Following are two Post-Dispatch editorials. The first is dated December 8, 2005, in which the St. Louis Board of Education has its knuckles rapped by the editorial writer for not having the gumption to deal justly with Mr. Irons. In December 2005, the mayor's slate was still in control of the board.

Fast forward to the July 12, 2006, Post-Dispatch editorial. This time, the present board (not the mayor's majority) was likened to the "tin horn governors of a banana republic" for dealing with the situation. After referring to the finger of guilt pointing at Mr. Irons in December 2005, in July 2006 now refers to Mr. Irons "as the most successful basketball coach in Missouri history." What happened? According to the Post editorial writer, the superintendent and previous board demonstrated they didn't have the gumption to deal with Floyd Irons. This board's action to rectify what the Post blasted in December is now called a farce or, worse, a "tragedy."

So what exactly does the Post-Dispatch and its editorial staff wish for the rest of us to believe? How can a newspaper conscientiously change positions so radically on the blame game? Perhaps "tin horn governors" and "banana republics" have more gumption than the mayor's slate in the "Gateway to the West"! Instead of hiring people from Chicago and Philadelphia, maybe we ought to recruit administrators from "banana republics." Apparently, no one messes with them. They know how to go for the jugular when criminal activity is involved!

Can the Post-Dispatch have it both ways or should it look for a better source of information? Please read carefully the following two editorials. More snow appears in July than in December...Hmmm!

Full text of archived story
Irons out of the fire
" St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) " December 8, 2005
" Section: Editorial " Edition: Third Edition
" Page C12

The St. Louis School Board and Superintendent Creg William didn't even give Floyd Irons a slap on the wrist for the financial irregularities at Vashon High School. Instead, they cleared Mr. Irons, apologized to him for the bad publicity and gave the erroneous impression that prosecutors had exonerated him.

It was a stunning example of the lack of public accountability. Mr. Williams, who said last month that he could probably find similar irregularities at almost any city high school, announced on Tuesday that the Irons matter was closed. Instead of disciplining Mr. Irons, a popular basketball coach, the superintendent announced a 15-step plan to tighten controls on the handling of money in the schools.

The action followed two audits that had pointed the finger of guilt at Mr. Irons. The audits found that major purchases at Vashon had not been properly requested or approved, including a $50,000 gym scoreboard, a $5,900 gym floor and about $100,000 in uniforms. Financial records had not been turned in for the 2003-4 school year, during which time Mr. Irons was acting principal. Ticket sales for some basketball games couldn't be accounted for. Mr. Irons had a contract with Nike to provide uniforms and equipment to the boys' basketball team, even though school funds were used to make similar purchases.

Post-Dispatch stories on the Vashon irregularities were based on copies of draft audits. If the final audit has more complete information that exonerates Mr. Irons, then the board should make it public. Meanwhile, the School Board has left a mistaken impression that Mr. Irons has been exonerated by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce. Jeannette Graviss, Ms. Joyce's chief warrant officer, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday that "the bookkeeping was so sloppy that there would be no way to determine if there was criminal behavior.... It is an exaggeration to say that the review exonerated anyone," she added. "That is completely false." Ms. Graviss said she had reviewed an audit, but hadn't looked at any documents, such as checking accounts, balance sheets or receipts. Nor had she talked to Mr. Irons or to retired Athletic Director James Ford, who could not be found to answer questions about the district audits. She acknowledged that a fuller investigation that touched these bases might have found criminal wrongdoing, but still thought that the records mess would make prosecution difficult.

Mr. Irons is a great basketball coach with political clout. Getting to the bottom of the financial irregularities at Vashon would have taken a lot of gumption and willingness to take the heat from angry Irons supporters. This board and this superintendent have demonstrated they don't have it.
________________________________________
Tragedy as farce

Thursday, Jul. 13 2006

By almost any measure, the St. Louis Public Schools are failing. The graduation rate is 58.6 percent. The percentage of its students scoring average or better on the ACT test is 9.1 percent. In the lower grades, no better than 6.2 percent of the students score "proficient" on any part of the state's achievement test. Enrollment has dropped nearly 18 percent in the last four years to about 35,000. Each student who leaves costs the district about $11,000 a year.

