Dr. Keisha Scarlett, the former Superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools, is suing the district for alleged wrongful termination.
Nearly two years after her sudden departure as Superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools, Dr. Keisha Scarlett is suing the district for wrongful termination.
“As a superintendent, I can make recommendations, but final decision-making rests with the governing body,” Scarlett said in an interview earlier this month.
The lawsuit claims the board never raised concerns about Scarlett’s leadership or hiring practices before placing her on administrative leave, which she says also violated her contract and limited her ability to prepare for a hearing. She alleges she was barred from accessing key documents, including her email and laptop.
Scarlett first brought in Dr. Millicent Borishade, Manal Al-Ansi, and Fatimata Sow, and later added at least five more senior administrators. Borishade — her deputy assistant who joined from Tukwila (Washington) Public Schools — ultimately stepped in to lead the district after Scarlett’s removal.
Scarlett defended her decisions, saying her hiring and compensation choices were made with board knowledge and aimed at attracting competitive talent. She also argued the district lacked a clear pay structure and said credit card use stemmed from a broken procurement system — issues she claims she raised with the board.
Davis has since released a statement accusing Scarlett of filing a “baseless” lawsuit.
“The lawsuit filed by Keisha Scarlett is entirely without foundation, and the St. Louis Public Schools Board acted lawfully, transparently and in full compliance with the superintendent’s contract,” Davis said. “The defamation claim is baseless as a matter of fact and law, and I will forcefully defend against these ridiculous allegations.”
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Source: Black Enterprise
