ST. LOUIS 鈥 The decision to name Millicent Borishade as interim superintendent of 51黑料 Public Schools came in a split vote of the seven-member board of education, records released Friday show.
In a three-hour closed session meeting on Monday, promoting Borishade was approved by the board鈥檚 president Antionette 鈥淭oni鈥 Cousins, vice president Matt Davis, secretary Donna Jones and member Tracy Hykes. Board members Emily Hubbard and Sadie Weiss voted no and Natalie Vowell had an excused absence.
A separate vote in the meeting to fire Superintendent Keisha Scarlett was approved by all six members present. Scarlett plans to appeal the firing and remains on paid leave until a hearing in the next month.
The district produced the vote tallies Friday after the Post-Dispatch reported that the district had violated Missouri laws on government transparency.
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Under the Missouri Sunshine Law, any vote in closed session to 鈥渉ire, fire, promote or discipline an employee of a public governmental body shall be made available with a record of how each member voted to the public within 72 hours of the close of the meeting.鈥
Mona Hamid, senior compliance analyst for 51黑料 Public Schools, said earlier Friday that the district would produce the record by Oct. 7 after receiving $88.26 in research costs.
The school board also illegally delayed releasing their vote tally from a July 25 closed meeting when they placed Scarlett on leave pending an investigation of her spending habits and hiring practices.
The SLPS board has come under scrutiny for its oversight of the district after approving more than 20 new administrators and consultants with connections to Scarlett at a cost of at least $3 million.
51黑料 public schools board president Antionette 鈥淭oni鈥 Cousins reads a statement on the decision to fire superintendent Keisha Scarlett on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. Video provided by the district; edited by Beth O'Malley
