More on Williams and the School Board
From MayorSlay.com yesterday:
Creg Williams gave St. Louis hope and a plan — and he takes those things with him. What is left in the wake of his departure is administrative chaos, mass defections, no real budget, a new (and largely unknown) superintendent, and dramatically lowered enrollment — with school to open in six weeks.
Wow, in 24 hours since his departure “administrative chaos, mass defections, no real budget… and dramatically lowered enrollment” have befallen the St. Louis Public Schools. Nice spin Richard Francis. And false.
The truth of the matter is the school system has been in chaos for years, perhaps decades. Just as in city planning & development, politics has been more important than the actual issues. In one day the board did not lower enrollment or create mass defections. The prior board and several before them along with many other factors created the situation we are in now.
I am not at all pleased with the erratic behavior of board President Veronica O’Brien nor do I like the way this new majority handled themselves and their business this week. But, I’ve not been happy with the other side(s) in the past few years either.
The Mayor and others claims Williams was our last hope and then says Bourisaw is largely unknown. It would seem many are jumping the gun a bit to assume she cannot come into the system and do as well or better than Williams may have. We do know, barring state takeover, that we’ll have this board majority for at least four years. Whether Williams went now or sometime in that four year period it was bound to happen as is usually the case when you have a change of power. The same thing happens in city government when we get a new mayor. Having a superintendent hired by the current majority is most likely the best way to get anything done. Williams and the board would have continued to butt heads.
Over the last few years I’ve given each board and superintendent the benefit of the doubt with regard to their intentions and plans. I ask that everyone take a deep breath and give the board and our new superintendent the same benefit for at least six months to a year. Without doing so we will only be condemning them to certain failure. No one, no matter how upset about this past week, should hope this board and superintendent fails — especially those who may benefit politically.
– Steve
Steve,
I think there’s a good chance Bourisaw will be able to get along with the board if she learns that she is there strictly to take their direction and not have any input of her own. Superintendents Purdy, O’Brien, Downs and Jones will see to that.
This board made a big deal out of Williams not giving them a budget that reduces the deficit. He then came back with one that reduced the deficit and they tossed him out. I wonder how long it will be before Mary Armstrong’s puppets reinstate everyone that Williams got rid of and drive that budget back into the red.
I think that Sodexho will be fired on Tuesday and that the District will have to rehire or hire a whole new crew to do the maintenance work. Again, with six weeks to go.
I also believe that other outsourcing contracts will be endend. I hope they can do background checks, hire, train and place all the people that need to be hired, again, in six weeks.
There is absolutely no possible way the entire upper management can be replace and brought up to speed in a matter of six weeks before school begins and expect the district to be prepared to serve the children of the City of St. Louis. The Board has made a terrible mistake at the firing of Williams. The repercussions of this event will echo for months/years to come at the expense of the children. There is no possibility of the stability at this point. It is time for the State to step in and normalize this situation. The children of the city or further being marginalized to an extent that is abusive. The political polarity of the board has become a game of one-up-manship. The schools are operating in a deficit and yet we are spending money to refocus on a different direction that has yet to be defined.
I believe Steve’s strong rhetoric against the Mayor’s office is base-less and he needs to see that such pointless attacks are hurting the children of St. Louis. Even people without children need to understand that this city will never become a model city unless we can take care of the children. It time to put McDonalds politics behind and work for what best for the children .
[REPLY Rhetoric? I firmly believe Mayor Slay and his gang are doing much harm to this city. You are free to disagree with my positions but understand I have heartfelt reasoning behind my views.
Speaking of rhetoric, all the “Williams is our only hope” grand standing needs to stop, for the children. – SLP]
^actually, City Parent, I think Mayor Slay himself is doing considerable damage through his political machinations and the mixed messages he sends as a result.
On one hand, the City’s financial position is looking up (City’s Credit Rating Rises, http://www.mayorslay.com/desk/display.asp?deskID=430); Next Year’s Budget, http://www.mayorslay.com/desk/display.asp?deskID=423); on the other, it’s so dire that we must cede use of park land to a private organization for maintenance funds for Forest Park.
On one hand, the City has many wonderful schools that noone knows about (Secret Schools, http://www.mayorslay.com/desk/display.asp?deskID=454). On the other hand, Creg Williams was the only positive thing happening in the District, (Dr. Williams Leaves, http://www.mayorslay.com/desk/display-print.asp?deskID=476), and without him we have have no hope.
What’s best for our City is for our Mayor to stop spinning every situation to fit his political needs.
What’s best for our City is to have an open democratic process about issues of public concern.
What’s best for the children of our City is for everyone to take a deep breath and work together to solve the problems confronting us. The School Board we elected didn’t like Williams’s vision. Fine. If they don’t want to delegate that role, they should propose a vision and find someone to implement it.