Previously: Rex Sinquefield on the origins of the public school system (February 10, 2012)

A press release from the Missouri Association of School Administrators:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Feb. 10, 2012

[….]

Sinquefield Comment Offensive to Public Schools

Eric Chruchwell, President of the Missouri Association of School Administrators and Superintendent of the Palmyra R-I School District has characterized comments made by billionaire Rex Sinquefield on Thursday night as “offensive to every student, parent, employee, teacher, administrator, and school board member in a public school.”

In a videotape of a meeting at Lindenwood University Thursday night, Sinquefield can be clearly heard repeating a story he had read, “…a long time ago, decades ago, the Ku Klux Klan got together and said, ‘how can we really hurt the African American children permanently? How can we ruin their lives? And what they designed was the public school system….’ ” Video of the offensive comment was captured and posted to YouTube. It is available at this internet address:  http://youtu.be/-vSpyB6s3cE .

“Mr. Sinquefield is the largest political contributor in the state and has donated millions of dollars to politicians and campaigns to advance his personal agenda.  Whether they have benefited from these contributions or not, it is time for politicians to stand up for public school employees and to denounce this racist comment,” Churchwell said.  

Missouri schools face real challenges with shrinking budgets and they are serving more children in poverty than ever before. Now is the time for serious and thoughtful solutions that support our public schools, not degrade them. Sinquefield owes an apology to the parents, children, and workers who make our schools an environment where every child can realize his/her potential.

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From members of the General Assembly:

Statement from State Representative Margo McNeil regarding Rex Sinquefield KKK comments:

   Thursday night Mr. Rex Sinquefield made comments that called the  public school system a conspiracy of the Ku Klux Klan.

   I’m flabbergasted by Mr. Sinquefield’s comments that are offensive and wrong. Sinquefield’s comments demonstrate his open hostility towards public education and his willingness to rewrite history and play loose with the facts. This disregard for the truth applies to other issues he promotes, like his radical Everything Tax initiative. Experts agree that the Tax Everything proposals would devastate state and local budgets and cripple funding for our public schools. He should apologize for his outrageous statement and abandon efforts to destroy public education in Missouri.

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Representative Margo McNeil, a Democrat, represents parts of Hazelwood, Florissant and Bridgeton (District 78) in the Missouri  House of Representatives.

Prior to her legislative duties, Rep. McNeil worked for 22 years as an art teacher with the Ferguson Florissant School District.

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Statement from State Representative Chris Carter regarding Rex Sinquefield KKK comments:

   I’m floored by Mr. Sinquefield’s comments — they’re as offensive as they are wrong. He must explain himself and apologize immediately.

   I’m doubly concerned that Sinquefield’s open hostility towards public education is a part of why he’s pushing so hard for his radical Everything Tax.  Bipartisan budget experts agree that his plan to raise taxes on working families will devastate the state budget, harming our local schools and limiting our communities’ ability to invest in the future.

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Pass the freakin’ popcorn.