Two school districts hundreds of miles apart—St. Louis Public Schools in Missouri and Union County Public Schools in North Carolina—found themselves at the center of controversy this October, as tensions over leadership decisions and teacher pay boiled over into public disputes, firings, and protests. The events of the past month have left communities divided, teachers frustrated, and school boards defending their actions in the face of mounting criticism.
In St. Louis, the Board of Education’s decision to fire Superintendent Millicent Borishade without cause on October 17, 2025, sent shockwaves through the district. According to St. Louis Public Radio, the move followed a letter sent by board president Karen Collins-Adams three days earlier, which documented what she described as a “growing concern among the members of the Board of Education regarding an increasing pattern of unauthorized communications from you over the last several months.” The letter, which was confirmed as authentic by both Collins-Adams and board vice president Emily Hubbard, outlined several points of contention between the superintendent and the board.
Among the “prominent concerns” listed was a press release issued on September 24, 2025, that included an unapproved quote attributed to Collins-Adams. The letter stated, “The Board President did not give quotes or statements for the press release regarding a collaboration with RBC, nor a quote for the St. Louis American newspaper. This was done without consent, as she was completely unavailable during that time period.” Collins-Adams explained that she was dealing with a personal matter and could not provide direct approval for the quote. Notably, the district’s communications team typically drafts releases, but Borishade had the final say before distribution—a fact later confirmed by the district.
The letter also criticized Borishade for approving a notice to families and staff about staff and student reassignments following the deadly May 16 tornado that forced the temporary closure of seven north St. Louis schools. Additionally, it cited the “premature release” of a preliminary report from Cordogan, Clark & Associates, which was presented in July and proposed closing 37 of the district’s buildings. The timing of that report’s presentation drew ire from both community members and the president of the American Federation of Teachers Local 420, Ray Cummings, who called it “insensitive and irresponsible.”
Further, the letter referenced a petition of “no confidence” in Borishade from the AFT Local 420, as well as an increase in complaints from district staff who cited her leadership as a reason for resignations or early retirements. However, St. Louis Public Radio noted it was unable to independently verify these claims, and the letter itself did not present evidence to support them.
Former board member Ben Conover, who resigned on October 20, pushed back on the process and content of the letter. He told St. Louis Public Radio that he recused himself from the closed session when the letter was first discussed, believing Collins-Adams may have violated board policy by adding the agenda item at the last minute. Conover argued, “It’s not been the subject of any official board business,” and maintained that Borishade should have been given a chance to address the board’s concerns through a superintendent evaluation, as required by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. He added that he would have voted against her termination had he been present.
Despite the controversy, the board voted 6-0 to terminate Borishade’s contract without cause. As a result, the district is obligated to pay her approximately $730,000—the remainder of her contract—and provide COBRA health insurance until June 2028 or until she secures new employment. Collins-Adams, when asked why the letter was necessary, said, “It was a collection of all of the major things that were still pending at that moment and some unresolved issues,” but acknowledged that the letter did not provide a full picture of the board’s concerns.
While St. Louis wrestled with leadership turmoil, Union County Public Schools in North Carolina faced its own crisis—this one over teacher pay. On October 24, 2025, the Union County Board of Education sent a sharply worded letter to the county’s Board of County Commissioners, accusing them of publicly misrepresenting how the school board manages its local budget. The letter, signed by school board chair Rev. Jimmy H. Bention Sr. and directed at commission chair Melissa Merrell, insisted the board had been open to dialogue but found Merrell’s public statements “troubling and appear to be intentionally disruptive to the relationship between the boards.”
According to WCNC Charlotte, the dispute traces back to May 2025, when the school board requested an additional $14.6 million from the county to provide all teachers and employees a $2,000 supplement increase. County commissioners ultimately approved only $8.8 million in June, which they said would be enough for a $1,000 supplement increase and other projects. On October 21, the school board’s finance committee voted unanimously to approve the $1,000 increase, to be considered by the full board on November 6. Bention emphasized, “The BOE continues to call on the BOCC to provide the full $14.6 million necessary to implement the $2,000 supplement increase and to meet the operational priorities outlined in our May submission.”
Commission chair Merrell, herself a former school board chair, responded in a statement to WCNC Charlotte, “This year, the Board of County Commissioners significantly increased funding to Union County Public Schools—approving nearly $9 million more than last year, for a total of $160 million. From our earliest budget discussions in April, the County was transparent that the district’s full request would require a tax rate increase.” Merrell also pointed out that North Carolina law prohibits county commissioners from dictating how the school board allocates its funding.
Frustrations among teachers reached a breaking point on October 22, when more than 700 teachers called out sick in protest—a number more than double the typical Wednesday leave requests. Many teachers, speaking to WCNC Charlotte, said they felt the $1,000 supplement fell short and were upset about the district’s spending priorities, including a costly rebranding and a central office paint job. “We feel that wasn’t a top priority—teachers should be,” one teacher remarked. Parents and teachers gathered outside the district’s Monroe headquarters, demanding better pay and respect. Nathan Hahn, a Union County teacher, summed up the mood: “This comes down to treating people with the respect that they deserve.” Gary Williams, another teacher, warned, “If we don’t put resources into education, then long term, fewer and fewer people are going to want to be in this job.”
As of October 24, the $1,000 supplement had not yet been provided, though Merrell said she hoped the board would approve it at its November meeting and make it retroactive to July 2025. She added that the increase would move Union County’s teacher supplement from 37th to approximately 18th in the state.
These two stories—one of a superintendent’s abrupt dismissal and another of a community’s fight for fair teacher compensation—underscore the complex, often fraught relationships between school boards, district leadership, and local governments. As both districts look ahead, the stakes for students, teachers, and communities remain high, with trust and transparency at the heart of the challenges they face.