Despite huge budget cuts and the tumultuous district reorganization of 2003-2005, and despite its new superintendent's bold plans for reform, the district still has severe budget problems.

But instead of dealing with these real and crucial issues, the St. Louis Board of Education spent this week plotting coups like the "tin-horn governors of a banana republic." The board fired Floyd Irons, the most successful high schoolbasketball coach in Missouri history, a man who was going to retire next year anyway, a man with a huge and loyal following than can now be expected to create more trouble for a district that hardly needs it.

Mr. Irons wasn't fired from his job at Vashon High School because his teams lost (which they hardly ever did), or because he was difficult to deal with (which he sometimes was), or even because he spent some $200,000 in basketball-related revenue without accounting for it.

No, he was fired as part of a coup against school Superintendent Creg Williams.

As Steve Giegerich of the Post-Dispatch reports today, three of the seven school board members are itching to fire Mr. Williams, whose reform proposals have antagonized many district teachers. Three other board members are supporters of Mr. Williams.

Board president Veronica O'Brien is the unpredictable swing vote; she generally has been in Mr. Williams' corner. But, for reasons that are not clear, she had the knife out for Mr. Irons. The price of her agreement to join the plot against Mr. Williams? Mr. Irons' scalp.

This is not to say that there weren't good reasons for firing Mr. Irons, whose Vashon High Wolverines won 10 state championships in the last 33 years. Two audits of Vashon's finances showed abysmal record-keeping and zero accountability in accounts over which Mr. Irons had control. Some 73 different "questionable" expenditures were uncovered, including a $50,000 scoreboard, a $5,900 gymnasium floor and $100,000 in uniforms. During a brief stint as Vashon's principal, Mr. Irons was unable to improve students' abysmal academic achievement or deal effectively with eruptions of school violence.

But the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's office said it found no reason to pursue criminal charges against Mr. Irons. Mr. Williams Tuesday reiterated his view that the case against Mr. Irons didn't merit his dismissal. "It's unfortunate that as superintendent I have to spend my time on issues that don't have anything to do with academic achievement," he said.

Creg Williams may be the St. Louis Public School's last, best hope to regain accreditation and avoid state takeover. If that happens, the teachers union,and its proxies on the school board, may come to regret their actions.

However this turns out -- and there's still a chance to turn it around if at least one board member decides to act like a grown-up -- the district has suffered another crippling, self-inflicted wound.

The collateral damage includes not only the 35,000 children who will be condemned to more years of educational inferiority, but the city and its
families and employers, who need and deserve good schools and an educated work force.

This only looks like a farce. In reality, it is a profound tragedy.

As a backer of Downs and Jones (and Purdy, O'Brien and Downs before that), I am having a severe case of buyer's regret. The board has some serious explaining to do.

I really believed Downs and Jones, I thought they we going to support Dr. Williams. I feel betrayed. They are nothing but liars. My God, what have we done!

St. Louis Oracle, they wouldn't do anything unless some serious policy infractions transpired.

Fred, perhaps you should ask, My God, what has he done! They aren't stupid or "tin horn governors of banana republics" as the Post describes them.

Helen - He was the last hope for the SLPS - more importantly, he was the last hope for the 35,000 kids. Helen, you must admit it, you think that somehow we can just go back to the way it used to be... it's not going to happen. This school district has been failing the taxpayers who fund it and the children that use it for all of my adult life (I am over 40).
Again I say, Downs and Jones lied. Slay was right they are puppets of the teachers union. This is perhaps that one of the lowest days in this City's history.

