>> Announcer: DONNYBROOK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORT OF THE BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION AND THE MEMBERS OF NINE PBS.

>> WELL, THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR THIS EDITION OF DONNYBROOK.

GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US, AND A SPECIAL GUEST FOR NEXT UP, HALFWAY THROUGH THIS HOUR, WE'LL TALK TO DR. ART McCOY, THE RETIRING SUPERINTENDENT FROM THE JENNINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT WHO'S GOING TO TAKE ON THE TASK OF CREATING A LARGER WORKFORCE IN THE GREATER ST. LOUIS AREA AT THE BEHEST THE REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL.

SO DR. McCOY IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

FIRST LET'S MEET THE PANELISTS ABOUT TO DISCUSS THE HOT TOPICS THIS WEEK IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA, STARTING WITH THE NEWS DIRECTOR FOR THE BIG FOR ITSELF KTRS AND THE COHOST OF THE JENNIFER AND WENDY SHOW, WENDY WIESE.

ALONG WITH MR. JOE HOLLEMAN SITTING IN FOR THE VACATIONING BILL McCLELLAN, A COLUMNIST FOR THE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH.

AND WE WELCOME RAY HARTMANN, ONE OF OUR FOUNDERS WHO WRITES TO RAWSTORY BOY COM, THE RIVERS TIMES AND HOSTS HIS OWN SHOW ON WEEK NIGHTS ON KTRS AND WE HAVE ALVIN REID WITH US FROM THE ST. LOUIS AMERICAN AND MORE.

WE'LL KICK THINGS OFF WITH RAY.

YOU DID NOT GET A FIGHT WITH THAT BEAR IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, YOU GOK TANGLED IN THE DOG LEASH AND TOOK ONE FOR THE TEAM, HUH?

>> YEAH, THE BEAR GOT IN A -- I GOT IN A RIGHT UPPER CUT AND HE RAN UP THE TREE.

THAT'S MY STORY AND I'M STICKING TO IT.

>> I LIKE THAT ONE.

JOE, WELCOME BACK.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND WE WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT TWO MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN JEFF CITY THIS WEEK.

GOVERNOR PARSON DECIDED EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT HE'S GOING TO KNICKS THE FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS PEOPLE ENJOYING OUT OF WORK HERE IN MISSOURI.

BASICALLY YOU GET $30 IF YOU'RE UNEMPLOYED -- $320 IF YOU'RE UNEMPLOYED THANKS TO MISSOURI, BUT WASHINGTON HAS BEEN BE ADDING ANOTHER $300.

BECAUSE BUSINESSES SAY THEY CAN'T FIND WORKERS, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE FEDERAL MATCH WILL END JUNE THE 12th.

THAT'S ONE DEVELOPMENT AND ANOTHER THAT CAME OUT TODAY WAS THAT EVEN THOUGH VOTERS IN MISSOURI LAST AUGUST VOTED TO EXPAND MEDICAID FOR 275,000 MISSOURIANS, STARTING JULY THE 1st, THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT HE WON'T FUND IT.

SO TAKE IT AWAY, YOUR OPINIONS ON BOTH OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, JOE.

>> I PERSONALLY DON'T LIKE IT WHEN THERE'S BEEN A VOTE AND THEN POLITICIANS IGNORE IT.

AND I DON'T CARE WHAT SIDE IT COMES ON.

IT DIDN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU'RE FOR OR AGAINST MEDICAID EXPANSION.

IF YOU OSTENSIBLY WANT TO TAKE THE POSITION THAT YOU'RE FOR DEMOCRACY, THERE WAS A VOTE AND A RESULT OF THE VOTE AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO HONOR THAT.

THAT SAID, I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT PARSON SAID, OKAY, I WILL FUND IT BEGRUDGINGLY AND THEN OH WAIT, LOOK, THE LEGISLATURE DIDN'T GIVE ME ANY MONEY FOR IT AND NOW IT'S GOING TO GO TO COURT.

I DON'T LIKE WHEN WE HAVE A REFERENDUM, WHEN WE'RE ASKED TO GO TO A POLL TO DECIDE SOMETHING.

WE DECIDED, THE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T LIKE IT SO THEY DON'T DO IT.

>> AND WITH REGARDS TO THE FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS THAT MISSOURIANS WILL NOT GET STARTING JUNE THE 12th.

>> THAT I'M IN FAVOR -- THAT I'M IN FAVOR OF PARSON'S MOVE.

I HONESTLY THINK IT'S COMMON SENSE.

PEOPLE CAN TALK ABOUT WHATEVER THE LEVEL OF UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS, BUT IF YOU DO THE MATH, I CAN SEE WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY IT'S BETTER FOR ME TO GO OUT AND GET A JOB THAT TRY TO GET BY ON $15,000 A YEAR, ROUGHLY.

I CAN'T GET BY ON $15,000 A YEAR.

HOWEVER, WHEN YOU'RE MAKING 30, $31,000 A YEAR, MAYBE YOU DON'T GO BACK TO WORK.

AND I THINK AT SOME POINT IN TIME, IF EVERYBODY WAS THINKING THAT, WELL, THIS IS JUST GOING TO GO ON FOREVER, HATE TO SAY IT OR PLEASED TO SAY IT, THE PANDEMIC ANDIES AND EVENTUALLY LIFE THAT IS TO GET BACK TO NORMALLY AND PAYING PEOPLE 30 OR $31,000 TO STAY HOME IS NOT GOOD FOR PEOPLE WHO RUN BUSINESSES.

