By Gabe Bullard
Filed Friday, October 05, 2007 at 12:33 PM
Last night, the Special Administrative Board (SAB) of St. Louis Public Schools agreed on several motions to expand Rick Sullivan's powers as President and CEO.
Sullivan can now settle legal claims of $5,000 or less without SAB approval. Both Sullivan and Superintendent Diana Bourisaw can now sign board-approved contracts. And both Sullivan and Bourisaw can now sign off on property deals with the board's approval.
SAB member Richard Gaines insisted that all property deals should be done with the knowledge of the alderman of the ward the property is in, which the rest of the board agreed to before voting to approve the motion.
Labels: Schools
34 Comments:
It is clear they don't know what they are doing.
10/05/2007 2:18 PM
So the czar's powers continue to expand.
10/05/2007 3:12 PM
Message to the parents of children who attend St. Louis Public Schools-PLEASE ATTEND SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS-Both Elected and Appointed Boards-If you as parents were to be graded on your attendance-it would be an "F"; so come on and attend all School Board Meetings.
I believe Parents can have impact-If You stay informed.
Please parents come to the School Board Meetings.
10/05/2007 3:20 PM
the czar needs to move on. attending the meetings does nothing.
10/05/2007 3:35 PM
WOW. These folks are pretty lost. Let's see, no name calling, no fighting, plenty of compromise, a clear vision, focus, agreement. Yup, this board obviously has no idea what they're doing. No wonder no one wants to come to these boring, boring affairs.
10/05/2007 5:33 PM
Was there any clarification of Sullivan's standing---I assume he must have been reappointed by Blunt----any comment from the senator about whether she will sponsor him in January?
I would think Callahan's attitude of "I am too busy for this stuff---final arguments in December on the elected board's challenge" could be read as the challenge is all but officially dead?
10/05/2007 5:56 PM
elf you missed the point.
kojoe who knows what will happen. one thing for sure is that the district will lapse.
10/05/2007 7:07 PM
This was sent by the superintendent.
October 5, 2007
Statement from the Special Administrative Board – Employee Raises
On Monday, October 1, the district and Local 420 agreed to a memorandum of understanding. On Wednesday, October 3, the executive board of Local 420 rejected the agreement reached by their leadership. Nonetheless, the Special Administrative Board (SAB) has committed to honor the fourth year salary for teachers according to the agreement. These raises will be reflected in the October 19 pay period, retroactive to July 1, 2007.
In a previous meeting, the SAB approved a 3% raise for non-certified employees. This is the second consecutive year of increases for non-certified staff. Previously, this group served the district for four years without raises. The SAB is committed to an ongoing review of salaries of non-certified employees and to implementing increases in January. The SAB will consider another increase in January of 2008 if the financial conditions of the district permit at that time.
In approving these raises, the Special Administrative Board does not at this time adopt any other provisions in the POLICY STATEMENT. The SAB exercises its authority to implement the agreements entered into by the ELECTED BOARD of the St. Louis Public Schools – agreements found to be of benefit to the district. The Special Administrative Board also exercises its authority to reject these agreements – or elements of these agreements – found not to be beneficial to the St. Louis Public Schools.
The SAB welcomes a continuation of discussions with Local 420 on the few issues of concern that remain.
10/05/2007 7:12 PM
Antonio,
Why are you not covering the issue of the SLPS stalling on giving raises to the teachers and school-related personnel, that have been promised and are in the policy statement? This is th 4th year of our 4-year contract. The SLPS administration has lied to us repeatedly. Supt. Bourisaw told us that we would see the raises today, October 5, retroactive to the beginning of the school year. Now they have changed it to October 19. I'm surprised to see no coverage of this on Pubdef.
10/05/2007 10:00 PM
He is not cover this because he is told what to report. This is awful what the SAB is doing. Where is Jay, Maida, and Bray?.
