E. St. Louis School Board is Mum on State Takeover Threat (IL)

April 27, 2011

EAST ST. LOUIS • Noticeably absent from Tuesday’s East St. Louis Board of Education meeting agenda was discussion of or action related to a move by the state to take some role in l eadership of the embattled district.

Illinois State Board of Education officials have given the district until late May to vote to enter into an agreement allowing the state board to take the lead in district decision-making.

The local school board has no meetings scheduled for May, Superintendent Theresa Saunders said Tuesday night.

If no action is taken by the East St. Louis board, the state board could react by ousting the district’s board.

“There’s nothing on our agenda about it,” she said. “We haven’t heard anything from the (Illinois Board of Education).”

The intergovernmental agreement between the state and East St. Louis school board would strip the district of power in making financial decisions or hiring of district staff. The board would need written state approval to enter into any contracts. The state also would hire a consultant to evaluate problems in the district.

The move comes after years of academic failure in East St. Louis schools, lack of compliance with federal and state special-education laws and the district’s high administrative costs.

On Tuesday, board members listened as supporters of A.M. Jackson Math and Science Academy gave reasons why the school should not be closed. The academy was on a list of schools recommended for closure submitted to the board by a committee.

Some speakers decried the idea of closing the district’s best school in terms of test scores and grades. Joslyn Anthony, an alum of the grade school, talked of excelling in an environment where “it was OK to be smart.”

“You looked crazy if you didn’t work hard,” said Anthony, now an attorney in the area. “Why expose children to such adversity that would prevent them from being that next lawyer, or doctor?”

Board member Carl Officer said the outpouring of support for the school had been well received by the board. He said that, if anything, the school would only be moved to another building.

No vote has taken place on closing any schools in the city yet, officials said.

“I believe you’ve done your job today,” Officer told the school’s supporters.

“Why in the hell would you vote to close the No. 1 school in East St. Louis?”