JUST NOT.

>> BUT NOW THERE IS A PUSH, AT LEAST I'VE SEEN MANY, MANY POSTS OR TWEETS ON TWITTER ABOUT HOW THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE UNEMPLOYMENT FUNDS BEING DISTRIBUTED TO THE STATES.

THIS IS ALL ABOUT REDEFINING THE WORKPLACE AND HOW PEOPLE ARE MAD AS HECK AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE.

I'M WITH YOU, JOE.

I THINK THAT IT'S GOTTEN PRETTY EASY, CERTAINLY THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE FOR WHOM THEY ARE -- THIS IS NECESSARY AND SADLY, I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.

>> WELL, ONE THING THAT'S COMING OUT OF THIS IS LIKE McDONALD'S IS RAISING THEIR WAGE.

ANOTHER MAJOR FAST FOOD RESTAURANT IS DOING THE SAME THING.

PART OF IT IS YOU DON'T PAY ENOUGH MONEY, SO THUS, PEOPLE CAN DO THAT MATH, OKAY?

AND THEY SAID, YEAH, IT IS EASIER.

TOO, REPUBLICANS ARE READING THIS ROOM WRONG.

THEY ARE STILL PASSING THAT THING OFF THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO WORK ON LAZY PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO MOST OF THEM, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE BLACK PEOPLE OKAY?

AND I GUARANTEE YOU THEY'RE HEARING RIGHT NOW FROM PEOPLE IN RURAL MISSOURI SAYING, WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?

OKAY?

THEY GOT THIS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, JUST NARROW SCOPE OF WHO'S TOO LAZY TO GO BACK TO WORK.

AND THIS IS THROUGHOUT THIS STATE AND ALL STATES AND PRIMARILY MOST OF THESE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO PEOPLE WHO USED TO WORK SOME PLACE THAT DIDN'T GO BACK AND MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI ARE WHITE.

AND I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE A BACKLASH OVER THIS THAT THEY DID NOT EXPECT.

NOW -- >> RIGHT, AND ALVIN -- >> IT IS TRUE, IT IS TRUE THAT A LOT OF BUSINESSES, ONE I USED TO GO TO, MALLOANS, THEY COULDN'T FIND PEOPLE TO WORK.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT THAT'S A REALITY AND IF THIS IS PLAYING SOME ROLE IN IT, THEN MAYBE THEY CAN BE IDENTIFIED, BUT JUST ON JUNE 12th, IT'S OVER, I THINK THAT KIND OF ATTITUDE COMES FROM YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHO IT IS THAT'S NOT GOING BACK TO WORK.

>> AND KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS ONLY -- I MEAN, EVENTUALLY THE MONEY IS GOING TO STOP COMING FEDERALLY.

IT'S JUST INTERESTING NOW IN THE RED STATES, IT'S GOING TO END NOW BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE A POLITICAL STATEMENT.

ALVIN IS VERY MUCH ON THE MARK HERE, AND FRANKLY, BOTH THIS AND THE MEDICARE IS THE SAME SORT OF -- THE REPUBLICANS ARE STILL RUNNING AGAINST SORT OF A '60s TROPE OF IGNORING EVEN THE WELFARE REFORM OF THE '90s UNDER CLINTON THAT THIS IS ALL, YOU KNOW, URBAN PEOPLE, WHICH IT ISN'T, AND WITH MEDICAID, IT'S THE SAME THING.

JOE IS RIGHT ABOUT THE PUBLIC WILL THING, BUT THE ONLY REASON THE REPUBLICANS ARE MAKING A LITTLE STAND ON MEDICAID EXPANSION, WHICH HAS GOT TO BE THE STUPIDEST SELF-DEFEATING THING EVER, GIVING OVER A BILLION DOLLARS THAT WE PAID INTO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IS BECAUSE OF THIS TROPE AND IT'S ALL POLITICS.

>> KEEP IN MIND, ALL THESE BUSINESSES GOT -- WAIT.

ALL THESE BUSINESSES GOT THEIR PPE.

THEY GOT ALL THEIR MONEY AND SO THIS IDEA THAT THIS -- LIKE, IS EXCLUSIVELY GOING TO PEOPLE -- >> YOU CAN'T GET PEOPLE TO WORK, RAY.

YOU CAN'T GET PEOPLE TO WORK, ALL THE PP IN THE WORLD ISN'T GOING TO HELP YOU.

>> PAY THEM A DECENT WAGE AND THEY'LL COME TO WORK.

>> IF YOU'RE TRYING TO PROPOSE THAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE DEALING IN OUTDATED TROPES, WHAT ARE THE DEMOCRATS DOING?

AND IT'S ALL POLITICS?

WHAT DO POLITICIANS DO?

THE IDEA THAT DEMOCRATS ARE ON ONE SIDE, NOT PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO TROPES OR NOT TRYING TO WIN THE VOTE, AND ONLY REPUBLICANS ARE DOING THAT, THAT'S ILLOGICAL AND YOU KNOW AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS.

>> WELL, I WOULD SAY THIS -- >> THE PARTY OF TRUMP -- >> THE FACTS ARE WE HAVE 8.1 MILLION JOB OPENINGS IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT LAST FRIDAY, IT WAS ANNOUNCED THERE WERE JUST 266,000 NEW HIRES AND YOU TALK TO ANY BUSINESS PERSON IN THIS AREA, THEY SAY THEY CAN'T FIND WORKERS.

