COTTLEVILLE • With potentially hundreds of Normandy students arriving for class in Francis Howell schools in just a few weeks, parents and residents there threw a firestorm of questions and concerns about everything from safety to academics at the school board Thursday night.
Demanding the board put metal detectors in the schools to prepare for the Normandy students, parent Beth Cirami said she moved to St. Charles County for good schools — now she was worried about her children getting stabbed, robbed or given drugs.
“We’re talking about violent behavior coming in,” she told the board.
“I’ve worked hard to get my kids out to Francis Howell,” said another parent, Leslie Steinlage. “I grew up with it. I won’t have it for my son.”
A few — like Jamila Roberson, a Normandy parent — stood to face the crowd and ask them not to judge.
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“We need this change. I’m sorry it had to be like this,” she said. “But everybody is not like that.”
More than 2,500 people came for the Francis Howell School Board’s first public meeting since residents learned the unaccredited Normandy district has decided it would send buses to the district. That decision follows a June ruling by the state Supreme Court that says students in unaccredited districts — such as Normandy and Riverview Gardens in the St. Louis area — have the right to attend better-performing schools. Tuition must be paid by their home district.
Superintendent Pam Sloan told the crowd new details that generated angry outbursts — especially that the Normandy students who transferred would be included in state test scores with the rest of the Francis Howell School District.
“That’s bull! We worked hard for those scores!” said Joe Zakrzewski, a Francis Howell parent.
As of Thursday, 150 Normandy students have said they want to transfer to Francis Howell. Administrators estimate there are 1,000 seats available, but that 300-400 could be taken up by new students who live in the district. As many as 600 students could transfer from unaccredited districts, Sloan said. There is space at every grade level in Francis Howell, but not at every school, administrators said.
“I would agree that the timing of this is not good. I know that this is an emotional issue,” Sloan said. “Please don’t make us the enemy. We have to do it.”
“No, you don’t,” one man shouted. “Lower the number!”
Administrators said the board is looking at its class size policies at its regular meeting next week, and was aiming for the state education department’s desirable numbers — such as 25 students in a fifth- or sixth-grade class.
Class size policies are one way districts are trying to control how many students they can take based on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education guidelines issued after the state Supreme Court decision. Without specifics in the law, the guidelines addressed issues such as class size and that unaccredited districts should designate a district where they would provide transportation. Some have questioned whether the guidelines follow the intention of the law.
“For them to keep sending students out here makes Francis Howell the Band-Aid on the wound of the Normandy School District,” said Carole Tipton, a professor of education who lives in the district.
Several parents questioned how it would affect the Francis Howell students if teachers were spending time trying to catch up Normandy students, whose low test scores led to the loss of accreditation.
Teachers at the meeting said they were up for the challenge, and a few students who spoke said they welcomed the kids from Normandy.
School Board member Mark Lafata called out legislators from the area seated in the front row.
“This is not a fix,” he said, walking directly in front of them with the microphone. “We don’t want this in Francis Howell.”
Many Francis Howell parents insisted their problem was not an issue of race — and Tiffany Gregory, an African-American woman, agreed. She moved from the Hazelwood School District.
“This is not a black and white issue,” she said. “Normandy is not performing in their own district, so they are going to come to Francis Howell and bring it down.”
After Roberson, the mother from Normandy, spoke, several people came up to hug her.
“I’m ashamed at what I’m hearing in there,” said Steve Johnson, a former Francis Howell School Board member. “But they’re scared.”
Another woman said the same with tears in her eyes.
Tina Medley told Roberson that some people have heard only the bad news out of Normandy and were speaking out of fear.
“We’ve got bad stuff out here, too,” she said shrugging.
