DELUXE ELECTION EDITION
By 11 p.m. Tuesday, the smiles were turning to frowns at Vito’s.
Mayor Francis G. Slay’s education liaison Robin Wahby pulled candidate Darnetta Clinskcale aside and ran down the latest ballot results. It was obvious things did not look good.
The party-in-waiting became more and more solemn as the evening rolled on. For the second time in two years, candidates for school board that were backed by Slay were defeated. Slay was 1-for-3 in 2005 and 0-for-2 on Tuesday.
The well financed, well-connected campaigns of incumbents Clinkscale and Jim Buford fell short.
Peter Downs and Donna Jones were the victors.
With just 10 percent of eligible voters participating, several questions must be asked.
Where was the mayor’s political base?
Slay has put his heart, soul and political capital into the school board races, yet his South Side constituents apparently find something else to do on election night. Slay needs to ask his closest friends and advisors if his base really cares about improving St. Louis schools. The vote total on Tuesday is proof that too few white St. Louisans care what happens to children in the predominantly black school district.
Some observers noted that Slay’s camp did not effectively take its messages to all homeowners, regardless of whether they are parents in the district, to convince them that a healthy public school district is a rising tide that will lift all boats (and all property values).
Police board fallout?
Nearly on the eve of the school board election, Slay vetoed an already neutered Civilian Review Board bill. If Slay wants the black community to believe he and his administration care about their children – hello? they ain’t buying it! – then he needs to consider actually opposing the Police Department he so evidently fears and side with the community on this push-button (and stomp-head) issue.
Did the black community win?
For those who made the election a referendum on Slay’s administration, it was a big night. But dislike for the mayor could now lead to disruption of the positive momentum in the school district. This would set back the education of African-American children, which simply is not good for the black community.
On message – which message?
Many voters of all colors kept waiting for Buford and Clinkscale to tell them exactly what were some of the plans outlined by Creg Williams that they had rallied behind. Critics say their campaigns failed to explain what the school system actually has achieved under William’s leadership.
Is the Teacher’s Union this strong?
The EYE’s guess is no. While the union backed Downs and Jones and worked diligently on their behalf, it did not turn the election. Anger at Slay was the motivation for the North Side turnout. Slay’s folks on the South Side abandoned him.
Are black leaders to blame?
No, but some of them need to realize that leadership is lacking in the black community. Slay cannot convince black people to vote for anyone or anything. He has been completely tuned out by the majority of North Side voters. What was missing was a unifying black voice. Of course, what else is new?
Blame Richard Callow?
Some insiders from the race were critical of Richard Callow’s Educate St. Louis independent campaign. They say Callow gave Downs free publicity with a series of sleek, four-color, attack ads that had the effect of positioning Downs as a viable candidate. They also thought the attacks were too personal and swayed white voters toward Downs (who is white) and away from Buford and Clinkscale.
Blame the campaign coordination?
The independent Educate St. Louis campaign and the Buford/Clinkscale campaigns directed by Nancy Rice and Claude Brown were not allowed to collaborate. Political operatives criticized them from start to finish. None of their initiatives got traction. Callow, Rice and City Hall underestimated the emotional capital that the parents and teachers had invested in the school system.
Will Superintendent Creg Williams flee?
He will if the new board majority does not support him. However, the new members have said they do not want to interfere with the superintendent’s strategic plan for improvement. They do however want to make him more accountable. The city will now see if this is true.