FIRST REGULAR SESSION

House Resolution No. 740

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1789L.02I

            Whereas, the St. Louis Public School District has closed many school buildings in recent years; and

            Whereas, these school buildings were constructed over the course of the past century with the use of taxpayer money for the purpose of providing a free public education in accordance with the principles of the Missouri Constitution; and

            Whereas, many of these school buildings remain suitable facilities for providing an education for Missouri's children; and

            Whereas, the St. Louis Public School District is attempting to sell many of its now closed school buildings; and

            Whereas, the St. Louis Public School District proposes a restriction in the deed of every building for sale that would prohibit the use of the property for one hundred years for a primary, elementary, or secondary school of any kind, including public charter schools which are funded with public dollars and are free and open to all students in the district, providing instruction for grades kindergarten through twelve; and

            Whereas, this deed restriction prevents these buildings from being used for the purpose for which they were constructed; and

            Whereas, these buildings were architecturally designed to be used as school facilities for educating children and, by such a design, cannot easily be used for other purposes; and

            Whereas, this deed restriction constitutes an inefficient use and a waste of limited resources that could be used in a productive and effective manner to educate children; and

            Whereas, this deed restriction constitutes a public discredit to institutions of state and local government by needlessly preventing their use and represents a waste of state funds and tax dollars, particularly given the difficult and challenging economic times; and

            Whereas, this deed restriction potentially exacerbates the socio-economic problems endemic to these immediate urban communities where these schools serve as anchors:

            Now, therefore, be it resolved that the members of the Missouri House of Representatives, Ninety-Fifth General Assembly, First Regular Session, hereby urge the members of the special administrative board of the transitional school district of the City of St. Louis, the members of the St. Louis Public School District Board of Education, and the superintendent and officers of the St. Louis Public School District to remove the one hundred year restriction from the deeds on the use of these school buildings for a primary, elementary, or secondary school of any kind providing instruction for grades kindergarten through twelve, and to respond to the members of the Missouri Senate regarding their compliance at the next public meeting of the special administrative board of the transitional school district of the City of St. Louis; and

            Be it further resolved that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for the members of the special administrative board of the transitional school district of the City of St. Louis, the members of the St. Louis Public School District Board of Education, and the superintendent and officers of the St. Louis public school district, and send them via the United States Postal Service, with return receipt service.

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