Post-Dispatch Attempts Character Assassination of Dr. Eric Knost

I have an old friend named Jim that said of newspapers, "Anytime I read something in the paper that I know something about, they almost always get something wrong."

Not only did the editorial board of the Post-Dispatch get something wrong, they outright fabricated a version of Dr. Eric Knost, Superintendent of the Mehlville School District that simply does not exist.

The title of the article is 'Mehlville School Officials' Figures Don't Add Up'. The intellectually dishonest editorial states, among other things, "Lucky that Mehlville schools Superintendent Eric Knost wasn't taking math at Mehlville High. The way he fudged attendance numbers would have flunked him."

They also claim, "The figures make it clear that the problem in Mehlville is not a lack of room, but a lack of will."

Regardless of how you feel about public education or the school transfer issue, questioning the veracity of Dr. Knost and his leadership is baseless hyper-sensationalism.

I'm embarrassed for the editorial board of the Post-Dispatch. They have never looked so ignorant and an apology is in order.

As former Mehlville Superintendent Terry Noble, now at a Charter School in the City of St. Louis, said in the comments section of the PD's fallacious editorial, "If anyone thinks Dr. Knost is intentionally creating obstacles to the transfer of students from Riverview Gardens you simply don't know him very well. You will be hard pressed to find a more student centered staff anywhere than Dr. Knost and the entire Mehlville School District."

I couldn't agree more Mr. Noble.

The Post Dispatch was clumsy enough to use their barrels of ink to denigrate Dr. Knost. The question is, will they have the character to retract, apologize, and educate themselves on the complexity of the issue at hand.

Dr. Knost Responds

One never gets enough time on the radio to say all that needs to be said, especially within the complex, bureaucratic realm of public education, but thanks to Mark Reardon on KMOX for giving Dr. Knost some time on his show to defend himself from these unfounded accusations of the Post. Click here to listen.