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Joplin pastor sues Greitens over removal from State Education Board

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens delivers his first State of the State address last week in Jefferson City.
Jason Rosenbaum | St. Louis Public Radio
Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens delivers his first State of the State address last week in Jefferson City.

A retired pastor and current chaplain for the Joplin police and fire departments is suing Gov. Eric Greitens for removing him from Missouri's State Board of Education.

The Republican governor appointed Tim Sumners this month. Greitens withdrew the appointment the day before a closed-door meeting last week, the purpose of which was to consider a removing state Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven.

That vote failed on a tie vote.

Sumners’ attorney, James Layton, said removing state board members requires a hearing. Layton, Missouri’s former solicitor general, added that they can only be removed for wrongdoing.

“In this instance, the governor purported to simply fire or remove Mr. Sumners from the Board without going through the process the statute requires and without having the basis that the statute requires,” Layton said.

Margie Vandeven survived a vote last week to oust her as education commissioner.
Credit Provided | Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Margie Vandeven survived a vote last week to oust her as education commissioner.

Sumners is also seeking a temporary restraining order to block Jennifer Edwards from sitting on the education board.Greitensnamed Edwards asSumners’replacement shortly before last week’s failed vote to removeVandeven. Another vote could be scheduled Friday.“We’re taking steps to place it before a judge, but we don’t know when or whether that will happen,” Layton said.

Greitens has not responded to requests from St. Louis Public Radio for comment.

The lawsuit and restraining order request have been assigned to Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green. Edwards and each member of the State Board of Education are named as defendants, along with Greitens.

Meanwhile, Laurie Sullivan, a teacher from Springfield also filed lawsuit Tuesday, alleging the State Education Board violated Missouri’s Sunshine Law when it swore in Edwards shortly before the attempt to oust Vandeven.

Sumners wasn’t Greitens’ first appointee to the board seat representing southwestern Missouri. Melissa Gelner's appointment was withdrawn, citing afterwards in a letter to the board that she had been pressured by the Greitens administration to fire Vandeven. She has also asked the board to clarify whether her own removal by the governor was valid, but has not yet filed suit.

“I am hopeful for prompt court action on these cases to determine the rightful holder of the seat and achieve clarity for all involved,” she said. “I remain committed to the independent function of the state board, the students of Missouri and the betterment of education outcomes in our state.”

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter:@MarshallGReport

Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.