No Confidence?

I read over the weekend that 600 of the St. Louis Public School District’s 3,000 or so employees issued an emergency vote of no confidence in the district’s administration. At the heart of their dissatisfaction, apparently, is a federal and state-mandated reorganization plan under which approximately 1,000 St. Louis teachers will have to re-apply for assignments within in the district next term. The reorganization is required because of the chronic academic failure of their current schools. The teachers and employees probably won’t lose their jobs this time, but they might end up at different schools or in new classes.

Superintendent Creg Williams is an agent for change. Change is hard. But, given how poorly this district has done over the last several decades, it is hard for me to imagine how anyone could defend the status quo.

This may be the St. Louis Public Schools last best chance to get it right. If they fail again, the City’s public school district will likely look very different in the future.