HOW CAN PEOPLE BE OUT OF WORK WHEN ALL THESE BUSINESSES NEED WORKERS?

I AGREE, I THINK -- >> WHAT BUSINESS ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, CHARLIE?

FAST FOOD?

>> EVERY BUSINESS, WHETHER IT'S BANNER CONSTRUCTION OR ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND OR THE HOSPITALS OR SCHOOLS, PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO HIRE.

EVERYBODY'S HIRING RIGHT NOW.

>> I KNOW PEOPLE LOOKING FOR WORK THAT TELL ME THAT'S NOT TRUE, BUT -- >> IT FLIES IN THE FACE OF LOGIC TO THINK THAT SAYING THAT TO STAY HOME WILL EARN YOU $15,000 AND THEN IF YOU SAY, OH STAYING HOME WILL EARN YOU $30,000 THAT, MORE PEOPLE WON'T SAY HOME.

OF COURSE, THEY WILL.

OF COURSE, THEY WILL.

>> BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THE OTHER STATES THAT ARE NOT BEING RUN BY DONALD TRUMP AND THAT AREN'T DOING THAT?

>> THOSE BLUE STATES, RAY, PLAYING TO THEIR CROWD BASED ON TROPES FROM THE 1960s.

WELCOME TO POLITICS.

>> OKAY, WHAT A -- LET'S MOVE ON.

>> THESE STATES ARE SAYING NO, WE CARE DID -- >> JOE HOLLEMAN, IN THE INTERESTS OF TIME, WE'LL MOVE ON AND THAURCHING VERY MUCH FOR YOUR THOUGHTS.

ROBERT FERNANDEZ, HOMELESS GUY WINS IN TRAL COURT.

HE HAD PANHANDLED AT THE CORNER OF 55 AND LINDBERGH, I THINK, FOR YEARS.

IS THAT THE LOCATION THERE, JOE?

>> YES.

>> AND HE WAS ARRESTED NUMEROUS TIMES.

HE WAS CITED NUMEROUS TIMES, AND HE BASICALLY SAID, LOOK, I'VE GOT TO GET THIS PERMIT TO PANHANDLE, IT'S ONLY GOOD FOR SIX MONTHS, IT COSTS ME $13 AND HE WAS DOING THIS, BUT OTHER PEOPLE LIKE THOSE COLLECTING SIGNATURES OR PETITIONS OR THOSE WHO ARE PROTESTING DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING.

SO HE SUED AND JUDGE STEPHEN LIMBAUGH SAID YOU'RE RIGHT.

THE COUNTY, WHICH HAD BEEN CITING YOU AND ARRESTING YOU, IS ABRIDGING YOUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT.

MY ONLY CONCERN IS, DOES THAT MEAN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF PANHANDLERS AT INTERSECTIONS?

I'M NOT TOO CRAZY ABOUT THAT.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS, ALVIN?

>> I DON'T THINK THIS WILL INCREASE THE, YOU KNOW, THE PANHANDLING QUOTIENT BECAUSE THERE'S JUST ONLY SO MANY PEOPLE EVEN WANT TO DO THAT OR BE THERE.

BUT, OF COURSE, OUR STATE THINKS THEY AREN'T WORKING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

BUT YOU CAN'T -- YOU KNOW, IF A FIREFIGHTER CAN BE OUT THERE WITH HIS BOOT, YOU KNOW, COLLECTING MONEY AND HE'S NOT A SAFETY HAZARD, THEN A GUY, YOU KNOW, SHAKING HIS EMPTY HARDEE'S CUP IS NOT A VIOLATION EITHER.

YOU CAN'T MAKE LAWS THAT SPECIFY WHO CAN STAND ON THE MEDIAN AND COLLECT MONEY FROM PEOPLE AND WHO CAN'T.

THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE JUDGE, YOU KNOW, WAS SAYING.

I MEAN, THE LAW IS WHAT THE LAW IS.

NOW, WHERE IT GOES FROM HERE, YOU KNOW, JUDGE LIMBAUGH IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR.

THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF BEING A JUDGE, I GUESS, BUT NO, I DEFINITELY GET THIS AND I UNDERSTAND IT.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE MADE THE POINT THAT -- A LOT OF PEOPLE MAKING THE POINT THAT IF YOU JUST STOP -- IF YOU STOP RESPONDING TO THE PANHANDLER, THEY WILL PULL UP STAKES AND MOVE ELSEWHERE.

THAT DOESN'T SEEM EXACTLY MERCIFUL.

I THINK THE FIRE MEN WITH THE BOOT ARGUMENT, THOUGH, WHAT IS PUT THIS OVER THE TOP.

>> I ALSO THINK THAT THE JUDGE MADE A POINT ABOUT SAFETY.

I HAVE PASSED THIS GENTLEMAN, I'VE USED THAT EXIT TWO DOZEN, THREE DOZEN TIMES.

HE'S NOT A SAFETY HAZARD, AND AS PEOPLE WHO WORK CORNERS, HE KNOWS WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN AND TRAFFIC STARTS TO MOVE.

HE HOPS UP ON THE SIDEWALK AREA AND HE'S NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM AS FAR AS SAFETY.

NOW, IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE OUT THERE WHO'S CUTTING IN BETWEEN CARS WHILE TRAFFIC IS MOVING -- >> WE'VE ALL SEEN THAT.

