| Philanthropists, business leaders, and | | | | from elected and hired St. Louis schools |
| educational advocates across the region have | | | | officials, who ?often border on hostile?. |
| lost confidence in the St. Louis schools | | | | With such instability and the lack of |
| board's ability to correct the ongoing | | | | goodwill from the administrators and board |
| problems in its district, according to a | | | | responsible for the district, it is difficult |
| September 2, 2006, article in the St. Louis | | | | to maintain any sort of successes. |
| Post-Dispatch. | | | | |
| | | | Here are just a few of the groups |
| The recent forced departure of Superintendent | | | | re-evaluating their support of the St. Louis |
| Creg Williams signaled to philanthropic | | | | schools: |
| groups and business leaders that problems | | | | |
| were escalating within the St. Louis schools. | | | | ? Vashon Compact ? An advocacy group |
| Many believed Williams had a good plan and | | | | dedicated to improving student achievement in |
| goals in place; yet the St. Louis schools | | | | a block of St. Louis schools. Executive |
| board replaced Williams after only 16 months | | | | Director Bill Carson stated they will not be |
| in the position, leaving many current donors | | | | renewing their five-year contract, which ends |
| to re-evaluate their commitments of money and | | | | at the end of September 2006. |
| services to the St. Louis schools. | | | | |
| | | | ? Metropolitan Association for Philanthropy ? |
| Though many are willing to give the new | | | | They provide guidance to 75 leading |
| superintendent, Diana Bourisaw, the | | | | foundations in the area, including |
| opportunity to correct the St. Louis schools' | | | | Anheuser-Busch, Boeing, A.G. Edwards, and |
| problems, their confidence in the St. Louis | | | | Enterprise Rent-A-Car's charitable |
| schools board has been eroded. | | | | foundations. They recently established a |
| | | | group to study the current situation of the |
| President and CEO of the St. Louis Regional | | | | St. Louis schools. |
| Chamber and Growth Association, Dick Fleming, | | | | |
| said there is no sense of real progress being | | | | ? Pettus Foundation ? Managing Trustee James |
| made by the St. Louis schools board in terms | | | | Finch announced in July that in 2007 the |
| of direction and improvement. Williams had | | | | foundation will stop funding organizations |
| brought prominence and a reputation of | | | | that work with the St. Louis schools. They |
| success to the position of superintendent. | | | | cited the pity politics of the St. Louis |
| Just when a sense of momentum was being seen | | | | schools board, the many factions within the |
| within the St. Louis schools, it was abruptly | | | | board, the conduct of its members at |
| changed with Williams' departure. It makes | | | | meetings, and their lack of progress and |
| philanthropists and business leaders stop and | | | | successes. |
| re-access the situation. | | | | |
| | | | ? St. Louis Black Leadership Roundtable ? |
| Bourisaw is the sixth superintendent for the | | | | They cautioned the St. Louis schools board |
| St. Louis schools in the last three years. | | | | that they may support a state takeover of the |
| She was hired without a formal interview | | | | district, if the board fails to address |
| process by the St. Louis schools board | | | | problems, such as low achievement among |
| majority, another event that makes outsiders | | | | African-American students. |
| pause and re-evaluate. The St. Louis schools | | | | |
| appear to be perpetually unstable, with years | | | | These are not isolated sentiments. Many |
| of dismal test scores and constant financial | | | | philanthropic groups, advocates and business |
| upheaval. | | | | leaders have been public with similar |
| | | | comments. Bill Carson of Vashon Compact |
| Though many community and regional groups | | | | believes a state takeover may be the only |
| wish to continue supporting the St. Louis | | | | solution that will entice the philanthropic |
| schools students, they are wary of the St. | | | | groups to continue their relationships with |
| Louis schools board's ability to do the job. | | | | the St. Louis schools. |
| They have experienced a lack of cooperation | | | | |