Documents on file with the Missouri Secretary of State show the marketing firm is an affiliate of Gracie Mae Entertainment.The School Board also voted to cancel its contract with Teach for America, citing budget pressures.
The document says Gracie Mae Entertainment has an address connected to Elizabeth Brown of St. Louis. Lizz Brown is a morning radio host on WGNU.
Board member Peter Downs appears on Brown's show each Wednesday morning to discuss board policy along with his personal board agenda.
In March, Brown and board member Donna Jones headed a five-day student takeover of Mayor Francis Slay's office to protest a state takeover of the district scheduled for June 15. The state's education department has revoked the district's accreditation.
One option available to district students is to attend charter schools.
Board Vice President William Purdy said he placed the Brown item on the agenda after consulting with Downs. Downs said the district needs Brown's help to "present the case that we can do things better than the charter schools can."
Purdy said the district has fallen behind in the effort to persuade parents to reject entreaties from charter schools. Since their introduction six years ago, charters have steadily eroded enrollment in the city schools.
State funding is predicated on enrollment.
"We are being eaten alive by advertisements and commercials for charter schools," Purdy said. "They're recruiting our kids and we're sitting there silently, doing nothing to promote the St. Louis Public Schools."
The St. Louis school district will be taken over by the state next month after years of pitiful performance.
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