Sunday reads: the Springfield Board of Education’s turmoil comes front and center

Text from our SGF Sunday email newsletter, written by Reporter Rance Burger

“What happened with the school board?”

“There’s too much to explain, just read Cory’s story.”

That’s the conversation I had three times with three different friends as our readers flocked to read reporter Cory Matteson’s account of what happened at the meeting that ended with Maryam Mohammadkhani losing vice presidency of the Springfield Board of Education by a 4-3 vote. She’s still on the school board, and it very likely won’t be the last time the board makes a 4-3 decision.

While the school board meeting was engaging and resulted in our most-read item of the week, another group of Springfieldians aims to foster hope at the neighborhood level. It starts with neighbors getting to know each other when they move into the neighborhood. University of Missouri Extension Community Engagement Specialist David Burton explains how realtors can help drive home the idea that connected neighborhoods are stronger and more hopeful neighborhoods.

In case you missed it, be sure to learn about an environmental cleanup effort in north Springfield, where the Multistate Environmental Response Trust is in danger of running out of funds to clean up creosote contamination from the site of the former Kerr-McGee railroad tie plant. Matteson gives us a look beyond the financial bottom line and takes us to a place where “there is cancer up and down that street.”

Enjoy what remains of the weekend. Jeff Kessinger is back in your inboxes Monday morning.

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