It's a horrible time to run for the Kansas City, Missouri, School Board.
Yet on a windy January evening, the Durwin Rice Gallery — a two-room storefront near 55th Street and Troost — is packed with people mingling casually, sipping red wine and snacking on cheese cubes under the striking collages hanging on the walls. They're here to support one of the only candidates to file for the election.
It's been nearly a decade since state officials stripped the Kansas City, Missouri, School District of its accreditation, and parents are impatient for administrators to find a way to raise test scores and eliminate the stigma so long associated with area schools. And now, the board has to sort out messy details after a divisive vote in November that turned over seven Kansas City schools to the Independence School District. And it has to find a new leader after ousting Superintendent Anthony Amato. Amato was the district's 24th superintendent in 39 years; he'd served just 18 months.
Few people seem interested in trying to change the leadership in a tattered district responsible for educating 27,000 children. Of the four board seats coming up for a vote in April, only one will be contested. In the 3rd Subdistrict, incumbent Duane Kelly is running unopposed. In the 5th Subdistrict, parent Ray Wilson is the only person who filed for the vacated seat. And nobody filed for the empty seat in the 1st Subdistrict — that chair will have to be filled by a write-in candidate.
The lone challenger is Airick Leonard West. He's running against incumbent Bill Eddy, a professor emeritus at UMKC's Bloch School of Business. (Eddy tells The Pitch that he'd never heard of West until West called him to let him know he was running. The two sat down for a brief discussion, but Eddy says he's waiting for upcoming forums to discuss their policy differences.)
Dressed in a neat business suit, West is a handsome 28-year-old with short braids and a quiet demeanor. An hour into his kickoff party at Durwin Rice Gallery, it's his moment to tell the packed room of lawyers, parents and politicians why they should support his bid for the at-large seat.
His pitch is simple. He's running on a unity platform that he says will better involve Kansas City's political and civic institutions in the life of the district's schools. He promises to identify policies that are working and throw out rules that aren't.
A longtime community activist, West has the kind of résumé that gives his name cache in many political circles. With his experience and reputation, West could run for the City Council or the statehouse — and win. Instead, he's vying for an unglamorous post that virtually nobody wants.
But there's more to West than what this crowd sees.
He barely made it through high school, and he left college before he got a degree. For West, though, running for school board makes perfect sense.
At the corner of 33rd Street and Wabash is a two-story home with dull, weatherworn siding. A mattress pokes out of a broken window on the second floor. On a recent Friday morning, a jittery man crisscrosses the block trying to sell a "Foot Spa" jammed inside a tattered cardboard box. Teenage boys who should be on buses headed for school roughhouse as they saunter down the street.
The front door is off its hinges, held in place with an armchair and a couple of plastic buckets. After West pushes it back and slides the door to the side, he hops up and shoves a blue towel into the gaping crack at the top of the frame. It's been weeks since a teenager busted it down in a moment of anger. By now, West is used to the chair-bucket-towel routine.
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To little to late burn down the 3rd. Send the kids to prison or the chair.
West is a good man, but Gandhi we don't need. Remember how Gandhi?
To little to late burn down the 3rd. Send the kids to prison or the chair. West is a good man, but Gandhi we don't need. Remember how Gandhi?
Brent, I don't understand your comment fully...
Regarding "limousine liberals," which individuals are they? Which group of Republicans do you represent? (Because political parties are not homogeneous)
Brent, I don't understand your comment fully... Regarding "limousine liberals," which individuals are they? Which group of Republicans do you represent? (Because political parties are not homogeneous)
I am proud to call Airick West one of my friends. While I don't always agree with everything he says, I admire him and I support his campaign. That is all I choose to say about this matter. Thank you for your time.
I am proud to call Airick West one of my friends. While I don't always agree with everything he says, I admire him and I support his campaign. That is all I choose to say about this matter. Thank you for your time.
Reading this article was inspiring. Mr. West is not just talking but "walking the walk". I admire his viewpoints and believe that he has much to offer our children in the KCMO school district. Keep your head up and make us proud.
Reading this article was inspiring. Mr. West is not just talking but "walking the walk". I admire his viewpoints and believe that he has much to offer our children in the KCMO school district. Keep your head up and make us proud.
Admirable dude but the "Im still just a Black guy in Lenexa" thing is all in your head .Plenty of Blacks do just fine everywhere if THEY choose to take the chip off.But it fits the naive Lefty agenda of the Pitch...like the "appreciative"Spanish waitress that couldnt speak English ...but didnt feel horrible prejudice from awful Republicans that hate ALL aliens..... Actually we only hate Limousine Liberals...White ones....You know..the patronizing,true enemy of the downtrodden.Like the NY Times,KC STAR and of course rags like the Pitch. Keep voting Donkey and blaming Honkey.
Admirable dude but the "Im still just a Black guy in Lenexa" thing is all in your head .Plenty of Blacks do just fine everywhere if THEY choose to take the chip off.But it fits the naive Lefty agenda of the Pitch...like the "appreciative"Spanish waitress that couldnt speak English ...but didnt feel horrible prejudice from awful Republicans that hate ALL aliens..... Actually we only hate Limousine Liberals...White ones....You know..the patronizing,true enemy of the downtrodden.Like the NY Times,KC STAR and of course rags like the Pitch. Keep voting Donkey and blaming Honkey.
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