ST. LOUIS — Antionette “Toni” Cousins will lead one final meeting of the St. Louis Board of Education after losing her reelection bid to three newcomers.
Brian Marston, Karen Collins-Adams and Allisa (AJ) Foster are expected to be sworn in April 22. Cousins, the board’s president, finished the race in fourth place after a tumultuous year overseeing St. Louis Public Schools.
City voters rejected Cousins’ leadership in the wake of ex-Superintendent Keisha Scarlett’s termination for questionable expenses including at least 30 out-of-state trips during her one-year tenure.
“SLPS, I’ve given you 4 years of my time, expertise, love and commitment,” Cousins posted to Facebook after the votes were tallied. “I wish the Board of Education success for these challenging times ahead. The people have spoken! Thanks to everyone who supported and believed in me! Now back to my family and job that actually pays me!”
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Just hours after the election, a special board meeting was scheduled for Thursday with a closed session to discuss a legal matter and a personnel matter. The open session agenda only includes a vote on approving $8.8 million to Hankins Construction for auditorium renovations at Central Visual and Performing Arts, Metro and Vashon high schools.
Cousins commands a four-member majority on most of the board’s votes, including to replace Scarlett with her deputy superintendent and friend Millicent Borishade, who also came from Seattle in July 2023.
The three newly elected board members disagreed with Borishade’s promotion to superintendent in February without any community or staff input. A staff survey released at the time indicates Borishade is unpopular with SLPS employees.
The reconstituted board will face several other challenges including a $35 million operating budget deficit, an ongoing state audit and plans to close under-enrolled schools.
The winning candidates matched the endorsements of St. Louis Board of Aldermen President Megan Green, who called the election “consequential” in addressing the turmoil at SLPS. Collins-Adams is a longtime educator and wife of former SLPS Superintendent Kelvin Adams. Marston is the only candidate with children currently attending SLPS. Foster is a 2016 graduate of the district.
“This campaign has been a labor of love for me, built on the power of new voices to bring about change,” Foster wrote on social media. “I’m excited to lead collaboratively and focus on long-term solutions that move our district forward, enhance our students’ experiences, and restore hope and trust in our leadership.”
Marston racked up the most endorsements during the campaign including the only winning nod from the American Federation of Teachers Local 420, which also backed Cousins and Teri Powers. The St. Louis Labor Council endorsed Tavon Brooks, Cousins and Marston.
The losing slate of Krystal Barnett, Zacheriah Davis and Andre Walker ran on a platform of change backed by the political action committee Coalition with STL Kids, which is run by former charter school director Chester Asher.
The other candidates in the race were former SLPS board members David Jackson and Bill Monroe.
St. Charles County
In St. Charles County, voters rejected conservative candidates in school board races for the second year in a row. All 10 candidates supported by St. Charles County Families for Public Schools, a political action committee formed by former Democratic state legislator Ted House and two former Francis Howell superintendents, succeeded.
In the hotly contested race for two seats in Francis Howell School District, Sarah Oelke and Amy Gryder defeated Republican-backed incumbent Randy Cook and his running mate, Ashley Sturm.
Voters in the Wentzville School District opted for incumbent Julie Scott and newcomer Jeremy Way, an assistant superintendent for the Wright City School District, over conservatives Danielle Looney and Christina Macormic.
“I think people showed up because they’re done with culture wars and buzz words,” said Scott, the top vote-getter in Wentzville.
“You wanna hit me for a $40 upcharge on Southwest Airlines? Come on, y’all,” St. Louis Board of Education President Antionette “Toni” Cousins said in a meeting on Jan. 15, 2025. Cousins responded to recent criticism SLPS has received, as well as accusations of unethical behavior from a fellow board remember who resigned the same night. Video courtesy of SLPS, edited by Jenna Jones.
