By Antonio D. French
Filed Friday, July 14 at 11:37 PM
Former Superintendent Creg Williams told Channel 4 reporter Anne Steffens that he resigned today after talking to his family and close friends. He said he was not fired or forced out as has been reported. After saying as recently as yesterday that he would not resign, Williams told Steffens that he felt that the new board deserved the opportunity to select their own superintendent.
Click here to see Steffens' interview.
Click here to watch Mayor Francis Slay's press conference.
28 Comments:
BLAh, BLAH, BLAh, BLAH is all that the Mayor seems to be saying. Creg Williams was not our best choice. He was merely recruited by Lynn Spaminato to come to this district. Clinksdale and Jackson fell for the okie doke and accepted him per Roberti and his crew recommendations. So I guess the Mayor will offend hs actions of hiring his friends and family while firing long term administrators of SLPS. The board actions are no different than Creg's actions against the teachers this year. Floyd Irons need to be insulted because he was only making $90,000 as a top administrator after 33 years of service to this district while Creg's newlyhired friends were making 6 figures. Wake up and smell the coffee. Creg got rid of some of our top administrators in order to pay the high price salaries of his friends. So like the old saying goes "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." Hit the Road JAck!!!!!!
Saturday, July 15, 2006 4:28:00 AM
The rhetoric what that the new board members were going to operate in the open, not behind closed doors.
The rhetoric was that the new school board was going to have public input into the process.
The rhetoric was they were going to be different.
The reality is there are no differnt. They must have talked about firing Williams weeks ago and looked for or found Bourisaw with that in mind.
The reality is the hatched this plan behind closed doors months ago, just waiting for the right moment.
The reality is the state needs to take this school district over. IMMEDIATELY!!!
Saturday, July 15, 2006 9:04:00 AM
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.
Saturday, July 15, 2006 9:05:00 AM
O'Brien's "secret plan" aside, this should not have gone down like this.
And the two missing ingredients to the "rest assured" strategy are: (1) trust, which does not exist between the general public and the St. Louis Public Schools, and (2) a mandate, which a board majority elected by roughly 6% of the city's registered voters does not have.
And please spare us all the "for the children" cliché. Every single thing that has ever been done in SLPS -- from the good to the bad to the downright evil -- has been done "for the children."
Saturday, July 15, 2006 9:20:00 AM
How is it obvious "that parents, students, teachers, and city residents are applauding the brave leadership of the School Board?"
Did you get that from a poll you personally conducted in the past 15 hours?
Saturday, July 15, 2006 9:22:00 AM
I don't think any concerned citizen in this city should be "rest assured" about the schools, police or city government. To much goes down when we are watching much less resting.
Saturday, July 15, 2006 12:09:00 PM
Travis, do you have children in the district? If there have been any positive comments on either of the pubdef blogs from parents, I haven't seen them. The only positive comments seem to be from people that don't have kids in the system.
Downs and company have lost the moral high ground.
A state takeover would result from their actions. A state takeover could end up being worse than whatever problems there were with Williams.
Saturday, July 15, 2006 12:20:00 PM
This is a mess. I am finally moving myself and my children out of the St. Louis Public School District. They don't give a rats ass about the children. Only their own selfish motivations. You only have to look at the actions to discover the truth. The two new members were backed by the teachers union. The union did not like Williams for making them reapply for their jobs. Boom all of this goes down. It's politics, not children. Interesting that this is the same union that did not want parents like us to have a choice as to where to send our children. ( tax scholarship bill)Yet we are supposed to just accept just whatever they throw at us for our children.
Further more, Williams was trying to do some things that had never been done before and had the courage to do it. They just happened to have another superintendent that could just step right in his shoes. Yeah right.
Saturday, July 15, 2006 3:12:00 PM
I have read the comments of others in regard to the removal of Creg Williams. Some important information seems to be missing.
First, Creg Williams, in a letter to Mary Armstrong, threatened to have her fired for inferring with a meeting of Special Ed teachers concerning the computer program they were using to do IEPs. She did not stop that meeting. She only informed the person who was to conduct the meeting before it started that teachers were to be paid overtime for attending. It was a person from the central office who decided to cancel the meeting.
Second, teachers have been treated very unprofessionaly by administrators for a long time. We have just kept quiet about it, until now.
Being cheated out of three days pay at the end of the year because of one of Williams' employee's mistake of not knowing to divide our salary by 204 days instead of the 200 days they did divide by, only compounded the problem.
Not knowing that the Board had to pay over a million dollars to the Retirement fund because another employee didn't tell Williams about the bill is another negative mark against Williams.
