SGF NAACP condemns comments SPS board member Steve Makoski made about two of its leaders

The Springfield NAACP publicly condemned comments school board member Steve Makoski made Tuesday about two of its leaders, saying it was “disheartening and unacceptable.”

President Kai Sutton said Makoski, in his capacity as an elected official, singled out citizens Kyler Sherman-Wilkins and Cheryl Clay and implied they had “harmful and divisive intentions” when they engaged in the “constitutionally protected right of speaking truth to power.”

“We stand by both Dr. Sherman-Wilkins and Mrs. Clay,” Sutton wrote in a letter Thursday addressed to Springfield Public Schools. “We do not believe that they acted inappropriately in their capacity as leaders of the NAACP.”

Board member Danielle Kincaid said she respected concerns raised by the Springfield NAACP, adding Makoski “spoke as an individual and his comments do not reflect the view of the Board of Education at large.”

Sherman-Wilkins and Clay have repeatedly addressed the board to support equity, diversity and inclusion efforts. Recently, they asked the board to issue a statement of support for LGBTQ students and employees.

As the board discussed that request Tuesday, Sutton questioned why Makoski accused “two prominent members of the Black community” of “spreading a divisive agenda.”

“Mr. Makoski not only demonstrates a lack of understanding and empathy but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes and contributes to an environment of intolerance and discrimination against those who are committed to equity in education,” Sutton wrote.

Kincaid said Makoski’s actions fell short of expectations the board sets for the public.

“The unilateral decision by a board member to specifically name community members was inappropriate. As elected officials, we must hold ourselves to higher standard,” Kincaid said. “If we do not allow public speakers to name individuals during their comments, board members should exercise the same discretion.”

At the meeting, Makoski was aligned with the board majority in arguing that a separate statement to affirm LGBTQ individuals would be redundant because the district supported all students. Shurita Thomas-Tate was the only board meeting who sought the action.

Makoski focused much of his prepared remarks on comments Sherman-Wilkins made to the board in late 2022 after Makoski and board member Maryam Mohammadkhani talked about gender identity issues on a talk radio show. He highlighted social media posts from Clay, one critical of a Springfield teacher who used a racial slur in class, and one questioning if Makoski and board member Kelly Byrne were targeting Superintendent Grenita Lathan and the chief equity and diversity officer.

He described requests they and others made for the LGBTQ support statement as an attempt to “drive a narrative with a hidden agenda.”

“In retrospect I recall Kyler Sherman-Wilkins calling board members names and throwing racial epithets such as racist, homophobic, transphobic, bigot, dumb, absurd, asinine, heteronormative, trans-erasing, hateful, white supremist, divisive, cruel, disingenuous, dangerous and ignorant,” Makoski said in the meeting. “This man works for Missouri State University and is a member of the NAACP. Mr. Wilkins continues to attach these organizations to his activism, which leads our community to believe that MSU and the NAACP supports vitriol and disdain for this board and this district.”

Sherman-Wilkins is an assistant professor of sociology and board president of the GLO Center. He serves on state and national boards related to his work at the university.

In early September, as guest host of the Elijah Haahr Show on KWTO, Makoski said children “curious about their pronouns” or asking themselves “am I really a boy or am I really a girl…or am I both” create a distraction that “does hinder academic excellence.”

He said students who look for “safe spaces” in schools may encounter adults who “end up confusing these children” or, worse yet, are “looking to groom kids” or “at least having them question their own status, their own gender.”

As a guest on that radio show, Mohammadkhani, a retired physician, made similar comments and questioned why “Safe Space” stickers were allowed.

Sherman-Wilkins, and other community members, responded to those comments at the next meeting.

“There are members of this board who, at best, are flirting with racist, homophobic and transphobic ideas and, at worst, are racist, homophobic and transphobic themselves,” Sherman-Wilkins said, at the time. He added that students deserve better than individuals who “spout hateful, divisive, vile and cruel ideology masquerading as expertise in simply asking questions.”

More:SPS board rejects LGBTQ support resolution, members seek removal of Safe Space stickers

At the time, Sherman-Wilkins addressed comments Makoski made on the radio without calling him by name.

“One board member suggested that gender (identity) hinders academic performance. This is frankly dumb and absurd,” Sherman-Wilkins said, at the time. “For one, everyone has a gender identity. Secondly, any assumptions of gender identity impacting academic performance without consideration of the roles that bigots play in … putting in place policies that make it unsafe for our children to learn is incomplete, disingenuous and dangerous.”

Nearly a year ago, parents and advocates started calling for a specific statement of support for LGBTQ students.

The board, discussing the repeated request for the first time Tuesday, made it clear there was little or no support for such a statement.

As part of the discussion, Makoski, Mohammadkhani and Byrne called for the district to remove Pride flags, Safe Space stickers and other insignia that signal social or political beliefs not expressly approved by the district.

In remarks Tuesday, Makoski said Clay called the teacher who resigned after using a racial slur in class “a lily white behind” and shared a Facebook post questioning if Makoski and Byrne “have a target on the backs” of Lathan and chief diversity officer Yvania Garcia-Pusateria, who recently resigned.

Makoski, director of compliance for Rapid Roberts, had sought a one-on-one meeting with Garcia-Pusateri but was rebuffed by the administration. Byrne and Makoski have both spoken publicly of their support for Lathan. They were also part of a unanimous vote to extend her contract.

“Ms. Clay had no basis of this claim. It is factually inaccurate and a clear attempt to discredit…two members of this board,” Makoski said Tuesday. “Ms. Clay acted irresponsibly by attempting to stoke racial tensions. She promoted an agenda of division and deliberately moved to assassinate the character of two board members.”

Currently, Sherman-Wilkins serves as first vice president of the Springfield NAACP. Clay is member of the executive board.

More:Teachers at Springfield’s largest high school, Kickapoo, told to remove Pride flags

Clay, who grew up in Springfield, has served on district committees including two turns with the Community Task Force on Facilities.

“Both Dr. Sherman-Wilkins and Mrs. Clay are respected leaders and have dedicated their lives to the betterment of our community, focusing particularly on education. Their tireless efforts to promote equality, inclusivity and justice have had a profound impact on our community and we are grateful for their contributions,” Sutton wrote in the Springfield NAACP letter.

Kincaid, an attorney, said in the wake of the Tuesday meeting, the district witnessed “an increase in deeply troubling rhetoric” and noted that a “hateful, bigoted and racist email” was sent to Thomas-Tate.

“Now is the time for each of us to pause, consider the consequences of uncivil discourse, and refocus our attention on the students who depend on us to provide high quality academic opportunities,” Kincaid said.

“For the benefit of every student and the betterment of our community, I call on my fellow board members to lead by example. We can and we must do better.”

In the Springfield NAACP letter, Sutton said more work is needed in the community.

She wrote: “We do encourage meaningful, substantive dialogue moving forward and we call on the board to acknowledge the structural racism that exists very much today and helps to drive the educational inequities across race that are so starkly apparent.”

Claudette Riley covers education for the News-Leader. Email tips and story ideas to criley@news-leader.com.