Fred, unless you know the reasons behind what has or is happening, you can't really say what you have said. Believe me, enough people are aware of current corruption and scandals. Why don't you wait for some explanation before you judge. You may be surprised by what has been going on. Just as testimonies are beginning to surfuace about the Irons case that have nothing to do with finances but about serious moral indiscretions.

I still say the Board has some serious explaining to do. That also means that we need to listen to what they explain. But if it's nothing but tin-horn dictators who can't tell the difference between insubordination and simply having a mind of one's own, then we're stuck for four years. (Four, because at the next election, it's the Jackson and Archibald seats that are up.)

Oracle, why would you refer to them as "tin horn" dictators? Could anyone be more than Schoemehl was? And please don't forget the angry, sputtering "MFs" Roberti. Unless you are on the inside, it's very difficult to realize just how serious and systemic the problems are. By the way, the superintendent was seen running out of the building carry a hug bag he could hardly carry. He also had a guard take out three or four other bags. Some fear he took Board property as he sped off in board property with a board employee. His actions denote they must have found out something very serious. The board attorney wouldn't have allowed them to go off on some serious tangent.

How many basketball uniforms can you get for $100,000 and where are they warehoused?

What did you think that you were going to get with this Board?

To quote Jack Nicholson, "this town needs an enema."

Who didn't expect this on election night? Seriously--Downs and Jones and effectively Purdy were all running to essentially turn around everything Creg was doing. Why is it surprising they did exactly what they said they would do?

I figured it would take a couple more months, but I would have been surprised to see Williams last in 2007.

==How many basketball uniforms can you get for $100,000 and where are they warehoused?

That's not even the right question to ask. Floyd had a contract with Nike to provide shoes and uniforms. Why were school funds used at all?

I think the RFT picked up on this point, but everyone else has ignored it.

If we had a functioning daily newspaper, someone might have investigated Irons and the tangled set of non-profits in which he's involved.

Based on some conversations I rest assured that President O'Brien has a plan, that it is well thought out, and that it will be well received by the students, parents, and residents of the City. We are headed in the right direction.

We should all rest assured that this is all about the student. This restructuring, first of the Board, and now of the administration, is about the future of the city's children. It is obvious that parents, students, teachers, and city residents are applauding the brave leadership of the School Board.

The next step is to continue the progress by replacing Board members Archibald and Jackson.

They thought the City had recall mania before.

"President O'Brien has a plan"

Thanks for the confidence boost, I feel so much better now.

With intelligent responses like this...

"If Creg is gone it is your fault. Grow up Mayor Slay - run what you can - the city and not the school district. Your people destroyed the district and if all they did came out it would destroy you," O'Brien wrote.

She is the first person I want leading our district into the future.

Can someone please explain to me how the Mayor's slate destroyed the district. They did a lot of things that needed to be done, but no one else had the guts to do.

I hope everyone is happy, if you couldn't have seen this from a mile away before election day you should have. Its too bad these two candidates couldn't be honest with the voters.

I have never felt more depressed about our city and its future.

Lets just say that I buy into your point. How much has to be burnt before any rebuilding begins?

Recalling is NOT going to be the answer.

This board did not involve the community in their decision to force Williams out. They condemned the previous board for excluding the community. I agree with Jackson, they just want to undo everything done by previous board. They are no better than the previous school board. Whole language, here we come. Teachers find it so boring to have to teach the rules of the English language.

Jones and Downs campaigned that they would be part of a team with Williams. Are they lying now that they are firing Williams for the students or when they had that campaign piece? They never tried to work with him.

Wonder how many Sunshine Law violations occurred during the plotting? Sounds just like the Schoemehl:Clinkscale board.

I voted for them. I'm not a supporter of the Mayor's office. But Slay is also correct, no decent permanent Superintendent will want to come here. This will cause more parents to pull their kids out of the district. It will be so easy to get voters to approve a tax increase now! Many St. Louisans that would not have supported a state takeover before are considering it now. Blunt's presence in office is only thing that will prevent a huge number of people from requesting it.

Mary Armstrong had it right yesterday when she said that the district needs some stability.

