Harvey Not Seated on Saint Louis Board of Education
The St. Louis Board of Education unanimously appointed Dr. Robert S. Harvey to fill a vacancy on January 22, 2026, following interviews with five candidates. Dr. Harvey was slated to fill the seat left vacant after public education advocate Ben Conover’s decision to step down from the board. The St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) website said that Dr. Harvey was to be sworn in on January 27th. This is corroborated by a board meeting agenda that also states that he was to be sworn in on that date. However, Board of Education (BOE) members chose to skip over this agenda item without comment at the meeting.
Sources report that Dr. Harvey’s nomination was pulled over concerns that he does not meet the residency requirements to serve on the BOE. Board membership requires that members reside in the city of St. Louis for a minimum of three years prior to serving on the board. Local public education advocates have noted that his social media accounts and property records indicate he was living in Florissant until sometime in 2024.
Dr. Harvey, a St. Louis native who attended Washington Montessori Elementary and Compton Drew Middle School, has led a career that has numerous ties to charter schools and philanthropy. This includes a stint in New York City as superintendent of East Harlem Scholars Academies, a charter school network. He holds a doctorate in leadership, culture, and society from Memphis Theological Seminary, a master’s in theological studies from Harvard University, and a bachelor’s from Bryant University. He currently serves as CEO of the Partnership for Equitable and Resilient Communities (PERC), a national philanthropic organization focused on eliminating the racial wealth gap. He previously led FoodCorps, which is an organization focused on promoting healthier policies related to promoting healthier food in schools, as president and co-CEO.
Dr. Harvey also serves on the boards of the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation and St. Louis Dance Theatre, and works for the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis. He had previously stated that he would step down from some of his roles on private boards, following his nomination to the BOE. In light of his nomination being pulled, it is unclear if he will continue with these plans to step down from other board positions.
Numerous members of the St. Louis Board of Education were contacted for comment, but none have responded. Dr. Harvey has likewise not responded to a request for comment on not being sworn in.
Asked about whether it was unusual that Dr. Harvey wasn’t sworn in at the recent meeting, former BOE member Ben Conover offered, “The Board scheduled a swearing-in ceremony for Dr. Harvey, but then mysteriously forewent it with no public explanation during or outside of the meeting. That typically indicates something is awry.”
A union representative also found Dr. Harvey’s not being sworn in to be odd. “We are pleased that the elected school board is carefully vetting candidates in a transparent manner. Although we were not part of the selection process, the current candidate’s resume did cause some concern amongst our members,” said Byron Clemens, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) local 420 spokesperson.
If Dr. Harvey or BOE members respond with comments, they will be added to this story.
