As the filing deadline for the Saint Louis Public Schools Board of Education came to a close, incumbents Matt Davis and Natalie Vowell confirmed their departure from the upcoming election. Davis, the board’s vice president, expressed mixed feelings about his decision, “I am keenly aware that the last four years has been a hardship on my family and my job. Most times the school board was all consuming. It is not fair for me to be a semi-absent husband, father and business partner for another four years,” he stated in a post on social media, according to Spectrum Local News. Davis, who was elected to the board in 2021, threw his support behind board President Toni Cousins for the April 8 election.
Natalie Vowell, who has been a board member since 2017, reflected on the successful effort to restore local control over the district in 2019. “I wish the remaining and incoming board members the best of luck in seeking solid governance practices that work for them, the District’s leadership, educators, and — most importantly — our students and families,” she said, signaling her intention not to run in a statement on Facebook, as reported by STLToday. The school board has recently been under scrutiny after the firing of former superintendent Dr. Keisha Scarlett over financial mismanagement, leading to increased attention to the board’s oversight role.
Despite the challenges faced by Saint Louis Public Schools, including the audit revealing unapproved expenditures under Scarlett’s leadership, the community will be looking to fill the voids left by Davis and Vowell. The election is set with at least a dozen contenders for the three available seats. First Alert 4 reported that Davis felt “gob-smacked by the amount of things that need to change, how they need to change, and what needs to change” during his tenure. His sentiments underscore the gravity of the board's responsibilities and the intensity of the ongoing challenges.