Look for a State takeover of the District. The State Board can come in and dissolve the current Board and appoint an interim Superintendant. If a state takeover happens, I wouldn't be surprised if Williams is named Superintendant. This Board may have made a huge mistake by trying to take out Irons and Williams in the same week. The 4-person majority really seems to have flipped thier lid...ignoring the fact that school starts soon and they have no administration.
So much for caring for the kids.

Williams sees that this board is an impossible situation. He's got enough sense to move to a city where they recognize he cares about students.

===Based on some conversations I rest assured that President O'Brien has a plan, that it is well thought out, and that it will be well received by the students, parents, and residents of the City. We are headed in the right direction.

Another conspiracy theory? Really---how are we headed in the right direction? What happens to managed curriculum? What about the Kaplan program?

And how does someone who is primarily thought of as a special ed specialist what the District needs when the key effort this year was supposed to be high school instruction?

Helen Louise, I don't dispute that the tag "tin-horn dictators" applies as well to Schoemehl (Vince, not Tim) and Roberti. The fact that they were doesn't necessarily mean that the current board majority aren't. And I referred to them that way conditionally: if there was no justifiable reason to terminate the superintendent other than their previously aired complaints about so-called "insubordination." That's one of the things they need to explain. I'm not calling for recall without hearing what they have to say.

As a clarification, one cannot recall Board of Education members.

As a recent SLPS graduate in May and with a sister who will enter as a sophomore in the fall, I think I have a vested interest in the health of the district. Not only do I feel that the majority of the school board has made vindictive, back-handed attempts to change the balance of power in the district, I also believe that the teacher's union now has inordinate control over the district. I support the union. But it seems that a large motive for the removal of Dr. Williams was the union's perturbation at his call for accountability in the schools that have not reached accredidation standards. This is an unjustified motive. The union should support this move as it would promote a better environment for students to learn in.

This situation further pains me because I was personally invested in this administration. I have multiple times had conversations in person and electronically with Dr. Creg Williams. He has listened and attempted to solve every problem I have given to him. I do not know of a problem, apart from the political maneuverings of the school board and the apparently uncontrollable Floyd Irons, that Dr. Williams did not give a large attempt to solve on the district-wide level. The fact that this man, who has been the most effective superintendent since I have been in the district, is now being pushed aside in favor, supposedly, of the fired Fox superintendent Diane Bourisaw. If this is true, then it hearkens back to Cleveland Hammonds, a superintendent hired after he was fired from another district.

It appears now, that he was forced out, but resigned. Good Luck, Dr. Williams. I only hope that the school district can get over these issues. One things for sure: I'm glad I graduated.

Will,

Cogratulations on your graduation. Unlike 75% of your classmates, you were able to make it to graduation. The administration has failed those classmates of yours. Now, those ills will be addressed, and the students put to the fore.

The fact he so willingly and compliantly resigned and the comment by Archibald indicating if he didn't it would cost him his reputation and money indicates the grounds were of a serious nature. Additionally, the fact that the district is not obligated to pay for the rest of his contract is an indication serious infraction of his contract took place.

Since this is a personnel matter, all the facts may never be publicly known. Therefore, the board members who are obligated to keep personnel matters confidential due to either serious or personal nature should not be unduly criticized by those who know little or nothing.

Let's see if certain civic leaders and the media understand the complexities and nuances that they must practice in their own spheres of responsibility and treat these board members with the respect they consider they personally deserve.

The Superintendent was a great man with great vision and ideas. Mary Armstrong is the weakest Teachers Union president in the history of the organization, with no vision and no ideas. She just enjoys being in that position while eating cheeseburgers, drinking liquor, and making it clear that she has no intentions of doing anything meaningful other than running her big mouth (not meaningful). Name one thing that Mary Armstrong has done as president that has had substantial impact on improving the conditions for teachers in the Saint Louis Public Schools. Mary Armstrong is a true loser, and that is why the teachers did not receive their pay on time a few weeks back.

