The union that represents about 2,000 St. Louis Public Schools teachers and staff said it has no confidence in Superintendent Millicent Borishade’s leadership.
The petition was approved unanimously by the union’s executive board and was signed by over two-thirds of its members.
A representative from the union plans to deliver the petition to Board of Education President Karen Collins-Adams on Monday. The board is responsible for the hiring and firing of a school district’s superintendent.
"While we recognize that not all stakeholders may agree with every decision, open dialogue and respectful collaboration are the most effective paths forward," the school board said in a statement. "Dr. Borishade remains committed to working with all district employees—including union leadership—to build a stronger SLPS for students and families. We will not be distracted from our mission."
The petition comes after Borishade shared a report in July that proposed closing over half of the district’s schools — a move that would be likely to result in staff layoffs.
The American Federation of Teachers Local 420 President Ray Cummings said in a statement that the petition is a result of Borishade’s “reluctance to talk with the union and the public about consolidation of tornado-damaged schools.”
Borishade has said she has made no final decisions about closures.
The union worked with Borishade earlier this summer to change a plan to relocate students from Sumner High School to Clyde C. Miller Career Academy.
Sumner students started the school year at Stevens Middle School.
"Our students need a fresh start with a superintendent who wants to rebuild and invest in strong St. Louis Public Schools," Cummings said in a statement. “We’re making our feelings absolutely clear that Borishade does not show the leadership necessary to steer the ship in the right direction.”
Borishade has been the district’s superintendent since August 2024, first in an interim capacity and later as the permanent leader, after the school board decided to not conduct a national search for the top role.
She was hired by former Superintendent Keisha Scarlett, who was fired by the board last year after being accused of misusing public funds.
Scarlett has denied any wrongdoing.
A statement from the union said members signed the petition despite fear of retaliation by the district.
Attendance falls after tornado
Attendance dropped across the district during the first week of school compared to last school year.
On Aug. 18, the first day of school, 13,126 students reported to class. That number grew by 11% to 14,936 by Aug. 22.
It’s in contrast to the 14,047 students who attended the first day of school in 2024, which grew to 16,901 students by the fifth day.
Chief Technology Officer Natasha Mitchell said she anticipates attendance to grow as this school year gets underway, especially after Labor Day.
Storm-damaged schools saw a 28% drop in attendance compared to the number of students who said they planned to return in May, prior to the tornado.
For example, attendance at Ashland Elementary School during the first week of school dropped by about 36%.
In May, 208 students said they planned to return. During the first week of school, 132 students reported to their temporary location at Jefferson Elementary.
The Penrose Neighborhood, where Ashland is located, was badly damaged by the tornado.
Hickey Elementary, which has been relocated to Walbridge Elementary, saw the sharpest decline in attendance during the first week, about 52%, according to the district.
A bright spot was Soldan International Studies High School, which is currently relocated to Gateway STEM High School. It saw an increase in attendance, with 12% more students than the 235 who had indicated their plans to return in May.
The plan to reopen storm-damaged schools is still up in the air, despite earlier promises from Borishade.
Chief of Operations Square Watson confirmed that inspectors from the federal and state emergency management agencies have surveyed the buildings. Once final costs are calculated, the district will begin the process to hire contractors to do repairs.
District officials plan to report their updated attendance numbers to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in September.
Enrollment directly impacts the amount of state and federal funding a school district receives — a critical variable for SLPS as it navigates a tightened budget after over $70 million in unplanned expenses for this year.
Earlier this month, Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick released an audit that warned the district is on a path to bankruptcy if it doesn’t come up with a plan to balance its budget.
Borishade is expected to present a corrective action plan for the district’s finances during a work session on Tuesday.
This story was updated to include a statement from the St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education.
