Bourisaw: Final Thoughts on St. Louis Schools

By Sharon Stevens, Education Reporter

KSDK -- After two tumultuous years, St. Louis schools superintendent Diana Bourisaw is in her last days on the job as the leader of Missouri's largest school district.

Bourisaw, 51, resigned rather than apply for her own job after a state appointed board took over the system. Dr. John Wright will take over as interim superintendent on July 1.

Bourisaw said she wants to leave the district in better shape than she found it. She presided over the system as it lost its accreditation and continued to lose students.

Diana Bourisaw was a consultant when the board fired Creg Williams in July 2006. Shortly afterwards, then-board president Veronica O'Brien helped Bourisaw become interim superintendent.

The interim tag was eventually dropped and Bourisaw gained a following. She said her best days in St. Louis were during school graduations. Her worst day? When she resigned rather than apply for her own job.

Under her watch, the long slide towards state takeover became a reality and the Special Administrative Board, or SAB, now runs the district.

Bourisaw points to successes such as better ACT scores and higher graduation rates, expanding early childhood centers.

Eventually, former friend Veronica O'Brien publically criticized Bourisaw's work and the relationship soured. Bourisaw videotaped O'Brien in her office, which shows O'Brien hanging up a phone while Bourisaw is talking on it.

"Anytime there's daily interference with the operations of the district, that takes folks from what they need to do to enhance learning for kids, that's a distraction," Bourisaw said.

O'Brien called Bourisaw delusional. Bourisaw said she's not bitter or angry with anyone.

Last week, she interviewed for the same position with the Cincinnati public schools. A spokesman said she withdrew her name before the Cincinnatti board decided to reopen its superintendent search.

While Bourisaw did not get the job in Cincinnati, she said she has a plan, but she's being quiet about what she's going to do next.

"There are very few people that are willing to do this work anymore. The superintendent pool has become a puddle," Bourisaw said.

The search for the seventh permanent district leader in five years remains ongoing.