The Mayor was right, "It is a DAMN shame!" that Creg Williams was forced to resign. He was a great guy that worked hard to include the community in many of his decisions. However, the newly elected school board members did lie to the public! They promised to work with Creg Williams and all they did from the beginning was work against him! Veronica O'Brien is starting to look like a woman that does not like black men, unless she is firing them! You just fired the two highest profile black men in the Saint Louis Public Schools within one week, and had no regrets about that. Your marriage to a white man has to come into question now, is it love or hatred for black men!
The appearance is that you can't get along with black men even though you are a black woman. I bet you don't get along with the two black men left on the School Board, and if you had it your way you would fire them too!

Bill Purdy introduced a resolution in a closed door session to give the exclusive $3 million dollar contract for legal work in the Saint Louis Public Schools to the law firm of Lashley & Baer. This excluded and made sure that minority law firms would not have the opportunity to share in the legal services.

Oh, here we go again--the race card. How pathetic and wearisome it gets.

Why are telephone calls coming in from parents who say basketball players are willing to testify to priest-altar boy-like relations with the coach?

Why did the superintendent run so fast when his reputation was on the line? He knows they know some of what has been going on behind the scenese. Probably his security guard driver got sick of seeing it and reported it. Baby, you are so out of the loop and retrograde. Give us a break. All you can do is attack black women and accuse one of hating black men. How ludicrous you look, don't you realize? If I were you, I'd be embarrassed to let anyone know who I am by such lunatic ravings.

Get a life somewhere that enables you to see it in reality rather than in some sordid racist rant. No wonder this city can't progress. There's always the militant racists trying to divide people by race. I bet you're so light skinned you have to attack others to make you feel more black.

I get the impression "The Real Deal Baby" is gay and just doesn't like black women. What do the rest of you think? Or maybe he's just on the "down low."

Kevin is accusing the Floyd Irons of molesting underage boys. How about some proof. Helen is accusing Creg Williams of stealing bags of money so heavy that he could hardly carry them. How about some proof. Put up or shut up!

It's ridculous to read people's claims that Williams was the "last hope" for SLPS.

Do people really have such low faith in this city's ability to fix its problems?

People are talking like we're a hopeless ghetto. While that talk may have flown in 1976, thirty years later things are looking better for St. Louis.

This isn't the end of the world for the city's schools. If it is, then this city is more fragile than folks like Mayor Slay want us to think.

"Cogratulations on your graduation. Unlike 75% of your classmates, you were able to make it to graduation. The administration has failed those classmates of yours. Now, those ills will be addressed, and the students put to the fore."

Yeah, that's right Travis, this is all the fault of a guy who started working here 15 months ago.

What great timing. Does anyone know Purdy is leaving for vacation in France this week? Guess he won't be answering any hard questiosn too soon.

TimR, don't you read the sports page of the Post-Dispatch and Bernie Miklasz? "At least one school board member suggested to me that Irons would be wise to go quietly, because things could get a lot rougher for him. What does that threat mean? Hilgemann offered a hint about additional, alleged
misconduct by Irons. She said it "involved children and hasn't exactly been good things."

Employees at Vashon and downtown talk of calls from parents with students ready to testify. Perhaps a Grand Jury investigation is in order as it was for some priests.

I didn't read where anyone accused the superintendent of taking bags of money.

It's interesting how people outside the loop have such strong opinions while those closer to the action could tell horror stories if given the opportunity. Instead of the State taking over the district, it should open up a "whistle-blower's" line so more of the truth can be told.

If the school board or any of its members has allegations or evidence of this sort of misconduct and they let Irons go rather than turning the evidence over to the authorities, then they're not only inept but truly evil.

I'm not trying to defend Irons--the financial weirdness has yet to be explained well to the public--but this just smacks of a whisper campaign.

Tina, perhaps you should contact Berne Miklasz of the Post-Dispatch or parents of Vashon basketball players.

