The Ferguson-Florissant School Board believes the current Missouri-mandated electoral structure that has resulted in a board with four white and three African American members is lawful and superior to the cumulative voting system ordered by Judge Rodney Sippel. Thus the board members have voted to appeal the judge\u2019s order<\/p>\n
The board met last Friday evening to determine the district\u2019s response to Judge Sippel\u2019s order finding the current at-large electoral system, mandated by Missouri law, violates the Voting Rights Act.\u00a0 Sippel ordered the district to implement cumulative voting for the April 2017 election whereby voters could cast as many votes as there are candidates, distributing the votes as they desire. They could even cast all their votes for one candidate.<\/p>\n
President, Donna Paulette-Thurman, in a statement, said: \u201cIn the time since the lawsuit was filed, District voters have elected two additional African American board members.\u00a0 We are confident the present process is lawful and provides an equal opportunity for all candidates.\u201d<\/p>\n
The District\u2019s attorney will file the appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit this week.\u00a0 Attorney, Cindy Ormsby expressed optimism that the judge\u2019s order will be overturned.\u00a0Her statement on the issue is as follows:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Court of Appeals will recognize that Plaintiffs failed to meet their burden of proof in the liability phase of this case.\u00a0 Plaintiffs’ explanation that two of the three African Americans board members were elected due to “special circumstances” rather than their qualifications and hard work is, frankly, insulting.\u00a0 In addition, the District believes that cumulative voting is inferior to the current electoral system.<\/p>\n
Ormsby continued: \u201cAccording to the judge\u2019s demographic findings, African American representation is proportionate to the number of African American voters in the district.\u00a0 In most cases, that sort of proportionality is a goal Plaintiffs seek through the remedy.\u00a0 In this instance, it is a remedy without a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both the ACLU and the NAACP supported cumulative voting and are plantiffs in the suit again the district.<\/p>\n
Filing for board candidates began Dec. 13 for the April 4, 2017 election. Currently candidates run at-large, seeking votes throughout the district.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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