Again along the lines of finances, employees didn't get paid a few weeks ago because the bank wouldn't accept the signature of the person who was replacing the departed treasurer. So any employee who had direct deposit was not paid.
And, does anyone remember that in the beginning, when the search was being conducted for a new superintendent, Williams was not forthcoming with his credentials, such as where he obtained his doctorate degree?
We teachers have continued to teach the children throughout all of this confusion. It is time to end the turmoil, bickering, and politicing in order to work together. Stop the comdemnations!
Saturday, July 15, 2006 4:51:00 PM
Sorry for the spelling error in the last paragragh. It should be condemnations. Please excuse the sloppy fingers.
Saturday, July 15, 2006 4:57:00 PM
Question: Who besides Creg Williams, i.e. what other memebers of the Williams team, "resigned" with him?
Saturday, July 15, 2006 6:25:00 PM
Regarding Antonio's comment re: mandate:
Downs and Jones campaigned on "working as part of a team with Williams".
Saturday, July 15, 2006 6:41:00 PM
You can't work as a team with an employee that is insubordinate, and takes possibly illegal actions that are at least beyond his authority. The School Board is the Superintendent's employer, and as such has a responsibility to manage it its employee. Unfortunately, the past Superintendent didn't want to be accountable to anyone, let alone his bosses.
Saturday, July 15, 2006 8:15:00 PM
Classic Quote:
From Sylvester Brown, Jr's 7/16/06 column, quoting Veronica O'Brien on Diana Bourisaw:
"She's a pit bull," O'Brien responded.
What are pit bull's most noted for?
Mauling and maiming children.
Saturday, July 15, 2006 9:57:00 PM
TONIGHT @ 9
On channel 2 (FOX) - Floyd Irons answering questions about missing funds.
On channel 11 (WB) - Dr. Diana Bourisaw talking about the future of the District.
Sunday, July 16, 2006 8:00:00 PM
I want to post my comment under this article instead of Video: Archibald: State Should Take Over.
The state may not agree with what is going in St. Louis but they are following the rules that they set for taking over school districts. It is up to us to determine whether or not the state will state will take over. There is now question in these blogs that the schools may not open on Aug. 28. And remain open for a minimum of 174 days. If we do not open on time, yes that may mean the state will take over. Then the calendar will be adjusted to meet the 174 days requirement. Remember at the end of 2005 school did not let out until June 15. Another reason for the state to take over is if we do not meet full accreditation in 2010.
My question to all the parents, teachers, principals, and administrators is do we want the state to really take over? I do not know all of the ramifications of what may or may not happen but do you want to possibly lose a school year or extend well into next summer, reapply for your job or deal with the politics from state officials?
I am willing to put the past behind and start fresh, again! I am willing to do my part in helping get the schools open on time. Otherwise I wouldn’t have spent so much time revising lesson plans this summer. Spend lots of money updating computer software to make my other responsibilities easier to do. Not to mention how I am going to get supplies to conduct my class effectively. We all have a job to which is educate the future of this city, state, and nation. How many of you out there are willing to do the same?
Sunday, July 16, 2006 8:05:00 PM
Snoopydad:
Could't agree with you more. Now is the time for us all to roll-up our sleeves and work together to find solvency, full accredidation, and a better future for our kids, with the new Superintendent and the Board we elected.
Sunday, July 16, 2006 8:24:00 PM
Floyd Irons No Show (x2)
Sorry to get your hopes up to see Floyd Irons exmplain the questions about misappropriations tonight on channel 2 news at 9. He was a no show, as he was last night as well. While I firmly believe he is innocent until proven guilty, I have to wonder why he won't answer the questions about missing money under his control.
Sunday, July 16, 2006 9:03:00 PM
The press conference has been moved to 1 PM at Clyde Miller.
Hopefully, some kind of evening "Meet the new Superintendent" event can be scheduled. Regular board meeting only allows 10 people to speak.
Sunday, July 16, 2006 9:41:00 PM
Travis,
My spouse said that Irons was on one of the expanded sport broadcasts after the "regular" news was over.
Sunday, July 16, 2006 10:30:00 PM
FYI:
Floyd Irons did show up on channel 5 in a live interview with Rene Knott, who didn't ask him any hard questions. And, Mr. Irons evaded the softballs pitched at him.
Also, a source close to the Board has said that they were working until very late last night, presumably preparing for the press conference today and getting the new Superintendent up to speed, and that they agreed not to release information about the firign of former Superintendent Creg Williams to help him through his transition.
