By Antonio D. French
Filed Sunday, August 19, 2007 at 8:57 AM
The term of St. Louis Public Schools' chief executive officer may be even shorter than many predicted. Labels: Governor, Schools, State_Senate
Governor Matt Blunt's appointment to the Special Administrative Board of the city schools, Rick Sullivan, has yet to be confirmed by the State Senate, and is unlikely to be unless his senator, Joan Bray, sponsors him.
Blunt appointed Sullivan after the legislature ended its last session. As a recess appointment, Sullivan would normally not have to be confirmed until the senate came back in January.
But as the state legislature reconvenes this week, there is growing speculation that Blunt will withdraw Sullivan from the CEO post to avoid his senate rejection and reappoint him again after the special session.
20 Comments:
Is his appointment even on the agenda??
8/19/2007 11:30 AM
Veronica, you were one of the few people who were appointed to the school board---and---elected to the school board.
We don't always agree. But I, for one, am glad you are paying attention.
Powers of observation seem to be among your strengths.
I am not quite getting the significance of this. I assume the other two members can be confirmed by the board of aldermen.
So---will Sullivan still be able to vote before January?
Couple of other things I would love to hear Veronica (or anyone else) talk about---one year, after Roberti---the overall attendance dropped from 89 down to 81 percent----no one seems to know the figures for 2006-07. Why is that?
What do you think of Kent King's plan---disparaged by Diana Bourisaw---to establish a TexasCan type of charter school within slps?
8/19/2007 4:42 PM
Veronica, the senate is scheduled to take up roughly 45 different appointments. Unless they are pulled, that would include Rick Sullivan and Derio Gambaro.
8/19/2007 7:16 PM
Antonio, one does not have to be nominated by their sitting senator. It is only tradition that it happens that way. There is nothing that can stop Blunt from going against tradition.
Same as Whitmore-Smith appointment scenario.
8/19/2007 7:45 PM
Donyale Whitmore-Smith is not on the Board of Education today because her senator, Jeff Smith, refused to support her.
You are correct that it is not a written rule, but the long-standing custom of senatorial courtesy has, as far as I know, always been honored. There has been no indication by the Governor that it would not be this time. Nor by Senate leaders that they are willing to give up that power, which all enjoy.
8/19/2007 7:59 PM
I still don't get it.
Blunt can wait until the last 24 hours of the session to withdraw------then he can renominate within 24 hours after the session.
Seems like the question would be-------will he---- renominate them 24 hours after the session?
Does Sullivan still have his power to run things until within 24 hours of the close of the special session when his name will be withdrawn?
8/19/2007 8:51 PM
by the way----how does Mayor Slay feel about this? angry? amused? hopeful of naming a second member himself?
8/19/2007 8:54 PM
Thank you Antiono as that answers my questions. But is there an agenda?
KOJOE-Generally the senator in which the appointee resides gives a wish of approval. Some say the govenor has ways to go around this.
This is significant because a NO senate approval could mean bye, bye, Sullivan thus leaving Gaines and Adams. The Gov. could appoint someone else. A no vote could be a blow to the SAB and to the Gov since he is not doing well with approvals.
Sullivan is voting and most have been invalid votes so all votes gould be voided. This should also be a reson to not confirm him. He has a large learning curve and seems to not get help. Gaines has called him on this in meetings.
Urgency is lacking in Sullivans leadership
Attendance has decrease due to the decline in city residents and the fact that our schools have not been doing so well over the years. Also, more options for the children.
Attendance was given for 2006=07. somwhere @31,000. Not exact number.
Kojoe for reason I think the current SAB is the starter team and the real tim will come later.
8/20/2007 12:28 AM
Anonymous said...
Antonio, one does not have to be nominated by their sitting senator. It is only tradition that it happens that way. There is nothing that can stop Blunt from going against tradition.
Same as Whitmore-Smith appointment scenario.
8/19/2007 7:45 PM
THIS IS WHAT I ALWAYS BELIEVED TO BE TRUE, THUS THE GOV. COULD SAY I'LL APPOINT W/O YOUR BLESSING. NOW I ALSO UNDERSTAND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPEN IN MISSOURI HISTORY>>>
cAN'T IMAGE WHY THE GOV WOULD PUT HIMSELF AND APPOINTEES IN THIS POSITION UNLESS HE HAD A PLAN OR HIS POLITICAL BRAIN IS FAILING HIM.
