Kimberly Gardner for St. Louis circuit attorney
@stlouisamerican
@stlouisamerican
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St. LouiS AmericAn The
92 years serving, empowering and advocating equity in St. Louis
CAC Audited JULY 16 â 22, 2020
Vol. 92 No. 16 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Students, parents want police out of schools Black Studies also demanded at march
Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
Patricia McCloskey clearly had her finger on the trigger of a handgun when she pointed it at protestors passing in front of her home on June 28. The weapon has been taken into evidence by the St. Louis police.
McCloskeys not charged but offering defense
By Sophie Hurwitz For the St. Louis American On Saturday, July 11, the Keep Kids In Class Coalition hosted a Childrenâs March to bring awareness to police involvement in St. Louis-area schools and the need for Black Studies curriculum. They demanded the removal of all school resource officers (SRO) from area schools and more funding for counseling, anti-racism training, and Black Studies. In the wake of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, the Minneapolis Public Schools board voted to terminate its contract with the Minneapolis Police Department. The Denver, Portland, Oakland, and Seattle school boards did the same. Now, n âWe donât the Keep Kids in need police Class Coalition officers in our is advocating for St. Louis area schools; we schools to folneed trained low. counselors, The ACLU trained teachof Missouri, a member of the ers.â coalition, sent â Nolan Davis, 8 letters to eight school districts last month advocating for the removal of SROs from schools. In St. Louis city and county, they argue that the situation is particularly dire when it comes to interactions between SROs and Black students, who are already punished more harshly than their white peers. In St. Louis city in 201516, according to Keep Kids In Class Coalition data, Black students were 8.8 times more likely to receive an out-ofschool suspensions than white students. There are more than 40 police officers employed in 12 districts throughout St. Louis County, according to the county police website. St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) employs private security officers, who function similarly to SROs and are licensed by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police commissioner, with the power to make arrests and to use force when they deem it necessary, See POLICE, A7
Filings sealed due to threats to Circuit Attorney Gardner By Chris King Of The St. Louis American The St. Louis circuit attorneyâs office told The St. Louis American that any filings relevant to Mark and Patricia McCloskey are under seal out of concern for safety. A spokesperson said that national attention to the case â and reports that the McCloskeysâ guns have been requested in search warrants â resulted in serious threats to St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner. According to the McCloskeysâ attorney Joel Schwartz, his clients are not aware of being charged with any crimes for their conduct on June 28, when they confronted protestors displaying weapons from their property. But the McCloskeysâ recent and now-former attorney, Albert Watkins, seemed to prepare a partial defense for his now-former clients as he handed over one of the McCloskeysâ weapons to St. Louis detectives on Saturday, July 11. Watkins surrendered the pistol that SeeMcCLOSKEYS, A6
Photo by Wiley Price
Alexander Kaiser carries her daughter Kalyn Kaiser (5), a student in the Normandy School District, during the Keep Kids In School peace march held by Metropolitan Congregations United. The march began at police headquarters and ended in front of the St. Louis Public Schools offices on July 11. The march supported the removal of police from schools because the group feels police presence in schools is harmful.
2020 SALute to HeALtH
âItâs time for a changeâ Awardees vow to fight for social justice during first-ever virtual Salute By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American The 20th anniversary of the St. Louis American Foundationâs Salute to Excellence in Health Care was both a milestone and a moment of innovation. Traditionally a sold-out awards luncheon that also serves as an opportunity for fellowship, the program shifted to a virtual online experience due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. âThe first virtual Salute highlighted and celebrated some of our outstanding health care workers, and it was a triumph,â said Donald M. Suggs, president of
the St. Louis American Foundationâs 30-plus Foundation. âWe were years of Salute programable to reach a wider ming. audience with this online âWe are grateful for tribute to these dedicated their essential service professionals who serve and are gratified by the us so well.â broad acceptance of this Instead of a banquet format,â Suggs said. hall, honorees, supportâHowever, we look forers and sponsors sat ward to a return to our in front of computer in-person community Rosetta screens, mobile devices gathering when it is safe Keeton and smart TVs. Likes, to do so.â shares, comments The platform for preand watch parties replaced the sentation was new, but the heartrousing applause that typically felt messages from those fighting comes from tables of 10. The for equity and social justice in digital platform was unchartered health care were true to form. territory for St. Louis American âThe challenges these pro-
fessionals have faced in recent months in light of the pandemic make their achievements even more inspirational as they work to save lives in our hardest-hit communities,â Keith Williamson, president of Centene Charitable Foundation, the lead sponsor, said in opening remarks. Rosetta Keeton, director of Patient Access at St. Louis Regional Health Commission (RHC), was honored as the 2020 Lifetime Achiever in Excellence in Health Care. Keeton, who grew up in St. Louis, spent more than 35 years as a patient advocate for See SALUTE, A6
Voting absentee in August 4 primary Deadline is July 22 to request ballots By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American About 45% of the votes cast in the August 4 primary election will be done by absentee ballots, said St. Louis city and county election officials. Typically, in St. Louis County elections, that number is only about 10%. âItâs a big shift,â said Eric Fey, Democratic director of Elections for the St. Louis County Election Board. âThere are a lot of people who have never done this before, and naturally theyâve got questions.â With the COVID-19 pandemic, absentee voting has gotten more complicated. The most pressing thing to know is the upcoming ballot request deadline. If you are trying to stay out of polling See VOTING, A7