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ST. LOUIS — Leaders of the teachers union for St. Louis Public Schools are pushing for the ouster of first-year Superintendent Millicent Borishade.

“Does St. Louis need a rogue superintendent?� asks a flyer sent to members of the American Federation of Teachers Local 420. “While St. Louis Public Schools are moving in the right direction, the superintendent is moving in the wrong direction.�

Several teachers said they were told the union is laying the groundwork for an upcoming vote of no confidence against Borishade, indicating a lack of support for their boss.

The union represents teachers, aides, secretaries and other support staff in the district of 3,500 employees. Earlier this year, more than 1,000 union and non-union staff at SLPS called for Borishade’s resignation in a petition that was not circulated by the union.

Ray Cummings, president of the union, declined comment Friday, but has criticized Borishade recently over her plan for relocating students and staff after the May tornado and for releasing a report proposing the closure of more than half the district’s schools due to declining enrollment.

“Showing no empathy for our Black community recently rocked by the May 16th tornado by announcing the possible closure of at least 30 schools in that same community. Spreading seeds of instability of SLPS just weeks before school should start,� the flyer reads.

The SLPS board led by President Karen Collins-Adams released a statement Friday in response to the flyer.

“Under Dr. Borishade’s leadership, the district continues to pursue bold strategies to improve outcomes and serve the needs of our diverse community,� the statement reads in part. “While we recognize that not all stakeholders may agree with every decision, open dialogue and respectful collaboration are the most effective paths forward. Dr. Borishade remains committed to working with all district employees — including union leadership — to build a stronger SLPS for students and families. We will not be distracted from our mission.�

The school board named Borishade superintendent in February, several months after the termination of Keisha Scarlett for financial mismanagement. Both women came to SLPS from Seattle in July 2023 when Scarlett recruited several staff members outside the district’s hiring process.

A state audit of SLPS released Tuesday found that Scarlett awarded salaries and raises to her cabinet members beyond the maximum SLPS pay scale and without board approval. The largest payout went to Borishade, who was making $230,000 as Scarlett’s deputy, $44,039 above the maximum. Borishade now makes $268,000, matching Scarlett’s last salary.

A majority of teachers at Borishade’s previous school district called for her resignation as chief academic officer two months before her arrival in St. Louis, saying she demeaned and insulted staff, violated student privacy and ignored special education.

“We have seen ourselves as a community who work collaboratively to better serve our students. Under the leadership of Dr. Millicent Borishade, this collaborative spirit has been denied repeatedly,� reads a May 2023 letter from the Tukwila (Washington) Education Association describing the union’s vote of no confidence. “The primary concern of our membership, as always, is the impact on students resulting from the dysfunction of our current leadership.�

Borishade also had run-ins with the teachers union in Highline (Washington) Public Schools, where she started as a principal in 2018. The president of the Highline teachers union at the time, Sandy Hunt, said she had to serve as a proxy building steward because teachers feared retaliation from Borishade for union involvement.