WE'VE ALL SEEN THAT.

>> RIGHT, AND WE HAVE.

BUT THIS IS A GUY WHO HAS FIGURED OUT HOW TO WORK THIS CORNER AND HE'S DOING IT, AND I GUESS HIS VERY EXISTENCE ON THAT CORNER HAS BOTHERED SOMEBODY ENOUGH, I'VE SEEN HIM, I DON'T KNOW, 30 TIMES, DOESN'T BOTHER ME.

A TIME OR TWO, I THINK I MAY HAVE DROPPED SOMETHING IN THE CUP.

OTHER TIMES, I LEAVE THE WINDOW OPEN -- OR WINDOW CLOSED.

HE DOESN'T KNOCK IT.

HE'S NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER THAT I'VE EVER SEEN.

>> I DON'T KNOW, JOE.

I THINK IT'S ALL DANGEROUS WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE BOPPING IN AND AROUND INTERSECTIONS, BUT IT IS INTERESTING.

I THINK THAT AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE COUNTY ADMITTED THAT IT'S NO LONGER GOING TO BE ABLE TO ARREST PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE DEFINITIONS OF BEING A VAGRANT IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY, WHICH INCLUDED GAMBLING AND, OF COURSE, THAT MUST HAVE BEEN WRITTEN WAY BEFORE SLOT MACHINES AND LOTTERIES BECAME LEGAL.

BUT TRUTH BE TOLD, THERE ARE SOME ACTIVITIES THAT THE COUNTY WAS PROHIBITING WITHOUT PERMISSION, INCLUDING GETTING A RIDE OR HITCH HIKING OR CHECKING FOR A CHARITY OR PANHANDLING, BUT THE COUNTY SEEMS TO SAY IT WAS OKAY TO PROTEST IN THE STREET.

THEY DIDN'T ABRIDGE THAT FIRST -- YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT TO PROTEST OR COLLECT SIGNATURES OR TO REGISTER VOTERS.

>> OR EVANGELIZE, RIGHT?

>> EXACTLY.

I SAY BE CAREFUL OUT THERE, EVERYBODY.

AS WE MOVE ON TO, WENDY.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE STATE OF MISSOURI, ERIC SCHMITT, IS AMONG OTHER LEADERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO SENT A LETTER TO MARK ZUCKERBERG, THE CEO OF FACEBOOK, SAYING WE DON'T WANT INSTAGRAM FOR KIDS UNDER 13.

FACEBOOK HAS THESE PLANS TO HAVE A YOUTH VERSION OF INSTAGRAM AND HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS AS THE MOTHER OF TWO?

>> WELL, MINE ARE 30, SO THEY'RE WELL PAST INSTAGRAM FOR KIDS, AS YOU KNOW, CHARLIE, BUT I -- I'M VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH ANOTHER PLATFORM WHEN FACEBOOK HAS HAD A HISTORY OF ISSUES, YOU KNOW, WHETHER PRIVACY ISSUES OR SECURITY ISSUES, I DON'T FEEL -- I DON'T FEEL THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PROTECT CHILDREN ENOUGH FROM THE PREDATORY, YOU KNOW, ASPECTS OF FACEBOOK AND THE ADULTS WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM.

>> I DON'T THINK YOU CAN -- WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T -- THIS IS -- I'M KIND OF TIRED OF ERIC SCHMITT WEIGHING IN ON EVERYTHING THAT ISN'T HIS JOB AND WORRYING ABOUT -- HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STATE OF MISSOURI, BUT OF COURSE, WHEN HE DOES IN MIX OF SUN AND CLOUDS -- DOES IN MISSOURI LIKE HE DID WITH THE FOSERS THIS WEEK ON THE COUNTY COVID REGULATIONS, HE MAKES A FOOL OF HIMSELF, BUT ON THIS THING, I THINK AS A PARENT OF A COUPLE TEENAGERS, YOU HAVE TO TRUST YOUR KIDS AND I DON'T THINK IT'S FROM A FIRST AMENDMENT STANDPOINT, THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO BE PLAYING THIS CALL.

LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE ERIC DOES NOW IS GRANDSTANDING.

HE'S RUNNING FOR SENATE AND IT'S JUST TIRING THAT ALL HE DOES IS FILE AMICUS BRIEFS AND JOIN -- MAKING BIG STATEMENTS.

DO YOUR JOB IN MISSOURI.

>> I AGREE, BUT I'LL ALSO SAY, IT'S JUST -- I'M ALWAYS WORRIED WHEN YOU SAY SOMEONE CAN'T DO SOMETHING BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE YOU.

ZUCKERBERG, EVIL.

FACEBOOK, EVEN THOUGH ZUCKERBERG DIDN'T MAKE FACEBOOK EVIL, PEOPLE -- -- PEOPLE -- BUT IT'S HIS FAULT.

I HAVE NO USE FOR THE MAN, NEVER MET HIM, PROBABLY NEVER WILL.

I'M JUST WARY OF SEEING YOU CAN'T DO THIS.

LET THE PARENTS DECIDE WHO'S ON LINE AND WHO'S NOT AND WHAT THEY WATCH AND DON'T WATCH.

IT IS STILL POSSIBLE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN IN MOST AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS.

