Turner v. Clayton Column: Documents from the Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corporation

I'll link my column here and comment a bit once it goes live on Patch.com, but here are two documents the Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corporation (VICC), the organization that runs the desegregation busing program in St. Louis, sent me.

The first is their Amicus Filing in support of the School District of Clayton and the St. Louis Public Schools. You can find it here (short but good read).

The second document includes the testimony of David Glaser, the CEO of VICC, in the Turner case. You can find it here.

Update: Here's the link to the article: http://clayton-richmondheights.patch.com/articles/legislative-action-appears-logical-recourse-to-enrollment-questions-posed-by-turner-v-clayton#comments

Why Neighborhoods Are Important: Shooting in St. Louis

A shootout in St. Louis gained national attention today. Two US Marshals and one St. Louis Police Officer were shot and injured by a St. Louisan, who holed himself up in a house in south city.

Why am I posting this on our blog? Because only a couple blocks away, a few hundred elementary school kids were supposed to be focused on learning.

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Froebel Elementary, one of our partner schools, is located at Point A. The shootout took place at the corner of Osage and Minnesota, at Point B.

A local man interviewed by a television reporter wished he could live somewhere safer. While the nationwide attention isn't ordinary, the occurrence of violence isn't particularly unique. The standoff was ended when the suspect was killed.

So for those who believe our education struggles can be solved through unilateral or a singular action, maybe this incident can serve as a reminder that community-wide problems really require community-wide solutions.

One of the US Marshals is in critical condition. Please keep those who were injured today in your thoughts.

Updated: One of the US Marshals, John Perry, passed away tonight.