Kevin, perhaps you should contact Joe Mokwa if you have proof of a felony. Maybe the inference of bags, too heavy to carry, was for purloined office supplies. Creg is unsure if he will be able to get #6 sharp point bos-stitch staples where he is going. You are making serious allegations and I am calling your bluff.

"Right a Wrong. Submit any tips or story ideas by using our anonymous email form. Confidentiality is guaranteed."

This was secretly hidden at the top of this page. Scandalous, huh?

Actually, the evidenc regarding finances was turned over at least twice. One of those was in the papers. The problem is that because all, but one high school had the same shoddy accounting practices that malice couldn't be demonstrated--incompetence was a defense.

Beyond that, those who are making allegations of sexual misconduct with students had better have evidence--or they are subject to a defamation lawsuit--I'd recommend Dave to delete them immediately to avoid any legal problems for himself.

There are many other problems with Floyd, but no one can ever find the hard evidence. Primarily the rumors are far different from the ones presented here.

I agree with Tina. If any district employee has molested children and this board has covered it up, then they should resign.

Willims pushed out by the four nut majority? I told you so!

===Cogratulations on your graduation. Unlike 75% of your classmates, you were able to make it to graduation

No, the graduation rate over the last three years is around 60% +/- 2%. Before that it was averaging around 50%.

The dropout rate looks worse, but only because the numbers were being fudged previously by not counting no shows who aged out of the count eventually.

This is one of the larger problems with discussing schools is that so few actually take the time to understand the indicators.

Though I think most of the posters against Dr. Williams are idiot, and those that voted for Downs and Jones and claim that they didn't know this was going to happen are ignorant, I will refrain from I told you so. What I want to say is how ridiculous for this group to hire an "auditor" and then not wait for the results to try and get rid of Dr. Williams. Then to hire the "auditor" looks even worse. They replaced the man with the person who was supposed to evaluate his position, and then they did all of this without talking to the public. If the Mayor's slate had tried this you all would scream bloody murder.
And as for Helen Louise, you continue to talk like you know, but avoid detail. Propaganda and innuendo will only get you so far. Without proof I say you are all hypocrites.
You call for patience with this board, where was it for the last board? I hope that none of you reproduce because I don't need more ignorant people in my city.
Archpundit and Southsider, I will be taking the next few days to relax, and try to calm down. Keep up the good fight, even if the others don't listen to reason.

Stop refering claims of molestation to Bernie's column. He was passing on rumor and hearsay and made it very clear that he had no evidence, just what others had said.

I normally like Bernie and not a big Irons fan, but I thought it was pretty irresposible to give that rumor wide circulation without presenting any evidence.

Also why should we now believe anything the board or their close supporters say now. They said during the campaign they supported Williams when they clearly didn't. Their main point in candidates forums was that the wanted to involve the community more, and they didn't.

These people lie for their own benefit (and their special interest supporters) and now we are supposed to believe that...

A) Irons molested children, but no charges have ever made the light of day (much less a court of law) during his long tenure, or

B) Williams was carrying bags of money out the door, but they are doing him a favor by keeping it quiet and paying him his full salary for the upcoming year?

This is BS and you people are worse than I orginally thought.

As a graduate of Metro High School (Class of '04), I have seen the Roberti year and observed Williams tenure and all I have to say is that there is no one that is trying to see what the students think. I mean, students have opinions too and they should have a stake in what is decided in this district. To see this "great" School Board Majority take two straight meetings behind closed doors with no public input to decide important personnel matters shows that they think that they can do things with no input from the public. Also, choosing a Superintendent without input from the public or having a formal search for a new one does have me thinking that Diane Borisaw sp? was chosen as a Superintendent-in-waiting and the new board majority was just making Williams job hard so they have reason to let him go. All I have to say is that you adults are screwing it up for kids who need a good education to survive in a competitive job market and the future of the City, so I hope the State does take over, it seems like anyone but St. Louis adults should run the schools.

