The Kansas City mayor's plan to allow the city to take over is being considered but frankly, he should probably step aside. Kansas City itself has a long, ugly history of political corruption and I think the district needs fresh blood and a fresh view. However, the mayor sitting back and doing nothing could be political suicide and I'm sure he wants to be re-elected. But something that Mayor Sly James can not control is the fact that a failed school district is probably the death-rattle for a city.
A successful city with a failed school district may exist but I think they are about as easy to find as a living, healthy do-do bird. I have never seen or even heard of a healthy city with a failed school district. I would call the district "failing" but 20 years of never meeting standards means it has failed. The district has failed hundreds of families, yet, it continues to ask for chances to improve. Improvement can only happen at this stage by overhauling the leaders of the district. If that means chopping up KCMO school district and absorbing it into the surrounding districts, so be it! The children getting substandard educations deserve better.
The district also must contend with a high profile criminal case. A man who worked at district schools has confessed to sodomizing a young boy. News reports say the man was accused years ago by another young boy of inappropriate touching and kissing. The child's mother said the school officials did not believe her or her son. The sad issue is...the district should probably expect lawsuits from this situation. So on top of losing accreditation, lawsuits may be on the way, not only from substandard educations but from exposing youths to a man who admits he attacked young boys.
Saying the district is troubled is an understatement. Having confidence that the state can do better may be wishful thinking but honestly, how much worse can the district become? Something drastic is desperately needed.
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