45 PM
I would have more respect for all involved in making harmful decisions (educationally, not necessarily financially) if they would just come out and tell the truth.
For example: "YES, we sold the food service equipment as fast as we could to prevent going back to in-house food service...YES, we are trying to eliminate staff and give the remaining more responsibilities...YES, we give laptops to special education teachers so they will do more work at home...YES, we are cutting back on textbooks and supplies"...the list goes on and on.
These are the types of things that happen when money is tight. I wish someone at least had the kahonas to admit it rather than make excuses and denials.
8/26/2007 9:14 AM
I see Dr. Bourisaw bashed on here all the time and that is sad. She may not be perfect but she has been the best thing this district has had for a long, long time. She visits the school without needing 20 others traveling with her, she interacts with the kids as people and she is supportive to the staff. Let's give her some support just for a bit and see how good it can get.
As for the heat, yes it was hot in those classrooms and I know because I was in one. The kids did learn, and teachers taught. Knowing we would not suffer all day helped. It is not the perfect answer but before Dr. Bourisaw we would have been left in that heat all day. At least Dr. Bourisaw will call half days when they are needed for safety. No one in the recent past cared enough to do that. Once you were there you were there no matter how hot, cold or icy it got.
8/26/2007 2:38 PM
It was the elected Board at their June meeting who pushed for a heat emergency plan. Good for Bourisaw for creating one, but would it have been thought of before Aug. 21st if the elected Board hadn't asked about it? Doubt it. The SAB never said a word about excessive heat or the students--until after the fact. None of them had to worry about their kids sweating all day, after all.
8/26/2007 7:59 PM
Supposed to get up to 98 degrees again Tuesday...Donnybrook brought up the start after Labor Day thing again. Dumb, dumb, dumb for Local 420 to agree to this 3+ years ago.
At least until all the schools are air conditioned.
8/26/2007 8:44 PM
anon at 2:38, no one is perfect. Dr. Bourisaw is (how about this double negative?) less not-perfect than most.
8/26/2007 9:52 PM
We CAN have improved city schools. Regarding the need to restore democracy--NO BOARD OR POLITICIAN EVER HAD THE RIGHT TO STRIP THE CITIZENS OF ST. LOUIS OF THEIR DEMOCRATIC RIGHT TO PUBLICLY ELECTED BOARDS. IF DEMOCRACY CAN BE STOLEN SO EASILY IN THE NAME OF'REFORM'--THEN WE ARE ALL IN TROUBLE. WAKE UP ANONYMOUS. READ THE CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS. THE DIXIECRAT BIGOTS HAD NO RIGHT TO UNSEAT A PUBLICLY ELECTED BOARD.
GADFLY
8/27/2007 2:00 PM
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