In a surprise move, Gov. Mike Kehoe removed former Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields of St. Joseph as president of the State Board of Education. Shields, a fellow Republican, was first appointed to the state board in August of 2012 and had been president since June of 2015.
Kehoe nominated four people to the board, which would replace half the members. He replaced Shields with Michael Matousek of Kansas City.
Executive Director Melissa Randol, of the Missouri School Boards’ Association, told Missourinet affiliate KFEQ in St. Joseph that the move surprised and disappointed her.
Missouri Board of Education President Charlie Shields (Photo credit: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education)
“Charlie has exhibited extraordinary leadership for the state of Missouri in many roles throughout his career, including as state board member and president, and has led our state through some really difficult times,” said Randol.
She went on to say that Missouri benefitted from Shields’ steady leadership and deep understanding of education.
“All of us, when we’re dealing with tumultuous times, you want somebody in a leadership position who has the kind of experience and expertise that Charlie Shields has. So that’ll be a loss for not just the state board, but for the state of Missouri,” Randol said.
Randol said Missouri would have benefitted from Shields’ experience and understanding of education to navigate the potential of federal educational responsibilities being shifted to the state.
“Missouri is in much better shape in terms of our system of educating, our system of governing and education, because of Charlie Shields leadership,” said Randol. “Because of his focus, that resulted in our state being able to analyze, measure, focus on what are we doing to prepare Missouri’s children for their future.”
Matousek serves as the director of the Government Freight Conference at the American Trucking Association.
The governor has also chosen Jon Otto, of Kansas City, to replace Vice President Carol Hallquist. Kenneth “Brooks” Miller Jr., of Sunrise Beach, would replace the seat temporarily held by Tawni Ferrarini of St. Charles. Dr. Thomas Prater, of Springfield, would take over the seat he previously held in a temporary capacity.
The Missouri Senate has less than 30 days to approve Kehoe’s nominations.
By Brent Martin of Missourinet affiliate KFEQ in St. Joseph
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