KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City school district revolving door continues to spin. In a surprise announcement Wednesday night, Supt. John Covington submitted his resignation. He is the 26th superintendent in 40 years for the troubled school district. The Kansas City Star reported that the resignation shocked many board members and business and community leaders, who had hoped that Covington was bringing a semblence of stability to the district. After hearing Covington’s announcement, school board member Arthur Benson also submitted his resignation. The Star speculated that the resignation might have been a result of tensions between Covington and board president Airick Leonard West. During covington’s two years as superintendent, the district closed more than 40 percent of its schools and cut $68 million from its budget after eliminating jobs and contracts with outside vendors. However, student test scores continued to fall. The continued turmoil could also cause a new push by Missouri to take over the school district.
Thursday, Aug. 25, 10 a.m.
