A discussion about school board member Shurita Thomas-Tate's ethics turned into a recap of the Springfield Board of Education's history and a caution that all members should be attentive to statewide reporting deadlines about financial interest.
The Springfield Board of Education on June 11 discussed a recent finding against board member Shurita Thomas-Tate from the Missouri Ethics Commission. In March, the commission fined Thomas-Tate for failing to submit financial interest statements in 2020 and 2021.
During the discussion, some school board members talked about the importance of following board policy to avoid the appearance of impropriety, while others said Thomas-Tate has already accepted the finding and discipline, thus settling the matter. At the end of the discussion, which lasted about an hour, the board made no motions for disciplinary actions against Thomas-Tate.
During the meeting, Thomas-Tate apologized for the Missouri Ethics Commission's finding and said she would not repeat the error that led to the fine. She also addressed a payment she received from the language and literacy group she helped found.
“I was fined and I rectified this error by filing these forms immediately,” Thomas-Tate said. “I refuse to be deterred by personal attacks and attempts to undermine my commitment to the success of every child in Springfield Public Schools, and my dedication to providing a high quality education.”
Recent judgment tied to volunteer efforts
The complaint stems from the MEC investigating a complaint from J. Michael Hasty, a Republican candidate for Missouri House of Representatives District 135 who also runs Queen City Watchdog — a Facebook page where the author called for Thomas-Tate to be censured in a post dated April 29. In 2023, Hasty called for Thomas-Tate to resign after the Springfield Board of Education agreed to a $15,000 contract with Ujima Language and Literacy.
Thomas-Tate founded Ujima Language and Literacy in 2015 — it started as a language fair and has become an effort to boost language and literacy skills for children up to age 11. Ujima offers family literacy nights and summer camps to help kids strengthen their reading skills.
Thomas-Tate continues to volunteer with the group and serve on its board of directors, and said that she has never had any financial interest in it.
The Missouri Ethics Commission’s finding did not make any rulings about Springfield Public Schools’ contract with Ujima, which was approved with a unanimous board vote. The findings also made no rulings about Thomas-Tate’s involvement with Ujima.
Steve Makoski asked to talk about Shurita Thomas-Tate
The discussion was placed on the agenda for Tuesday’s study session meeting by board member Steve Makoski, who contrasted the Thomas-Tate finding against how the board handled a complaint against board member Maryam Mohammadkhani. In February 2023, the board voted 4-3 to remove Mohammadkhani from the vice president post over her actions during the Youth Empowerment Summit at Missouri State University.
Makoski said that because some Springfieldians have expressed concern about the finding against Thomas-Tate through emails, social media and public commentary, that the school board should be given a chance to discuss the matter.
“We had a circumstance where Mohammadkhani was not provided an opportunity to prepare for the board to address the circumstance that happened,” Makoski said. “I think it’s important that we become better than that.”
Discussion revolved around Board Policy BBFA, which deals with board member conflicts of interest and financial disclosure. In addition to not meeting state regulations, the Missouri Ethics Commission found that Thomas-Tate was out of compliance with the local policy.
Board members on both sides of the discussion complimented Ujima for its positive action addressing literacy across the Springfield school district. Some said that the finding, and a tax document showing that Thomas-Tate received compensation from the group, placed several decisions to allocate money to the group in a new light.
Ujima's 2021 tax return
Hasty, using his Queen City Watchdog platform, in April showed a 2021 tax return filed by Ujima that shows Thomas-Tate receiving $2,693 during that year.
“I don’t think Thomas-Tate would risk her reputation on $3,000,” board member Kelly Byrne said. “But what it resulted in is multiple violations of BBF and BBFA … I do think it’s important that we acknowledge what those were, and to protect the integrity of the board, we make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Board President Danielle Kincaid noted that the payment was not part of the Missouri Ethics Commission’s finding against Thomas-Tate. But several board members, whether they supported or admonished Thomas-Tate, recommended that she recuse herself from future votes when Ujima is involved.
In April, Thomas-Tate said the payment was a one-time payment for work performed during an Ujima summer camp in 2021, where the work went “well beyond” normal amounts of time she spends volunteering for and supporting the group. The payment happened before any deals between SPS and Ujima were made, she said.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Thomas-Tate elaborated more about how the group struggled with its new status as a nonprofit, dealing with increased demand for its services in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ujima hosts a summer camp where Missouri State University graduate students help elementary students boost reading and literacy skills.
“In 2022, (Ujima) got from SPS $2,000, in 2023 we got $5,000 and in 2024 we are set to get $6,500,” Thomas-Tate said. “The increase is related to the fact that we went from serving about 15 kids, to now about 60.”
Discussion driven by long-time critic
Hasty and his Queen City Watchdog group have a yearlong history of criticizing Thomas-Tate. During the 2023 election, Hasty called for her to resign, and his group published footage of Thomas-Tate not saying the Pledge of Allegiance during school board meetings. While the source of the video was unknown, that footage was used to target Thomas-Tate in negative campaign ads funded by partisan political groups.
Queen City Watchdog published a podcast about Thomas-Tate in May of 2024, according to its Facebook page. The right-wing group also actively campaigns against LGBTQ+ issues.
In addition to his candidacy for state representative, Hasty ran for Springfield City Council in 2021, and picked up a candidate packet in 2023 to run for the Springfield school board, but did not turn in a petition with the required signatures in time to appear on ballots.
Thomas-Tate calls Facebook group ‘extremist'
During Tuesday’s discussion, Thomas-Tate said she believed attention from the group was the main reason that the issue was placed on the agenda.
“While I am grateful for the opportunity to formally apologize and to restate my commitment to integrity, I will note that it is truly shameful to allow an extremist group … to set the board agenda,” Thomas-Tate said. “I believe this group promotes hate and division, and allowing one man and his seeming obsession with, and vendetta against, me to dictate our agenda only serves to undermine progress and perpetuate harmful ideologies.”
During Tuesday’s discussion, board member Judy Brunner said that the number of emails noted by Makoski “had a similar ring to them.”
“We all volunteer for this position because we think we have something to offer and we are willing to serve, but it does come with a heavy amount of criticism,” Brunner said. “We have all faced it from time to time, and that’s just what happens with the letters that come in.”
Mohammadkhani said Thomas-Tate’s statement against the group was not called for, and rejected the idea that Hasty’s efforts were a “witch hunt.”
“I think all of us here recognize that it was just a simple mistake, an oversight,” Mohammadkhani said. “This is about how we can do better as a board.”
Kincaid said that in her study of the Thomas-Tate ethics violation, she reviewed filings from other school board members. Without naming them, Kincaid said she found examples that could cause similar discussions over conflict of interest. She pointed out some of the mistakes she has made personally, including having to return campaign donations she should not have accepted.
“Navigating some of these MEC rules is complicated, full of areas for potential pitfalls,” Kincaid said. “I have made missteps … when we know better, we can do better.”
