Commissioner of Education D. Kent King today appointed five Missourians, including St. Louis American Publisher Donald M. Suggs, to a special committee that will help find solutions to the continuing turmoil in the St. Louis Public Schools. King announced the appointments during a meeting of the State Board of Education in Jefferson City.
Since the abrupt resignation of the school superintendent Creg Williams two weeks ago, King said there have been calls for various types of intervention by state education officials in the operations of the school district.
“Under current law, we can consider various levels of intervention in the school district. However, I would like to give the new administration and the school board some breathing room so they can stabilize the district and prepare for the opening of school on August 28,” King said.
“I am grateful to these five citizens for their willingness to help the State Board of Education and the St. Louis Public Schools through this difficult time.”
Suggs and the following individuals have agreed to serve on the committee:
William H. Danforth, Chancellor Emeritus – Washington University, St. Louis
Frankie M. Freeman, Attorney
Ned Lemkemeier, Attorney
Michael Middleton, Deputy Chancellor – University of Missouri-Columbia
Danforth and Freeman will co-chair the committee.
They currently serve as co-chairs of the St. Louis Community Monitoring and Support Task Force. Mr. Lemkemeier is a member of the task force. The task force was created by the federal court to oversee implementation of the January 1999 settlement agreement in the St. Louis desegregation case.
Gov. Matt Blunt said the “effort to evaluate the district and protect the best interest of the more than 37,000 Missouri children who rely upon the St. Louis public schools is a step in the right direction.”
The committee was announced as Diana Bourisaw, interim superintendent of the St. Louis Public added two educators to her team of advisors. They are:
John Martin, Ed.D., who will be joining the St. Louis Public Schools on an interim basis as the deputy superintendent. Martin, a native of St. Louis, is the former superintendent of Grandview CSD #4 in Grandview, Mo. That district was twice honored for distinction and performance by the State of Missouri during his 9-year tenure as superintendent. He is an alumnus of Sumner High School.
John Cary, a former school superintendent of the Mehlville School District who also has a background in public finance. He will work temporarily to make recommendations on improving the financial status of the district. He is donating his time to assist the St. Louis Public Schools.
“Dr. Martin and Mr. Cary both have a wealth of experience in Missouri education and will help immensely in moving the St. Louis Public Schools forward,” said Bourisaw.
