Original Story: Airick Leonard West, the president of the Kansas City, Missouri, School Board, promised answers in a tweet he sent out on Thursday morning, the day after Superintendent John Covington shocked the community by submitting his resignation. "I know there is frustration and uncertainty, justifiably," West wrote. "Answers are coming."
But they weren't. West and the rest of the board met for four hours behind closed doors on Thursday afternoon. They emerged with a prepared statement, took no questions and asked for security to escort them to their cars.
Before the rush for the exit, West said the board does not want Covington to leave before his contract expires. But the superintendent released a statement saying he did not plan to retract his resignation, which becomes effective September 23.
Covington is apparently fed up with West. Earlier in the week, he made a Sunshine Law request for copies of correspondence between West and the bidders on an $85 million construction contract. School board member Arthur Benson, who resigned in sympathy with Covington, cited West's "interference" in a context-providing statement he released on Thursday morning.
Benson's take is that the West-led school board had broken its promise "not to engage in micromanagement." He's worried that if Covington leaves, only "questionable candidates desperate for a job would be interested in this one."
Covington's resignation raises the possibility that state officials might take over the district, as they have in St. Louis. The drama of the last 48 hours makes such an outcome look appealing.
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Please read my comment below I called out corruption when that school board was elected;
Congrats to all the new school board members. When the party is over at Uptown be prepared for the tab. Hug, hug, kiss, kiss, but when those sponsors remind you of the good time and ready to cash in their vouchers I hope you don't sale out our kids. Get ready for the purchase of all the closed school for either charter schools, which will collect the money for the kids, but kick them back to the very public system you all called failed. Or get ready for the new lofts or knock down the school house for the land to build something for profit. The sad part, not being a sore loser, but for the 180 Team I hope you all realize that the VERY people you fight for everyday will not support you the same. Those folks are parasites they what to live off of you and your efforts, but put forth very little (sad turnout at the polls).
.Posted by Alonzo Q. Hill on April 7, 2010 at 6:42 AM
Suggest you take a look here:
http://parentsacrossamerica.org/2011/08/how-the-broad-virus-gates-infection-are-hurting-kansas-city-kids/
and at other information about the Broad Academy and its graduates. I think our district got the long end of the stick when Covington resigned. Now, if we could just makes Benson's resignation stick, and reinstate Mr. West as board president...
Nancy Merrill Sayed
The KCMO school district has had problems for 40 years. The Supers have been many in those years. The schools have been in trouble for as long. One super was caught lifting boxes while on workman's comp. So there needs to be a big change, even with the State coming in to do it. This is the worst that has been done yet. Wake up parents and do something besides yelling and beating your chests.
The school board has always been the problem. They haven't got the brains God gave a rubber duck. Ask any of the previous superintendents. Bring on the State. Maybe we can get Covington to stay if West goes and works at McDonalds flipping burgers.
Thank God I went to school in Kansas City when we didn't need to take a bus, went to school whether it was hot or cold, rainy or snowy, had time for recess and learn the basics, played sports and musical instruments,respected our teachers and for the most part each other, took our ACTS and graduated prepared for college. I've been watching the KC schools fiasco for more than 20 years and it just seems to get worse.
despite bringing in a stronger more competent superintendent the kc school board continues to be dysfunctional. perhaps a change in the formation of the school boards authority is in order. for now it appears that the best solution is too hand off the district to the state. that way at least in the near term the district will be run with responsibility and integrity. if the school board can prove in the future it can be reshaped to accept the responsibility then hand it back to the reformed school board, otherwise the state should continue to run the school district.
So Covington times his smokescreen about micro-management to divert attention to the fact that while he's cut the budget, closed schools, fired teachers and gotten his way on every request he's still failing on 11 of the 14 criteria he's being measured on to get the accreditation renewed and keep the State from taking over......nice try Johnny Boy but the facts are the facts. He's trying to quit and blame it on a dysfunctional board when his results speak for themselves...
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