MARCH 6 12, 2023 8 · SBJ.NET NEWS Maryam Mohammadkhani removed as SPS board VP SGF tops state in cost-of-living report by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net Dr. Maryam Mohammadkhani was ousted from her vice president role on the Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. The board voted 4-3 during its meeting Feb. 28 to remove Mohammadkhani from her o cer position following her actions to disrupt a session of the Youth Empowerment Summit, a conference for high school students, at Missouri State University, according to a livestreamed video of the meeting. YES is a joint program of the Springfield NAACP, SPS and MSU. Mohammadkhani attended YES and spoke up to challenge an activity that asked participants about their experience of racial trauma, according to descriptions of the incident by attendees, including Mohammadkhani, fellow SPS board member Shurita Thomas-Tate and students who spoke in the public comment portion of the meeting. The incident first came to public attention through reporting in the Springfield News-Leader. The activity was led by Burrell Behavioral Health’s system director of diversity, equity and inclusion, Keke Rover. Mohammadkhani was reported at the meeting to have questioned the number of students who claimed to have experienced racial trauma. Both C.J. Davis, president and CEO of Burrell, and Clif Smart, president of MSU, wrote a letter to the board to protest Mohammadkhani’s actions, which they said impacted students adversely in a time of vulnerability. Thomas-Tate, who also is an MSU faculty member and a Springfield NAACP member, said at the board meeting she was at the event, and students there expressed that their personal experiences were negated by Mohammadkhani’s comment. At the meeting, several members of the public, including students, addressed the board, with some students demanding an apology. Mohammadkhani responded that students were being manipulated in the activity, and she also criticized what she referred to as the “culture of groupthink” behind the board’s response. She added that she felt students were being emotionally and psychologically manipulated under the guise of mental health through the activity. Mohammadkhani is a retired pathologist, according to SPS.org. “I will continue to speak the truth whenever it’s necessary to protect children from whatever the hustlers are peddling,” she said at the meeting. Voting in favor of the removal motion by Danielle Kincaid were Kincaid, Thomas-Tate, Scott Crise and board President Denise Fredrick. Voting no were Kelly Byrne, Steve Makoski and Mohammadkhani. As a result of the vote, Crise will be vice president until the board reorganizes on April 11. Prior to the vote, Fredrick noted that the board has to keep students foremost in mind. “We have a number of students that have indicated to us – and that took a lot of courage – of how this has made them feel, and I think that has been a hallmark of my service on this board is that we do the right thing; we keep our focus on students,” she said. “That is my concern, is how we have made some of our students feel through this event.” She reminded the board that a lead-up to an election is a contentious time. Mohammadkhani is not up for reelection on April 4, though Thomas-Tate is, according to a sample ballot with the Greene County clerk’s office. Fredrick has opted not to run again. “We need to be responsible, and we need to keep our focus on the kids, not politics,” she said, adding, “This was an upsetting event for students.” Mohammadkhani was appointed by the board as vice president in April 2022, according to past reporting. She was elected to the board by voters in April 2021. • Digital Editor Geo Pickle contributed to this article. by SBJ Sta · sbj@sbj.net The Springfield metro area’s annual cost-of-living score fared better than that of Missouri in 2022 after falling behind the state in 2021. Springfield’s average annual index score was 87.4 in 2022, according to a news release from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, which collected data from a survey by The Council for Community and Economic Research. Missouri’s overall score was 89.1. A score of 100 represents the national average – the lower the score, the lower the costs. The score reflects prices in areas such as groceries, housing, utilities, transportation and health care. Springfield’s best score, 79.9, was in housing. The metro area additionally scored 91.3 in miscellaneous, 91.8 in transportation, 92.3 in health care, 94.8 in utilities and 95.4 in groceries, according to the release. Springfield’s score fell behind Joplin, at 82, and St. Louis, at 86.3. Kansas City came in at 94.9, and Columbia had a score of 95. Missouri ranked No. 6 nationwide, with Mississippi at No. 1. • Maryam Mohammadkhani was elected to the board by voters in April 2021.
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