Monday, July 17, 2006 6:10:00 AM
Anon (except for 1 & 6)needs to get their facts straight and gain some additional knowledge. Do your homework before forming your opinions, read as much as possible, because your comments are full of "lack of info". Apparently you only want to see one side and one side only. How many school board members from the past had children in the district? The more board members with children in the district, the better chances we have that their decisions will be based on what is right for the children. I fully agree with reparation and snoopydad. My question to you others is, exactly how involved are you really? How motivated are you and what exactly motivates you? Oh, and snoopydad, let the parents and your PTO members know what your needs are for the school year regarding supplies. Make a list and give it to them. I can guarantee as a member of 2 PTO's that if we know what it is you need, we'll do everything we can to get it for you. Two years ago, I found out that our school had one copier, and the math teacher was using a mimeograph machine to make homework copies. Needless to say, we had trouble reading the copies. When we questioned the teacher is how we found out about the situation. I made sure that they got their copier that they needed. It is not owned by the district, the teachers own it, it was a gift from my company to them. Just let us know what you need. This is how you help anons....get away from the politics and get INVOLVED....really involved with donations and volunteer your time. Whatever it takes. That's what the kids really need. Attendence at the PTO meetings are atrocious in most schools.....so all you concerned people....where are you really?
Monday, July 17, 2006 11:57:00 AM
I'm not surprised this action was taken. Williams was beginning to be a dictator. He was governing this district through a dictatorship, not a leader. He was threatening teachers and principals about comments made to the press. He was running this district downhill from the beginning. Teachers who had excellent evaluation were displaced and demeaned by reapplying for their jobs. A Job Fair was established for all displaced teachers and most of the people who interviewed were Human Resource people and not Administrators. I can't believe what a mess! I hope where ever he applies he's seen the same disrespect he showed to tenure teachers' who stayed with this district for years and where given no respect.
Monday, July 17, 2006 3:25:00 PM
Good Bye! Williams always said it was about the kids. What a bunch of "BS". I think it was all about him. Children in this district werent't his major concern. If it was why were new hirees all his close friends, etc. He closed schools and lied about closing of schools when asked at Board Meeting, but behind closed doors was fully aware of what was happening. He kept people form talking about the mess he created at Vashon. The Williams 9th grade Center and UMSL. He appropriately hired the right PR people to protect him. He closed Pruitt Military Academy and never gave a legit reason why. He said test scores, but let the truth be known Pruitt was never on the DESE list for not meeting AYP. Pruitt was on the list for two years as making gains. He slandered Pruitt's staff and administrators at Community meetings. Degrading staff! He visited the school once and stayed there about 40 minutes and talked about the school as if he had made several visits.
Monday, July 17, 2006 3:37:00 PM
What we all really need to (try)to do is step back from this, pay less attention to all of the confusion, and try to enjoy the next 4 weeks off. None of the so called leaders have produced, so maybe its time to really, and sincerely pray that this situation will soon be resolved, so that those of us who have committed our life to working with today's children at menial salaries can finally feel some peace.
Monday, July 17, 2006 6:04:00 PM
Good job to whomever initiated the move to get rid of Williams! I'm so disappointed with the Board and parents' of this city for allowing him to be in charge for this long. He has made a mess of this district's policies, schools and children. Children are currently displaced and not assigned to schools as of today, teachers are displaced and unassigned and the school's policies for hiring, firing and closure of schools have been swept under the tables. He's a real fool to think he could keep causing chaos and not be dealt with. I CAN'T WRITE EVERYTHING I WANT TO SAY REGARDING HIS FORCED REMOVAL OR RESIGNATION.
Monday, July 17, 2006 6:28:00 PM
This Districts problems didn't begin with Dr. Williams. SLPS has been in chaos for some time. We have had 5 superintendants in 3 or 4 years and have complained and found disfavor with all. Remember when you point a finger 4 are pointed back at you. Dr. Williams entered into a troubled District he came in with a plan and made some changes, good , bad or indifferent, we will never know because he was let go before he could implement them all. If the new superintendant doesn't play the game right, I guess we will blame her and find disfavor as well. I wish I had the money and option to place my child in a private school. Regardless of who the superintendant is I don't expect much to change. Now that's a sad commentary for our kids. Anonymous.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006 4:05:00 PM
The St. Louis City Public Schools just continue to get sucked into a great black hole of dysfunction. If they thought their deficit problem was bad before, just wait until Diana Bourisaw starts moving in the new furniture.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006 12:44:00 AM
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