The Missouri governor’s office says there is no scheduled meeting at this time between Governor Mike Parson and CPS Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood. 939 the Eagle News checked with Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones on Thursday.
The Columbia Public Schools (CPS) superintendent had issued an open invitation to the governor to meet with him, after Governor Parson criticized CPS for last week’s diversity celebration that included three drag queens who performed before a sold-out crowd that included about 30 CPS students. Governor Parson says adult performers are not diversity.
Governor Mike Parson says CPS parents weren’t clearly informed of the program’s contents, and the governor is has called on CPS to focus on math, reading, writing, science and history.
Dr. Yearwood says it was not an adult performance, and he wrote a letter to the governor which said Attorney General Andrew Bailey (R) had misrepresented some things about the Columbia Values Diversity event. Dr. Yearwood says that type of misrepresentation “is harmful to our students, our staff and our community.”
Columbia Councilwoman Andrea Waner has criticized the governor’s comments. State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) and former Missouri Democratic Party chairman Stephen Webber (D-Columbia) have also defended CPS and Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe.
Attorney General Bailey has slammed Superintendent Yearwood, saying he cares more about indoctrination than about education.