Sullivan is picking whatever he wants to honor. The union leaders are doing nothing. They Slay group was not this bad. The schools are all falling apart and Sullivan and Bourisaw are walking on water. Let us not forget that the elected board is spending all their time on getting power. The have the power. Get Bourisaw out and that will slow Sullivan down.
10/05/2007 10:14 PM
City schools have been gutted and will not recover, the property being sold is the real reason for all of this. Watch the campaign money and you will see who gets the schools. The question is should the alderman be receiving money for selling the school buildings in their wards?
10/06/2007 6:12 AM
The other story concerning the SAB meeting is off of the blog now so I will have to use this story to answer the Anon. (why are we anonymous?) who took offense to my "Dumbass" reference.
I was not referring to you specifically and I apologize for the name calling. Everything else concerning blaming the 420 membership for inaction I stand by.
10/06/2007 12:54 PM
I used to like comparing reports of Antonio with Giegerich regarding the board activities.
I get the feeling important things are still going on, but the media interest is lacking.
10/06/2007 2:02 PM
Gee Elf, sounds like you finally went to an elected Board meeting! Without Veronica around, civility and dedication to the true issues at hand is finally possible.
But really, if you want no discussion of issues (since Sullivan decides everything ahead of time and tells Adams how to vote)and no disagreement, you are a little late but 1939 Germany might have been a place you would have enjoyed.
10/06/2007 3:32 PM
Can Sullivan and Adams, or Sullivan and Gaines, or Adams and Gaines have a private conversation without it being a violation of the sunshine law?
10/06/2007 6:08 PM
No they can't Kojoe but the elected school board and community is letting them do whatever they want. What hs Sullivan done for the children?
10/06/2007 6:40 PM
What are you expecting the elected board to do, when the judge rules against them at every turn?
10/06/2007 7:03 PM
speak up
10/06/2007 10:57 PM
The elected board needs to continue to do what they can, including speaking up, but they have been severely limited at every turn.
Fighting the state using the state's own institutions (I know, the courts are supposed to be impartial, but are they?) does not present very good prospects for success, but should be pursued. Maybe, if justice is denied long enough, others will wake up...maybe.
I fear the legal route will not work (the rules will just change again)...and the large scale demonstrations that would be needed to affect change are not even a speck on the horizon. Few of our leaders even consider direct action as an alternative anymore (maybe in part due to our lazy on-line mentality).
Maybe when the employees finally figure out that they have lost all of their rights...maybe.
The giant hole in the Local 420 Policy Statement (contract) that Local 420 has been trying to cover up for years has been opened by the SAB and Dr. Bourisaw. In the latest memo they basically stated that they will do whatever they want because of a clause in the Policy Statement regarding "in the best interest of the system". If 420 tries to pursue this in court they will lose because of this language. The only way to hold on to all of the rights gained over the years is to fight with direct action to force agreements. The "good of the system" language needs to be eliminated, it basically neuters every argument 420 could make against SAB actions.
Kjoe is right about the lack of media coverage, including our beloved PubDef.
10/07/2007 2:18 PM
If we want more from PubDef, why not put your money where you mind is and support PubDef with the $7.00 @ month donation; enough of us who care about this special medium can give Antonio the wherewithall to report what we are missing from our local media.
10/07/2007 3:43 PM
This comment has been removed by the author.
10/07/2007 7:43 PM
OH !!! I guess I did miss the point.
So, civility now reigns at the deposed school board meetings, but Sullivan tells Adams how to vote, in Nazi-like lockstep?
Well, where do you think Purdy, Downs, et. al. get their marching orders? Can anyone say "The Teachers Union"? The union organized the vote, backed the Purdy cabal, and now expect the quid for thier quo. And that's a scenario you can take to the bank, not some 1939 fantasy.
