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St. LouiS AmericAn The
CAC Audited NOVEMBER 22 – 28, 2018
COMPLIMENTARY
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Back to the classroom – to lead it St. Louis Teacher Residency recruits adults to change careers and try teaching By Ryan Delaney Of St. Louis Public Radio A group of middle-aged adults is back in school this fall. This time, though, they’re at the front of the classroom learning how to be teachers. St. Louis Teacher Residency, launched over the summer, is recruiting adults to change careers to work in education, hoping their life experience and maturity will lead to less burnout and longer tenures among urban educators.
n “I was so eager every morning on that shift to work with that teacher to help those students.” – Iris Jackson
The new teachers spend four days a week under the mentorship of a senior educator, while also working on a master’s degree and teaching certificate. Residency programs like
Vol. 90 No. 35
this are becoming an increasingly common way of cultivating teachers in more than two dozen cities, including St. Louis and Kansas City. The educators ease into classroom life, as compared to the well-known Teach for America program, which places recent college graduates in schools for two years after a summer training program. Instead, these teacher residents make a threeyear commitment following their year of
See TEACHER, A6
Better teen life
Homegrown Black Males
Living for myself and Demetri By Tyshon Sikes For The St. Louis American Part of a year-long series, presented by The American and the Brown School at Washington University, on changing the narratives and outcomes of young black males in St. Louis. I grew up without my biological father. Not having that portion of my life caused distress and anger. I was constantly getting in trouble at school and at home to get my anger out. I moved in with my grandfather when I was 4 years old because he spoiled me and I enjoyed being with him. Tyshon Sikes When I turned 12, my grandfather and I moved to University City to provide me with the chance to have a fresh start in a new neighborhood and school district. I met a remarkable, fun, and close friend, Demetri. We claimed each other as brothers. We would get in trouble together, but we always had fun.
See MALES, A6
An African dance troupe performed during the Better Family Life Teen Summit held at the Scottish Rite on Tuesday, November 20.
Three excellent executives Kevin Buie Sr., Pamela Kelly, Patrick Smith Sr. honored at Salute on Nov. 30 American staff
Photo by Wiley Price
Kevin Buie Sr.
Former black city cop alleges pervasive racial discrimination Muhammed’s suit is pending in federal court, city declines to respond to claims By Clark Randall For The St. Louis American A 20-year-veteran on the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of St. Louis alleging that he was repeatedly discriminated against for being black and Muslim. Amir Muhammed, who had been a St. Louis city officer since 1998, filed the lawsuit in August and retired this month. The lawsuit details various incidents when black officers were allegedly called
Amir Muhammad
the n-word and threatened with physical harm and when white officers allegedly said they didn’t want to ride in the same cars with “n--gers.” It states that a black officer allegedly received a note in his locker that said the white officers wouldn’t come to his aid if he were in trouble. “This ongoing
and pervasive racially and religiously hostile environment has caused the plaintiff tremendous anxiety and stress,” the lawsuit states. A spokesman said the city does not have a comment on the pending litigation. In February 2015, Muhammed was transferred from District 6 to District 5, the lawsuit states. On his first day, his direct supervisor, Sgt. James Clark, allegedly told Muhammed that Clark had received a call from
See COP, A7
Pamela Kelly
Patrick Smith Sr.
A department leader in a financial services firm, director of Talent and Inclusion at a food ingredient supplier, and vice president at a utility company will be recognizes as Salute to Excellence in Business awardees at the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon on Friday, November 30. As the department leader of U.S. and Canada receipts and Canada disbursements at Edward Jones, Kevin L. Buie Sr. takes pride in helping people to succeed – and then “to see them do the same for people coming after them,” Buie said. Buie oversees about 20 people who are responsible for incoming funds in the U.S. and Canada into the Edward Jones firm, which is based in St. Louis, along with outgoing funds in Canada. He spent nearly two decades in the telecom industry. In May 2016, he made the transition into the financial services industry with Edward Jones. At the firm, which has nearly 7 million clients and $1 trillion in assets under management worldwide, he helps
See AWARDEES, A7