The Educational System in Missouri: Teaching Students by Example?

Is there something about Missouri's educational system that brings out the worst in people? One only has to look at the events of the last several years to come away with the feeling that the state has many university and school administrators, teachers and staff that have no clue that they ought to be role models for the students.

A case in point was the situation that arose at the University of Missouri in 2003. At the time Elson Floyd was president of the four-campus system when a basketball player by the name of Ricky Clemons was sentenced for a domestic assault on a white woman he had dated. While serving his sentence he attended a party at Floyd's campus residence and wrecked an ATV. On top of Clemons not having permission to attend the party there was another dimension to it. It seems Floyd's wife, Carmento, was actively carrying on phone calls with Clemons, while he was in jail, giving him such advice such as he should be dating black girls rather then white girls. Ms. Floyd was quoted as telling Clemons, "and I ain't talkin' about no Delta Delta Delta, either". The sorority she mentioned has a nearly all-white membership. These are role models in institutions of higher education?

Floyd has now taken a job with Washington State University. Apparently the University is wanting to continue the trend since this weekend one of the University of Missouri deans, in reference to a search for the next president, was quoted in the media as saying, "I don't think that our state legislature would let us clone Elson Floyd, but he embodies many of the qualities that many of us in the state would like to see as president."

Universities don't have the corner on questionable administrator behavior. More recently the St. Louis Schools Board of Education has been continuously in the press for several years. Following years of decline in 2003 a new slate of candidates was elected to the school board. They hired a turn-around firm to rectify the problems and installed William Roberti as interim superintendent. They promptly created an uproar by closing selected schools, and privatizing some jobs much to the concern of the unions. Roberti sued one of the Board members for their insinuations of improper actions.

Following the turnaround work Creg Williams was hired as superintendent. He was faced with numerous people objecting to his decisive manner and decision making. In addition a school board member, Rochelle Moore, not part of the recently elected Board majority, started demonstrating questionable behavior (she was reported to have put a voodoo curse on the Mayor) and was arrested and ousted from the school board for creating a public disturbance she was replaced by Veronica O'Brien who had the support of the mayor.

Following this a union backed slate was elected and the Board forced Williams to retire and replaced him with Diane Bourisaw and made O'Brien school board president. Not long after O'Brien engineered the removal of a legendary high school basketball coach which lead to demonstrations from his supporters. In addition O'Brien, who had initially supported Bourisaw as superintendent, was no longer speaking with her.

The latest in the soap operatic story is that the State Board of Education is deciding whether they will take over the schools with their own appointed board.

This ongoing turmoil has been in the local media on a regular basis for the last several years. Each new chapter is accompanied by yelling, ranting, venting, and childish behavior at meetings by various members of the school board, school administration, principals, teachers and parents. While we agree that people are entitled to disagree, it can be done with civility, tact and a certain amount of diplomacy rather then what was described in the press and media as 'raucous' behavior on the part of board members, administrators and teachers. Is this really the best way to achieve results? Are we so naive to think that impressionable children and students are not listening, watching, and reading about this behavior? When they become adults is this really how we want them to solve their problems they encounter both in work and in their lives?

Whether it is a university president, a local board member or administrator or a teacher, I feel, as adults, they are being observed by children and thus are role models just as parents are role models. As educational professionals they should be professional in their language and demeanor. I think we should be intolerant of anything less. Ask yourself the question, is this 'raucous behavior' how you want your child solving their problems along the path of life?

Meanwhile this weekend in Moline Acres, a suburb of St. Louis, Henry Williams, Superintendent of Riverview Gardens School District has been put on leave pending investigation of his purported improprieties dealing with school funds being channeled for his own use. In addition the academic scores of the district have shown a precipitous drop since he took office. It appears that certain members of the school board may also have been involved in approving unwarranted transfers of district money into William's accounts. A sizeable number of teachers have left the district. Heated exchanges have also taken place between parents and administrators.

Late breaking news in the St. Louis School District. On the heels of a group of students camping out in the Mayors office for several days, the State Board of Education revoked the accreditation of the 169 year-old district, taken over the School Board, and has appointed a St. Louis based businessman to head up a new transitional board. It was reported by the St. Louis Post Dispatch on Friday, March 23, 2007, that "during the meeting, about 25 students disrupted a presentation to the board with chants of "No takeover! No takeover!" Moments later, they left their seats and converged on board members huddled at the front of the auditorium." One student was taken into custody.

Student sit-in's and raucous protests? Where did they learn such behavior anyway?