10/07/2007 7:43 PM
10/07/2007 7:45 PM
Elf, you are hopeless. Do you have any facts to back up this slander against the elected board, or are you just spreading lies under the anonymous blanket this forum provides you? That is so far from the truth, if you knew these people you would be ashamed. The teacher's union is collaborating with the SAB; if Purdy and Downs were taking "marching orders" from the union they would have dropped the lawsuit, for one thing. The teacher's union didn't like this buyout plan the administration cooked up, but Purdy and Downs voted for the administration's plan. Just 2 examples, since you know nothing about this.
But what else could we expect from someone who thinks the Holocaust is a "fantasy."
10/07/2007 8:19 PM
Elf,
I'm afraid Anon is right that the teacher's union is not giving orders to anyone...it appears they (at least the top leadership) have in fact chosen to collaborate with the SAB.
I won't accuse you of being a Nazi sympathizer or of denying the Holocaust (you don't, do you?) but things have changed from where they were this spring when your analysis may have been a little less false.
10/07/2007 9:41 PM
oh, Bill Monroe...
I am a teacher in the SLPS.
Today I put $5 in change into my gas tank just to make it to the bank to cash my check. Still no negotiated raise and I have received only 3 of the 7 "automatic" step increases I thought I was supposed to get every year when I was hired. After purchasing health insurance for my family and paying union dues I bring home about $500 a week working for the SLPS as a certified teacher.
I will be sure to drop a check into the mail for Antonio as soon as that raise is delivered...meanwhile, do you mind if me and my own children eat?
10/07/2007 9:52 PM
sorry, yesterday I went to the bank...today I worked on paperwork.
10/07/2007 9:54 PM
I think a lot of money is going towards powering Sullivan's tie. Yikes, look at that thing!
10/07/2007 10:30 PM
We know who makes the comments about Veronica, the elected board. If I remember correctly it was Peter Downs that was always disrepectful to Veronica. Try looking at the TV archives.
The constant blame of everything on Veronica O'Brien is not helping the elected board. This is what got them in trouble. They spent the whole year attacking her, but she stayed focused on the takeover and she won. From what they say happened in court last week the blame game continued.
Many of us wonder when will you all realize she is not your problem. Did Veronica O'Brien drive the Slay machine? Stop the blame game. The lady has stood the test and proven to be one strong trooper. Most say people have not seen or heard from her in months.
10/07/2007 10:48 PM
elf you are off the wall. The SAB is no better than the elected board. It seems they have just as much tension but the Post and other media will not print this. You see they have to convince those that no nothing that things are better and the are not. THINGS ARE WORSE.
10/07/2007 10:53 PM
Jim Heger,
Thanks for being a teacher and being on the front line.
I have nothing but respect for teachers.
I meant no negative when I merely suggested the $7.00 @ Month donation to PubDef; it's a fact that up front, timely and true reporting of issues that impact our community is lacking.
We have no community based sounding board and information circuitt to compare with PUBDEF and it's attempt to be everywhere gathering news and information.
I wish Antonio would put together an internet radio talk show.
Thanks again for being being a teacher and PARENTS COME TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
10/08/2007 12:19 AM
Most agree with the comments about Veronica O'Brien. It was the elected board that with after her. She tried to work with them and supported them and this hurt her. She made the got people to listen to the elected board. This lady got serious and left the elected board alone and the whole board feel apart. People at the district really like this lady. It is those school board members that run this blog that are mad at her.
Again, O'Brienis sticking to issues and showing that she will not stand for junk from anyone and that includes Sullivan. Word is she suuports the SAB but feels he is not the man for the job.
She is not your problem, people like elf are you problem.
The elected board should reach out to her. She seems to be about one ithing and that is improving the district.
10/08/2007 9:18 AM
So what happen to Percy. Did the money that Dick Goldberg pay him run out?
10/08/2007 12:42 PM
Bill,
No offense taken, and I really DO intend to send Antonio some $.
(I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to mention the lack of our raise)
10/08/2007 8:10 PM
Percy is working as Bill Purdy's wet nurse.
10/08/2007 10:59 PM
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