SWAN, RUOPP RESIGN FROM SCHOOL BOARD

Central High School seniors this year were in kindergarten when Pat Ruopp was first elected to Cape Girardeau's school board.

On Wednesday, Ruopp and fellow board member Kathy Swan announced their resignations at a news conference.

Both said they didn't think they could work with the new board members, especially new board president Bob Fox.

Swan and Ruopp met with Fox over the weekend seeking reconciliation and support for Swan as board president. They suggested Fox be vice president.

"We thought it would be a very good move, symbolic, a conciliatory gesture to the community," Swan said Wednesday.

But Monday the board elected Fox president, 4-2. Swan, then, declined to be considered for the position of vice president. Steve Wright was elected vice president.

Swan said Wednesday: "The new board officers have merely scoffed at Dr. Ruopp's and my recent sincere, genuine efforts to call a truce, set differences aside and make a commitment to work together for the betterment of this school district and community."

Swan said she has been preparing for the presidency for a year. She has served on the board three years.

Ruopp was first elected to the board in 1982. In 1994 he was re-elected to a fifth term with more than 5,000 votes.

At the news conference, Ruopp said he was concerned issues or stances important to Swan and him would automatically be overruled by the current board, rendering them ineffective, despite their experience.

"We don't feel that we will have much of a voice," he said.

Swan said district's problems during the past year have been created by "an unhappy, negative school patron bent on vindicating a friend."

She also criticized the Southeast Missourian newspaper for reporting about school patron Amy Randol and information Randol's investigation into school finances uncovered.

Randol said she hoped Ruopp and Swan would have "changed their attitude and stayed on and tried to work with the new board."

But, she said, if that wasn't possible, resignation was probably the best solution.

"On Monday you want to lead everyone and on Wednesday you don't want anything to do with them," Randol said. "It makes me wonder if she was wanting to do it for the right reasons. I guess this is probably for the best."

Randol might consider a one-year term on the board and plans to talk with board members to see if they feel about her application for the board would be a good idea. If they approve, she'll toss her hat in the ring.

Fox said he is disappointed with Ruopp's and Swan's decision to resign.

"We needed their leadership and their experience," he said. "They will be sorely missed."

Fox said he couldn't support Swan for president because he thinks the community wants change.

He hoped John Campbell might serve as president, but Campbell resigned April 7. Fox thought Wright might take the presidency, but Wright nominated Fox.

"We are now in a very peculiar situation," Fox said. "We do have four members and we can conduct business."

Fox said the board can and he will work with Superintendent Neyland Clark to keep the school district on track.

"The education of the kids has to go on," Fox said. "We will all do the best we can with what we have."

Four days before the election, the former school board voted 4-2 to extend Clark's contract to three years.

Swan fears Clark's position with the school system is tenuous at best. The four remaining board members haven't expressed support for the superintendent.

She said the new board will be forced to turn to Clark for leadership.

"They have to work together," she said. "Do you think you can do it all yourself?"

When Swan joined the board she wasn't necessarily a supporter of Clark and questioned a budget cut that eliminated one of three band directors.

"But I had an open mind," she said. "If you don't, you can't see the big picture and you're not doing your job."

Swan become a personal friend of Clark and his family, but she said she kept her friendship separate from her job on the school board.

She was part of a controversy last spring concerning commencement. One of the students involved had dated Swan's daughter. This year, her business was involved in a bidding controversy for two-way radios.

With Wednesday's resignations, Wright became the veteran member on the board. He has served two years. Fox has served one. R. Ferrell Ervin and Terry Taylor have been on the board just three days.

Wright said Wednesday he hates to see Ruopp and Swan leave the board.

"With their experience, they could have helped the board," he said. "I'm sorry they feel they would be ineffective."

Wright said the board has four strong members. "I think we'll get three more good members from the community and that will strengthen the board."

He thinks the board is headed in the direction the community wants for the schools.

"Whatever we do and whatever happens, we have to remember we're there for the kids," Wright said.

Ervin, who took office Monday night, agreed the board will miss the experience of Ruopp and Swan.

Ervin thought they should have given the new board a chance to operate before resigning.

"I really believe that the new board is committed to moving the district forward," he said.

"If they didn't feel they would be able to work with the new board then its in everyone's best interest that they step down."

Board member Taylor said:

"I hate it that they did that, but I think it's childish. I think Ms. Swan was upset that she didn't get to be president of the board. We still live in a democracy, and we have the right to vote as we want to."

"I really think we're ready to regroup and we'll start with a clean house," he added.

CAPE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TENURE

Steve Wright elected 1993

Bob Fox elected 1994

Terry Taylor elected April 1995

Ferrell Ervin elected April 1995