>> MY CONCERN ABOUT FACEBOOK, HAVING JUST READ FACEBOOK THE INSIDE STORY BY STEPHEN LEVI, THE WHOLE OPERATION USES THE LATEST IN NEUROLOGY AND ALGORITHMS TO SUCK YOU IN SO YOUR EYEBALLS ARE FIXED ON THEIR OPERATION, AND IF HE'S GOING TO DO THAT WITH KIDS UNDER 13, I AM REALLY AFRAID.

>> FIRST OF ALL, CHAERM, THEY'VE BEEN DOING THAT ON TV SINCE THEY INVENTED TV.

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO FALL VICTIM TO IT, DON'T TURN YOUR TV ON.

>> IT'S A LITTLE MORE SOPHISTICATED THAN THAT ON TELEVISION.

SOCIAL MEDIA ARE DESIGNED TO KEEP YOUR EYEBALLS ON WHETHER IT'S TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, SNAPCHAT, FACEBOOK AND THE LIKE.

>> OKAY, SO WHY DON'T I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?

BECAUSE I'M NOT USING THEM.

>> WELL, YOU ARE A 61-YEAR-OLD MALE.

>> BUT SO WHAT?

>> BUT YOUR CHILDREN, I THINK, IF ANYTHING WE'VE LEARNED IN THIS AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THE CHILDREN ARE NOT AS EASILY WATCHED, ALVIN, AS THEY ONCE WERE.

THEY HAVE THE PHONE, THEY HAVE THE SCREENS, THEY HAVE THE DESKTOPS, THE LAPTOPS, THE iPADS.

IT'S NOT EASY AS IT USED TO BE WHEN WE ALL HAD ONE TELEVISION IN THE FAMILY ROOM.

>> ALL RIGHT, TAKE THE MODEM WITH YOU TO WORK.

AIN'T NOBODY SIGNING ON.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE ALVIN IS CALLING FOR PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND I BACK HIP 100%.

>> I DO TOO, I DO TOO.

>> THE BOTTOM LIPE IS THE MOBILITY THAT PEOPLE HAVE, NOT JUST KIDS, BUT INCLUDING KIDS, THE MOBILITY AND THE CHOICES AND THE FREEDOM THAT IS PROVIDED SOMETIMES TO A FAULT BY THE INTERNET HAS CHANGED THE WORLD, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS, I'M WITH ALVIN 100%.

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL AND HONE FOR THE BEST AND HOPE THEY MAKE GOOD JUDGMENT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PUT THEM IN A BUBBLE.

>> AND WHEN THEY DON'T MAKE GOOD DECISIONS BECAUSE THE PARENTS AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION, THEY'LL BECOME OUR PROBLEM ON THE OTHER END, RIGHT?

>> OKAY, WELL -- >> YOU CANNOT PUT THEM IN A BUBBLE.

>> THE ONLY THING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, GUYS, IS THE TRACK RECORD OF THIS COMPANY BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO PRIVACY AND FAKE NEWS AND RUSSIAN INTERVENTION AND MORE, ZUCKERBERG TURNED A BLIND EYE.

HE'S BEEN DOING THIS SINCE HE WAS IN HIS DORMITORY AT HARVARD WHEN HE STARTED THIS.

>> YOU CAN'T PASS A LAW BECAUSE OF ONE COMPANY, CHARLIE.

>> EXACTLY.

WE'RE GOING TO PASS A LAW BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE FACEBOOK.

I MEAN, I GET IT, BUT -- >> ARE YOU GOING TO BAN DISNEY FROM EVERYTHING?

>> WE DID IT ABOUT BIG TOBACCO AND MA BELL.

>> ONE AT A TIME.

I DIDN'T HEAR YOU, JOE.

>> I THINK WE'RE REACHING, AS YOU LISTEN TO OUR DISCUSSION RIGHT HERE, WE'RE LUMPING SOCIAL MEDIA IN WITH RADIO AND TELEVISION, SO THE ARGUMENT THAT SOME YEARS AGO SAID THIS SHOULDN'T BE REGULATED BY THE FCC, IT SHOULD BE FREE, I THINK THAT'S WHAT MIGHT CHANGE OVERALL IS THAT THESE FLAG FARMS END UP GETTING REGULATED SUCH AS RADIO AND TELEVISION HAVE, THERE ARE CERTAIN CODES THAT RADIO AND TELEVISION, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE LOOSENED OVER THE YEARS, ARE STILL SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW.

THE SEVEN WORDS YOU CAN'T SAY, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY TO PUT IT.

NOW WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ALL THESE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WHICH IN MANY WAYS HAVE REPLACED RADIO AND TELEVISION FOR A YOUNGER GENERATION, SO MAYBE IT IS TIME TO LOOK AT SOME SORT OF LEGISLATION THAT CONTROLS WHAT SORT OF CONTENT IS THERE.

BUT OVERALL, TO GIVE ANOTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR PRETEENS, THAT HAS A CREEPY FACTOR JUST OUT THE ROOF.

>> WHAT IF DISNEY DOES IT?

>> LET'S MOVE ON.

JOE, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT -- >> WHAT DID DISNEY DOES IT?

HOW DO YOU SAY FACEBOOK CAN'T, BUT DISNEY CAN?

WHAT IS YOUR -- >> IS DISNEY TRYING TO DO IT?

>> WELL, IF THEY WANTED TO, NOBODY COULD SAY YOU CAN'T HAVE -- >> I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAN SAY ZUCKERBERG CAN'T DO THIS.

