We the undersigned residents of St. Louis City believe that the St. Louis City Public School District should be governed by the existing elected St. Louis Board of Education.
Why is this important?
This petition has been put into effect because the citizens and taxpayers of St. Louis City deserve to have influence on the educational decisions made for St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS). As of June 15, 2007, the State Board of Education disenfranchised the people of St. Louis. This decision led to the St. Louis Board of Education being stripped of the governing duties it once held. Duties of the St. Louis Board of Education have been decreased specifically to auditing and reporting about issues affecting our district. The St. Louis Board of Education are elected by and accountable to taxpayers.
The St. Louis Public School District is currently governed by three political appointees, collectively known as the Special Administrative Board (SAB). Duties of the Special Administrative Board include making financial decisions and contract negotiations for the District. The Special Administrative Board are led by their Appointers: the Governor, the Mayor, and the President of the Board of Aldermen.
Since the Special Administrative Board's implementation in 2007:
• Average of 268 teachers have resigned each year
• Approximately 10,000 students have left the district
• Many parents feel disconnected and have moved their children to charter/private schools, or to other districts
There is no evidence that an appointed board running a school district is more effective than a board elected by voters. The appointed board has no accountability or transparency to taxpayers regarding their decisions being made for SLPS students.
Let's put an end to taxation without representation!
