School leaders want billionaire to butt out of education

Three area school superintendents are fed up with Rex Sinquefield.

They believe the well-financed agenda of the St. Louis billionaire could — if left unchecked — quickly and deeply erode local control.

The superintendents spoke out Monday, eight days before the August primary, because they believe local voices should dominate the conversation and the decisions about funding public education, attracting and keeping the best staff and developing curriculum.

Springfield Superintendent John Jungmann said he's concerned that groups from outside southwest Missouri with agendas that may or may not have anything to do with what is happening here have becoming increasingly involved in local elections.

Missouri Club for Growth, a group funded almost entirely by Sinquefield, a retired businessman and philanthropist, has provided hefty funding to opponents of four House members including Rep. Jeff Messenger of Republic.

Sinquefield is perhaps best known for his belief that the income tax should be eliminated in Missouri, but he has also taken strong positions on education. Sinquefield supports open enrollment, charter school expansion and teacher tenure changes, according to his website.

Top leaders from a few of southwest Missouri's largest districts believe Sinquefield has the right to express his opinions and donate to candidates. But they also urge voters to become educated on the billionaire's agenda as well as the issues and the candidates that he has supported.

Jungmann said failing to investigate candidates' stances on public education could have a "potentially devastating impact." He urged voters to contact candidates directly to ask questions, check who is backing their election and look at their track record on public education issues.

"Public education is the cornerstone of our southwest Missouri communities," he said. "Certain outside influences don't hold that same opinion."

Nixa Superintendent Stephen Kleinsmith said it's time for the "silent majority" to stand up, ask tough questions and make decisions about what they believe is best for the communities where they live.

He said candidates backed by Sinquefield groups are typically well-funded and urged voters to not be swayed by the delivery of the message — such as radio ads and fliers.

"The silent majority needs to realize that how they react to such politics will determine the destiny of good public education," he said.

Kleinsmith concedes that what Sinquefield is doing, by supporting the issues he believes in, "is legal." But he stated what he called "the obvious," that "it does create added struggle for public schools."

"We have to speak up on behalf of public education," he said. "We may not have the money our opponent has but it's a just cause."

Earlier this year, Nixa's bond election became a testing ground. A series of fliers, paid for from Missouri Club for Growth, were sent out raising questions about the bond issue and the district. Despite that, voters agreed to fund the projects.

Kleinsmith said he witnessed firsthand the power of a group "hell-bent on having their way" and believes the effort took a bite out of the district's ability to communicate its ideas.

"People from the outside can have a great deal of influence in what was a local control issue," he said.

Willard Superintendent Kent Medlin said proponents of public education and "local control" must make their beliefs known if they want public education to continue to serve students, grow and keep getting better.

"What happens in St. Louis may be the answer in St. Louis but clearly (Sinquefield) doesn't understand the amount of support public education has in southwest Missouri," Medlin said.

Medlin said the outcome of an election should be based on the will of voters and not swayed by how much money candidates can spend on getting their messages out.

"One of the most cherished principles we live by is local control and that communities get to make decisions about the community they live in," he said.

But beyond election day, Medlin said it's critical to have lawmakers who understand the communities they serve and advocate for the people they represent.

"I want elected officials from the Willard community to think about what's best for the Willard community, not what's best for St. Louis is somewhere else," he said. "I want them to take that message to Jefferson City."