I'M SAYING SHOULD SOMEONE BE ABLE TO SELL HIM TO DO IT.

>> AND CERTAINLY NOT THE STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL.

I MEAN PEOPLE -- >> WHO ELSE, RAY?

>> WE'RE BACK TO ERIC SCHMITT AGAIN.

>> THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED.

>> LET'S MOVE ON, GUYS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

JOE HOLLEMAN, ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, STORY THIS WEEK POINTING OUT THAT THE MAYOR, TISHAURA JONES, DID SOMETHING I DON'T RECALL SEEING.

SHE VETOED TWO DEVELOPMENTS, ONE ON LOCUST, THE EAR, WOULDN'T WE TALKED ABOUT, THE WRRENOVATION OF THE OLD JESUIT HALL.

AND SHE VETOED THEM BECAUSE THE DEVELOPERS ARE GETTING TERMS TOO GENEROUS IN TERMS OF TAX BREAKS.

ONE OF THEM HAD A 95% TAX ABATEMENT.

SHE SAID, HEY, LET'S GO TO THE TABLE AND WE'LL NEGOTIATE.

I THINK THAT'S A GOOD MOVE.

I THINK WE'VE BEEN GIVING AWAY THE CANDY STORE FOR TOO DARN LONG.

>> I AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT'S A GOOD FIRST STEP.

I DON'T SEE IT AS A -- I SEE IT AS A FIRST STEP TO AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.

I DON'T SEE IT AS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT IN AND OF ITSELF.

I THINK THAT WAY TOO MANY TIMES THE FREE MARKET GET IGNORED, AND BUSINESSES EITHER THROUGH TIFs OR TAX ABATEMENTS GET BREAKS THAT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY NEED.

LOOK AT ALL THE COMMUNITIES IN THIS NATION THAT HAVE BUILT FOOTBALL STADIUMS AND BASEBALL PARKS FOR VERY RICH PEOPLE THAT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE DONE IT ANYWAY, BUT IF YOU'RE A DECENT BUSINESSMAN OR BUSINESS WOMAN, YOU'RE GOING TO ASK FOR A BREAK.

I WOULD.

WE ALL WOULD.

BUT THEN YOU SAY NO.

I THINK YOU CAN AFFORD IT.

WHAT I DON'T SEE IT IS PEOPLE THAT ON THE OTHER HAND, THE FOLLOW-UP WAS THIS WILL GET DEVELOPMENT IN OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY.

I'M NOT SURE THAT WE CAN ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU TURNED THIS ONE DOWN, THAT IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY BENEFIT SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE WHEN WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS GIVING TAX BREAKS FOR THERE.

THEN YOU HAVE THE SAME SITUATION, BUT AS FAR AS NOT GIVING TAX BREAKS TO BIG RICH CORPORATIONS, I AM 100% BEHIND THAT.

>> CHARLIE, I AGREE WITH JOE ABOUT THE LAST THING HE JUST SAID, AND THE ONE THING IS, WHERE IT IS IN THE CITY OR IN ANY -- ST. LOUIS COUNTY, WHATEVER, MATTERS.

IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS NOT -- THIS COMES OUT OF THE CONCEPT THAT TIFs AND TAX -- ALL THE TAX BREAKS HAVE BEEN DRAMATICALLY ABUSED.

THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT, WHICH ACTUALLY CAME OUT OF EUROPE CALLED ENTERPRISE ZONES, WAS -- THE IDEA WAS TO INCENTIVIZE BUSINESSES TO GO PLACES THEY WOULD NOT GO IN THE FREE MARKET.

SO HE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

THE IDEA WAS IF AN AREA IS SO BLIGHTED AND SO RUNDOWN IN A CITY, COUNTY, WHATEVER, RURAL AREAS, WHEN YOU'VE GOT TO INCENT -- YOU WANT TO BRING THEM BACK.

YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE HOUSING STOCK, YADA, YADA.

YOU INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO GO WHERE THEY WOULDN'T GO.

NOTHING ABOUT THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS RINGS TRUE.

>> WHAT ABOUT GRAND CENTER, RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM OUR BROADCAST STUDIO?

>> THERE WAS A TIME THAT GRAND CENTER PROBABLY FIT THAT CATEGORY.

IT DOESN'T FIT AT MUCH NOW, BUT THE POINT IS WHEN GRAND CENTER FIRST STARTED, IT MOST CERTAINLY FIT THAT.

SO THE QUESTION IS, I'VE HAD A -- HYDE PARK IS A GREAT EXAMPLE WHERE WE OUGHT TO BE INCENTIVIZED.

IT'S A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL AREA, LIKE ARCHITECTURAL -- >> ALVIN, ALVIN -- >> THEY SHOULD BE INCENTIVIZED.

>> ALVIN?

I THOUGHT YOU WERE JUMPING IN.

>> I WAS SAYING YO, YEAH, GO AHEAD.

>> I'M DONE.

>> OKAY, HE'S DONE.

LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO BEAR.

RAY, YOU HAD A TUSSLE WITH ONE THIS PAST WEEK IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT NOW I DON'T KNOW IF MOST FOLKS KNOW THIS, THERE'S GOING TO BE A BEAR HUNTING SEASON IN MISSOURI FOR THE FIRST TIME IN QUITE SOME TIME STARTING IN OCTOBER BECAUSE THE BEAR POPULATION HAS INCREASED.

ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF CULLING THE HERD OR -- DO BEARS TRAVEL IN HERDS?

