ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis Public Schools is grappling with substantial challenges and growing controversy surrounding district leadership, with school board members pointing fingers and demanding resignations as we approach the start of the 2024 school year.
The school board recently voted Superintendent Dr. Keisha Scarlett take a temporary paid leave of absence during an investigation into the system’s finances.
It’s speculated that Scarlett’s temporary leave may have to do with spending, hiring, and bus issues. The superintendent oversaw a budget that went from a $17 million surplus to a deficit of $35 million.
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Millicent Borishade was named the interim superintendent in Scarlett’s absence. However, she doesn’t seem to have a strong vote of courage from fellow educators, according to a letter sent out by the district’s teachers union.
Board Member Emily Hubbard created a Facebook post with a letter on Saturday, calling on Board President Antionette “Toni” Cousins and Vice President Matt Davis to resign, claiming “their illegitimate, reactionary, over-reaching ‘leadership’ of the district must end. The lies and coercion must end.”
This comes just a day after Mayor Tishaura Jones called for the state audit.
“The Board of Education has the sole responsibility for overseeing Saint Louis Public Schools. We take this responsibility very seriously and are focused on making sure the district is in position to successfully welcome our students back on August 19,” George Sells, the director of communications and marketing for St. Louis Public Schools, said in response to Mayor Jones’ letter
Hubbard voted not to suspend Dr. Scarlett and her letter reads, in part, “For a long time, any criticism of Dr. Scarlett was squashed as well as framed as criticism of the board president, which was also unacceptable. Speaking specifically about the hiring of all her friends into district positions … If I recall correctly, the votes were all unanimous. So, we the board are responsible for those hires. We had the information to ask questions, to act, and chose not to pursue vigorous action.”
Hubbard went on to ask for forgiveness for, “assuming that serious interrogation of those hires as they were presented to us would have negative consequences without a change in the results.”
Vice President Davis told FOX 2 that his attention is on preparing for the upcoming school years.
“Ms. Hubbard will need to answer for her voting record and shouldn’t be attacking fellow board members to distract from decisions she’s made that she now regrets,” he said.
President Cousins sent an email to FOX 2 echoing Davis’ sentiment.
“The district has 14 days left before classes begin, which is my first concern. Providing transportation, before- and after-care, and making sure all schools are secure and prepared for classes to begin are my main priorities,” Cousins wrote. “I hope that Board Member Hubbard would also be interested in and concerned about that.”
FOX 2 reached out to Ms. Hubbard for comment Sunday, and she told us she doesn’t have anything else to say right now.