I hate to be smug, but sometimes you just can't help it...

I said it before and I'll say it again, these people are crazy, egotistical, and don't give a rat's ass about the squandered lives of the children we fail.

Helen, TimR, Travis, et al. I got a little of the old Bard for ya:

"You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things!"

Wake up, these are not good people in charge of the district. You can't turn a failing district around without identifying the problems creating the culture of failure. One of which, is ACCOUNTABILITY for teachers. Which Creg Williams tried to do, and Mary Armstrong and the rest of AFT 420, used their lackeys on the school board to make that happen.

Worried citizen, you're tiresome and prove you don't read well either. Were you low on comprehension? And talk about reproducing, how many idiots or morons have you produced?

Southsider, why did your shaved head superintendent cut and run so fast? You know as much as the rest of us he was caught at something and the board cannot discuss what was so serious. He was probably one lucky man to get the option to resign and a year's salary. One good thing is that the board can probably report the seriousness of the infractions to the Commissioner of Education that they can't to the media or the public. And DESE will be glad the man ran out of town. Your favorite board members went through how many superintendents before coming upon this inexperienced wag? He couldn't even produce the documentstion for his "degrees" from some degree-mill schools.

You may have a good point about ACCOUNTABILITY, something Irons failed to produce as well as some of Williams friends and relatives. Even Williams is reported not to have produced documentation for his expenses. But we know, the opposition doesn't want to hear any facts.

And talk about a "rat's ass," most know that's not Slay's interest--the lives of children. It's about power

"You can't turn a failing district around without identifying the problems creating the culture of failure. One of which, is ACCOUNTABILITY for teachers."

Agreed. But what about accountability for administrators like Floyd Irons? Subcontractors? Someone needs to stand up to everyone leeching on SLPS -- it's not just local 420, 'tho they sure are trouble. This discussion is weighted toward folks turning their own particular blind eye to the interest group of their choice. i can't believe state control is on the table. What a joke our city would become if that happens -- just like East St. Louis!!

How did things get this far?

No leadership, from anyone (except maybe Williams, his defense of money-man Irons notwithstanding). Just self-serving BS.

Southsider: get out your Hamlet...

I'll have grounds More relative than this-the play's the thing. Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King.

See if Tawanna flinches.

I'll bet that you did not read my postings. I posted only to the innuendo's that Helen and Tawanna/Kevin were spouting. Let's play fair.

Do me a favor and read/reread my postings and then lump me in with the nitwits alluding to felonious behaviour. I only stated out loud what they were whispering. Perhaps you do not like the fresh light of day. But, I sure do.

Tim Redmond

No one said the superintendent was carrying bags of money out. It was reported that employees saw him and his security guard carrying huge bags perhaps with some property of some sort. His security guard was reported on a speaker phone ordering a car to be pulled around and expressing disgust at what he was being called to do. This was overheard by two administrators and several employees who were in the area where it was occurring.

As far as innuendo, I feel I have reported facts of what employees say or have seen. Talk about innuendo, how many on this blog are using innuendo as to the motives and capabilities of some of the board members?

I have come to the conclusion that some aren't interested in facts at all. Sides are based on loyalties and biases rather than realities. The city schools lost their greatest number of accreditation points under the mayor's slate. But that's a fact being ignored by many. Administrators' and educators' morale alike is very low. They are treated in the most unprofessional and disrespectful manner. How can the children not feel what those closest and most responsible for them are experiencing? It is futile to bring up objective facts because minds are closed.

The superintendent cut and ran very quickly. Has he been offered a job where he already applied elsewhere? Were there policy infractions that were serious? Regardless of board affiliations or loyalties, members are bound by confidentiality in personnel matters and are in a position to be attacked viciously and not even legally being able to give cause that would clarify what went on behind closed doors. The same happens at City Hall when personnel matters are involved as well as with the Post-Dispatch. Hopefully, intelligent and educated men and women will recognize the disadvantage and remain restrained in cruel judgments of those put in such a position. This applies to most, if not all, organizations.

