By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
10/2/07 – Testimony wrapped up Tuesday in Jefferson City in the lawsuit challenging the state takeover of the St. Louis school district.
Superintendent Diana Bourisaw took the stand first, reiterating last week's testimony that St. Louis schools were held to a different standard than other low-performing school districts in Missouri.
The defense then presented their case.
Becky Kemna, who analyzes school performance data for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, testified that the St. Louis school district has failed to meet minimum standards for some time now.
"In 1999, we took the data to the state board, and the recommendation was that they be unaccredited, but the state board postponed that," Kemna said.
State Board of Education member Peter Herschend testified that they were very concerned about the condition of the St. Louis school district for a long time.
"If you use an 'A' through 'F' classification, similar to what we all received in school, they have been either 'D' or 'F' every year since 1994...and in the last nine years they've gotten six 'F's' and three 'D's,'" Herschend said.
Both sides have rested their case. Final arguments are scheduled for December 7th in Cole County Circuit Court before Judge Richard Callahan.