Claudette Riley

CRILEY@NEWS-LEADER.COM

Gov. Jay Nixon praised three Springfield area superintendents who spoke out this week about protecting public education.

He said more of that is needed.

Superintendents from Springfield, Nixa and Willard told the News-Leader this week that it's time to fight back against the well-financed agenda of St. Louis billionaire Rex Sinquefield, who has provided hefty financial support for candidates and issues that align with his goals.

They urged voters to ask tough questions of candidates and for supporters of public education, who tend to be quieter, to speak out.

Sinquefield, a retired businessman and philanthropist perhaps best known for his belief that the income tax should be eliminated in Missouri, has also taken strong positions on education. He supports open enrollment, charter school expansion and teacher tenure changes.

During Nixon's speech Tuesday at the annual Cooperative Conference for School Administrators in Columbia, he said proponents of public education must show the "same level of passion and energy" as the opponents. He said it's time for those with a stake in public schools — from business leaders and board members to principals and coaches — to speak up.

"Pick up the Springfield News-Leader this morning — in which three superintendents mince no words when it comes to the threats to their schools — and you'll get a sense for the kind of bold, forceful action I'm talking about," Nixon said, according to prepared remarks.

Nixon said up to this point "the response from some in the education community has been muted."

"Friends, silence is no longer an option," he said in the remarks.

Many area school superintendents are attending the conference and tweeted comments from the governor's speech.

The three superintendents who spoke Monday to the News-Leader are John Jungmann of Springfield, Stephen Kleinsmith of Nixa and Kent Medlin of Willard.

All three expressed concern that the groups and candidates supported heavily by Sinquefield were pushing an agenda that, if successful, would erode local control. They want each community to determine what's best for that community.

They also urged voters to get more involved and investigate candidates' stances on public education issues.

The superintendents and Nixon spoke about the critical role public education, which is open to all, plays in making sure every child has a chance at obtaining an education. They spoke warily of any groups that would siphon money away from that endeavor.

Nixon said Tuesday's speech would focus on "the magnitude of the threats conspiring to undermine that value" of public education as well as "the level of effort that will be required to defend it."

He said there were lessons to be learned from Nixa's recent bond issue. It's a district with a history of strong test scores and public support.

"Flush with a $900,000 contribution from a single billionaire two hundred miles away, the Club for Growth flooded Nixa with mailers opposing a local bond issue to improve school facilities — and even attacking the school superintendent," Nixon said in the remarks. "But the people of Nixa had different ideas. They stood up and spoke out, exposing this anti-education campaign for exactly what it was. Folks in Nixa didn't compromise."

Nearly 70 percent of the votes cast supported the bond, ensuring its passage.

"Together, they demonstrated that with a full-throated, all-hands-on-deck effort — public educators can go toe-to-toe with these well-funded ideologues and they can win," Nixon said.