I SUSPECT SULLIVAN WILL BE HER FOR A LITTLE WHILE-JAN IF HE DOES NOT LEAVE FIRST.
8/20/2007 12:34 AM
kOJOE MEANS THERE COULD BE A PERIOD WHERE THE ELECTED BOARD COULD DO SOME MAJOR THINGS DURING A SHORT PERIOD AND IF THEY WERE SMART THEY WOULD.
8/20/2007 12:38 AM
ps--spelling error. should be governor
8/20/2007 12:41 AM
Thanks. The 31,000 figure sounds right. The part I am having trouble finding anyone to nail down for me-----of the 31,000 enrolled----on the average---how many show up each day?
If there were 32,000 enrolled in 2005-2006---and on the average----28,000 were showing up, that would be 87.5 percent. I doubt if it was that high in 2005-2006.
with 31,000 enrolled last year, if 27,280 were showing up---that would be 88%(I hope I used the calculator right) an improvement percentage-wise.
If 27,000 were showing up, the percentage would be down to 87%.
Of course, I am just making up numbers of how many show up---because no one seems to know.
I noticed neither the pd or kmox had anything to say about what Antonio is reporting on Sullivan.
Sometimes they do that, with the attitude that until they report it, it really does not qualify as newsworthy. I don't think that will work in this case.
I remain surprised at myself for my level of interest in the slps story, because I am a nosy outsider and this is none of my business. After listening to Hillary and Obama yesterday, I think slps' story is very relevant to the national debate about education.
I thought Giegerich had a great front page article about Kacy reeder Seals this morning. I wonder if he knows about the exchange between Bourisaw and Kent King---where she essentially told King to butt out---Big Picture is better than TexasCan.
8/20/2007 10:37 AM
kjoe, attendance rates for 06-07 haven't been publicly released yet. 05-06 data shows average attendance ~81%. (http://dese.mo.gov/planning/profile/arsd115115.html
What I'd like to know is why little towns in the Delta (like Hayti, Kennett, Senath) have 70-85% FRL students (compared to our 81%) and 90%+ attendance rates. Maybe it's because there's just nothing else to do? But you'd think the benefits of education would seem even more remote ....
8/20/2007 1:42 PM
I can tell you the attendance figures for my school today would be ABYSMALLY low! The WORST yet.
8/20/2007 7:28 PM
Was this story a dead end?
Has anything changed regarding Sullivan and Gambaro?
Is it possible that Sullivan does not need to be confirmed to keep his position?
8/22/2007 12:25 PM
If Sullivan did not need to be confirmed, Blunt would not be withdrawing him.
8/22/2007 2:44 PM
Is he withdarwing him? Antonio is a very good reporter---so far----he is all alone with this story.
8/22/2007 8:16 PM
Of course he is alone. Who else would want to report it?
8/24/2007 11:56 AM
One thing all of you have conveniently forgotten--NO GOVERNMENTAL BUREAU, LEGISLATURE OR EXECUTIVE HAS THE RIGHT TO DENY SUFFRAGE TO CITIZENS. THIS TAKEOVER IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AS A LEGALLY ELECTED BOARD WAS REMOVED AND AN ENTIRE CITY WAS DISENFRANCHISED. SLAY MAY CALL HIMSELF A DEMOCRAT, BUT HE IS IN THE SAME WORKING CATEGORY AS BUSH, CHENEY AND THE OTHER NEO NAZIS. STOP USING THE'CHILDREN' AS POLITICAL COVER TO DISENFRANCHISE AN ENTIRE CITY OF VOTERS. THE STATE COULD HAVE JUST AS EASILY REMOVED ACCREDITATION WITHOUT USURPING A LEGALLY ELECTED BOARD. ONE LEGAL ISSUE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OTHER. THIS IS A LARGER ISSUE TO 'TEACH' THE CHILDREN. TIME TO HOLD THE POLITICIANS ACCOUNTABLE AND CHARGE THEM WITH MALFEASANCE. THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO DISENFRANCHISE AN ENTIRE CITY OF VOTERS THROUGH THE OUSTER OF A PUBLICLY ELECTED BOARD.
Jos N. White
8/27/2007 1:51 PM
Gubernatorial appointments will be considered at a Senate hearing on Wednesday, August 29 at 9:00. The list of appointments as amended at 3:14 on Tuesday, August 28, does not include Rick Sullivan. Does anyone know the significance of this?
http://www.senate.mo.gov/07info/hrings.htm#4
8/28/2007 7:05 PM
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