MAYBE NOT, BUT ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF THE BEAR HUNTING SEASON IN ST. LOUIS STARTING IN MID OCTOBER?

>> IN ST. LOUIS?

>> MISSOURI, EXCUSE ME.

IT MIGHT BE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD DEPENDING ON LAST WEEK.

>> NO.

I'VE NEVER HAD -- NO, I'M AGAINST KILLING BEARS.

I'M SORRY.

I THINK THAT THEY'RE -- NO.

I'M AGAINST IT.

>> I AGREE WITH -- I'M TOTALLY AGAINST IT.

I THINK JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS LIKE, OH, THEY'RE NO LONGER ENDANGERED, SO LET'S HUNT THEM BACK INTO ENDANGERED SPECIES AGAIN.

THAT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO ME.

NOW THIS BEAR WHO SHOWED UP IN KIRKWOOD AND I GUESS THE RENT WAS TOO HIGH, SO HE WENT TO -- >> HEY, HEY.

>> TO THE ENTERPRISE ZONE FOR BEARS.

SO NOW THAT PROVES, LET'S JUST HUNT THEM DOWN BECAUSE THEY'RE A NUISANCE NOW.

I'M NOT DOWN WITH THE HUNTING OF THE BLACK BEARS ANYWHERE IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI.

>> I THINK THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN TO HAVE FIVE CITIES SUBURBAN FOLKS GET TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT WILDLIFE.

IT'S FABULOUS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAME OFF THE ENDANGERED LIST.

LET'S FOR A MINUTE GIVE THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, WHICH HAS RUN HUNTS ON A VARIETY OF ANIMALS FOR DECADES UPON DECADES, THAT THEY MONITOR THESE THINGS AND ONE OF THE REASONS YOU HAVE THEM IS THAT THEY DON'T GET HUNTED BACK TO EXTINCTION.

SO WHAT WE HAVE IS THEY'RE SAYING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH AN OVERABUNDANCE OF THEM.

SO INDEED, TO HARVEST, WHATEVER WORD, KILL BEARS, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M WILLING TO SAY AS THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION IS DOING THEIR STUDIES, I HAVEN'T NOTICED THE DEER POPULATION NEARING EXTINCTION IN ST. LOUIS OR MISSOURI AND I HAVE FULL FAITH THAT THEY WILL MONITOR THE BEAR HUNT ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T DISAPPEAR.

>> 30 SECONDS, WENDY.

>> OKAY, WELL, THE DEER IN OUR AREA ACTUALLY HAVE LIKE A DINING ROOM TABLE IN OUR BACKYARD, SO THEY'RE VERY, VERY COMFORTABLE.

I AM -- BUT THAT SAID, I AM NOT COMFORTABLE -- IT'S THE TEDDY BEARS THAT HAS MADE OUR, YOU KNOW, THIS SUCH AN AVERSION.

I COULDN'T BRING MYSELF TO HUNT A BLACK BEAR, BUT IF ONE WAS, YOU KNOW, WALKING UP MY DRIVEWAY, I'D PUT A "FOR SALE" SIGN OUT IN FRONT OF THE-OUT.

>> THANK YOU, WENDY.

FOLKS, THAT CONCLUDES THE FIRST HALF.

ON OUR SECOND HALF, NEXT UP, WE'LL TALK TO DR. ART McCOY ABOUT HIS NEXT ASSIGNMENT TO INCREASE JOBS IN THE GREATER ST. LOUIS AREA.

THAT'S ON NEXT UP.

DON'T GO AWAY.

>> Announcer: DONNYBROOK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORT OF THE BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION AND THE MEMBERS OF NINE PBS.

>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE SECOND HALF, WHICH WE CALL NEXT UP, WHERE WE TALK TO AREA LEADERS, AND THIS WEEK WE'RE SO PROUD TO WELCOME DR. ART McCOY.

YOU KNOW HIM FROM EDUCATION CIRCLES.

HE'S BEEN THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE JENNINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

HE'S RETIRING, BUT HARDLY RETIRING.

IN FACT, BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO BECOME THE NEW WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LEADER FOR THE REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL.

DR. McCOY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US ON NEXT UP.

>> IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH EACH OF YOU.

>> THE PLEASURE IS OURS.

TELL OUR VIEWERS WHAT YOUR NEW ROLE WILL BE ALL ABOUT.

>> THAT'S EASY.

YOU SEE A STAR BEHIND ME.

WE WORKING ON PROMOTING AND SHOWCASING OUR STARS AND CREATING MORE STARS.

THAT'S AN ACRONYM FOR ME TO SUPPORTING PRE-K THROUGH 20, THE 20th GRADE, SO MAKE SURE THAT WE ULTIMATELY HAVE A LINE WHERE WE HAVE A THOUSAND NEW EMPLOYEES IN FOUR SECTORS, TECHNOLOGY, FACTORY AS WELL AS TRADES AND HEALTHCARE.

WE WANT TO TRANSFORM WHAT EDUCATION IS LIKE IN THAT PRE-K THROUGH 20 AREA AND WE WANT TO TOUCH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT IN FORMAL EDUCATION, IN TRAINING PROGRAMS.

WE WANT TO HELP PEOPLE ACCESS THE DATA AND ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES.