The four members of the current board majority would have never accepted Williams, because he was hired by Schoemehl, Archibald, et al. He will probably land on his feet. The teachers are ecstatic that he has been forced out, but not one parent that I have talked with is anything other than terrified.

Helen Louise, Travis, Percy Green, Bill Haas, and other unquestioning supporters of O'Brien, Purdy etc.,
Can any of you tell us how your standing on the sidelines picking away at Williams, Jackson, Archibald, and others helps anything?
Why don't you start working on some solutions for this district and then come back and talk to us?
I know, you have faith in your new board. What have they done to help? What have they done so far to help one child get a better education?

I think some of you are hilarious... Let this play out. Mr. Irons has taken advantage of his position and the so-called "administrators" in the public schools have secretly allowed him to prosper at the expense of children simply trying to do better than their parents. These unfortunate allegation's Kevin speaks of have been quietly whispered around town since the early 80's. Let's not play the WMD defense. I am not a fan of Bush, but we know very well Hussein had weapons, not necessarily directed at us however...
I think this is now the time to let the investigations root out the truth. But I do think that criminal activity has taken place....

One more thing, if the allegations are true, do you think the district would be able to afford the lawsuit that could be filed against it...
Could you imagine the class action lawsuit filled by former players and students? Unfortunately for the ten of thousands trying to make a better life for themselves and their communities in the public schools, they will be the casualties of decades of crazy people put in place to manage the direction of the most prized resource we will be able to offer the world in the years to come- our human intellectual capital.
I'm more disappointed that parents of children at Vashon would support a man because he coachs at the most fifteen guys a year. What about your child who doesn't play basketball and has to worry about violence, absolutely incompetent teachers, and troubled home-lifes? Irons took advantage because no one cared. We are all to blame for that.

Cletus:

If you want a thumbnail sketch of what needs to change first in order for progressive and productive improvements to occur, here you go: replace Board members Archibald and Jackson. Once the blockades are gone, we can set to work on returning the district to solvency and ensuring that the money spent in our schools goes to educating the kids. We spend more per child than any of the school districts in the county, yet only half of our kids graduate highschool and only a fourth go on to college. The question is not whether to spend more money, but how we can more wisely spend the money we already have.

Member Archibald loves to talk about fiscal responsibility, but runs the other way when it comes time to vote. Heck, you're lucky if you catch Member Jackson paying attention, or even awake. These two have stood in the way of progress for too long. Now is the time for change, and it starts with two new members.

===If you want a thumbnail sketch of what needs to change first in order for progressive and productive improvements to occur

This is akin to blaming Democrats for something the Republican Party passed. Now, the question is, what are the "progressive improvements" that the current Board Majority wants to implement. They are a majority and they can do it.

Are they going to change the curriculum? How?

Are they going to change staffing patterns? How?

Are they going to end privatized contracts? How much will they cost?

===We spend more per child than any of the school districts in the county

Wrong. Two spend more and several are catching up. Parkway is within about $1200 ADA with far smaller percentage of students in special ed--especially with the SSD. When one thinks of SSD being dispersed to the county districts, I'm betting about 3 would be right around the SLPS.

And again, as I pointed out recently, about 60% of students graduate--the 50% number hasn't been true for a few years.

If you want to say that somehow the board majority including the guy who watched as the District went insolvent was Board President is fiscally responsible and has a plan, let's hear it. Saying there is a secret plan to end the war in Vietnam or solve the budgetary problems isn't credible.

Travis,
Your mantra of replace Jackson and Archibald is annoying. This board minority isn't much of a roadblock. You saw for yourself that O'Brien and Purdy couldn't get anything done when they were outvoted. If you simply replace the minority members with people who have the exact same loyalties as the current majority, it only makes it harder for the public to vote to change course should this board prove to be inept. Or does the idea of balance on a government board not appeal to you?
Frankly, I'd be surprised if Archibald seeks re-election.