ROCKWOOD SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR STOPS CONTRACT APPROVAL OF A BUSINESS THAT'S NOT IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE STATE.
More on that below.
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Missouri Secretary of State records show Shante Duncan dba "Sisters Helping Each Other Reach A Higher Height" (SHERAH) is administratively dissolved for failing to file needed paperwork with the state.
The technicality was enough to temporarily halt proceedings at Rockwood's school board meeting Thursday night and ultimately prompt confusion, apparent embarrassment, and a vote to remove this proposed contract from the agenda:
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| The proposed contract that was removed. |
OTHER CONCERNS ABOUT THIS CONTRACT
Some of Rockwood's parents and taxpayers had questioned the contract on social media because the program referenced in the contract excludes the majority of Rockwood's students.
According to the website of Sisters Helping Each Other Reach A Higher Height, (SHERAH), a nonprofit, creates safe spaces for women and girls of color.
The L.O.V.E. project that's referenced in the contract is described as a girls empowerment program for middle and high school girls of color.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST?
Staff at Rockwood: What's Going On looked further into SHERAH and its connection to Rockwood. SHERAH started getting contracts in 2016, when a Rockwood administrator was on SHERAH's board of directors.
That administrator was Executive Director of Student Services, Dr. Terry Harris. MO Secretary of State records show Harris was on SHERAH's board in 2016 and 2017.
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| Link to MO Secretary of State records |
Dr. Harris decides how his Student Services department spends its money.
Dr. Harris is also the one who submitted the SHERAH proposal that was on tonight's agenda.
Prior to tonight, two middle administrators under Dr. Harris had submitted 7 other SHERAH contracts approved by Rockwood's school board, every year since 2016, for a total of $120,350.00.
Those administrators are Brittany Hogan and Dr. Aisha Grace.
Hogan left Rockwood after claims of death threats, despite no proof surfacing of such threats. Grace, the current director of the Department of Educational Equity and Diversity, has not been in Rockwood's offices after being recently charged with a DWI.
NO BIDS
Every SHERAH contract has been approved by Rockwood with no other bids from any other company. The documents either say N/A in the bid section, or they call SHERAH a single source vendor, meaning it is the only company that provides that service.
WOULD HAVE BEEN THE 8TH CONTRACT
Had the Board of Education approved the contract Thursday night, the additional $28,000 would have brought SHERAH's total earnings from Rockwood to $148,350.00.
And, all of it likely would have stayed under the radar, buried as a "Consent Agenda" item.
"Consent Agenda" item is the BOE's method for handling dozens of items at once, with one vote. Items under this heading are routinely approved or rejected without ever being specifically named or discussed.
This time, BOE director Izzy Imig wanted discussion and raised the issue of SHERAH's poor standing with the state. Imig stated she discovered the dissolution action through her research.
After Imig shared her findings, the BOE voted to remove the contract from tonight's agenda.
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| Tonight's vote, excluding SHERAH's $28,000 contract. |
It all happened during the public portion of the meeting. You can see it here, in the recorded video of the meeting, between approximately 28 minutes and 37 minutes.
ALL ROCKWOOD/SHERAH CONTRACTS AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE DISSOLUTION RECORD:
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| $17,500 approved 10/20/2016 |
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| $20,000 approved Oct. 12, 2017 |
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| $18,000 approved Sept.27, 2018 |
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| $18,000 approved on Sept. 5 2019 |
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| $15,000 approved Sept. 3, 2020 |
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| $28,000 approved Oct. 7, 2021 |
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| Additional $3,850 approved Mar. 17, 2022 as addition to previous contract. |