THAT'S THE "A" FOR OUR STARS AND WE'RE RECONSTRUCTING WHAT MENTORSHIP LOOKS LIKE AS WELL AS WHAT RECRUIT LOOKS LIKE BY HAVING THE CORPORATIONS, THE OVER 100 CORPORATIONS, COMMIT TO INDIVIDUALS TO TWO YEARS, FOUR YEARS, TO THE COMPLETION OF THEIR ASSOCIATES DEGREE OR BACHELOR'S DEGREE OR A CAREER PATHWAY JOB THAT GIVES YOU A LIVING WAGE.

WE DON'T WANT TO JUST TALK ABOUT IT.

WE'RE NOT A THINK TANK, WE'RE A DO TANK, AND WE'LL SHOW YOU OUR STARS HERE IN ST. LOUIS.

>> RAY.

>> DR. McCOY, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN PUBLIC EDUCATION FEEL THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION ITSELF IS UNDER ATTACK IN CAPITALS SUCH AS JEFFERSON CITY IN THE NAME OF CHARTER SCHOOLS, IN THE NAME OF VOUCHERS, PRIVATE SCHOOL FUNDING.

DO YOU HAVE A -- WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF THAT?

>> I'M A PRO-EXCELLENCE SUPERINTENDENT, AND SO I TELL PEOPLE I'M NOT PRO CHOICE, I'M PRO-EXCELLENCE, WHICH MEANS I BELIEVE THAT SYSTEMS ARE CREATED FOR THE STUDENTS.

SO IF THE SYSTEM IS XRENT, THE STUDENTS -- IS EXCELLENT, THE STUDENTS SHOULD GET ACCESS TO IT.

THAT'S HOMESCHOOLING, PAROCHIAL SCHOOLING, VOUCHERS, OPPORTUNITIES IF YOU'RE STUCK IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE SYSTEM IS UNDERPERFORMING, NO CHILD SHOULD BE FORCED TO STAY IN A SYSTEM THAT'S UNACCREDITED OR PROVISIONAL FOR 15 YEARS, 20 YEARS OR MORE.

I AM, OF COURSE, FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS BECAUSE I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT AND I KNOW CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE ALSO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I'M PRO-EXCELLENCE AND AGAINST ANYTHING THAT'S NOT EXCELLENT OR FAILING.

I KNOW THE COVID PANDEMIC CREATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE WEAKNESSES AND THE LACK OF CONSERVATORSHIP SERVICE IN THE, QUOTE-UNQUOTE, PUBLIC SCHOOLS BECAUSE MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS DID NOT GET BACK INTO SERVICE WHEREAS PRIVATE SCHOOLS WERE IN SCHOOL THE ENTIRE TIME.

WE GOT BACK TO SCHOOL BEFORE EVEN THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS.

WE PILOTED IN APRIL, WERE BACK IN JULY AND OPEN% OF THE STUDENTS WERE BACK IN TOOL.

BUT WE WERE THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE.

I BELIEVE THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, YOU'LL SEE A DIFFERENCE WHERE EVERYBODY IS BACK AND TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST.

>> DR. McCOY, ONE OF THE THINGS I HEAR, AND IT IRRITATES ME, TO BE QUITE SIMPLE ABOUT IT, IS IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FUTURE FOR BLACK YOUNG PEOPLE, BLACK KIDS, IT'S LIKE, ALL RIGHT, YOU GOT GET BLACK KIDS INTO THE TRADES.

YOU GOT TO GET BLACK KIDS INTO THE TRADES.

I THOUGHT, HOW ABOUT WE GET BLACK KIDS INTO COLLEGE?

WELL, IT'S LIKE THEY CAN'T DO THAT, AND I'M WARY OF SETTING THE GOAL NOT AS HIGH AS IT COULD BE.

SO WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

>> I LOVE IT.

I LOVE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

IT'S A BOTH/AND, NOT AN EITHER-OR.

I TELL PEOPLE COLLEGE IS THE WAYS TO AN END, EDUCATION IS A WAYS TO AN END.

DON'T BE CONFUSING THE MEANS FOR THE END.

WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS SAYING WE WANT TO HAVE MULTIPLE ON-RAMPS AND MULTIPLE OFF-RAMPS.

THE PROGRAMS WE'RE CREATING GET THE KID IN THE DOOR WITHOUT A COLLEGE DEGREE, BUT WITH A CERTIFICATE, BUT THEN IT REQUIRES THAT THE CORPORATIONS CONTINUE TO INVEST USING THEIR TUITION REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COMPLETION OF A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE AND SOMETIMES A MASTER'S DEGREE SO THEY'RE NOT STOPPING WITH THIS JOB.

THEY'RE GETTING ON A CAREER LARD AND -- CAREER LADDER AND THAT LADDER GIVES YOU THE HAPPINESS AND POWER.

SO IT'S A BOTH/AND.

SOME PEOPLE AND MANY JOBS WILL NOT REQUIRE A DEGREE.

OVER 50% IN TECHNOLOGY DON'T REQUIRE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, SO WE WANT TO GET PEOPLE TO THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITIES THAT GIVE THEM THE SKILLS, THE POST SECONDARY SKILLS THAT GETS THEM ON A PATHWAY.

SO THIS, MY SECRET SAUCE IS I PUSH THIS INTO THE JUNIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL WHERE I LITERALLY HAD MY HIGH SCHOOLERS GO ON AN EIGHT-BLOCK SCHEDULE, FOUR-PERIOD SCHEDULE.

KIDS GOT THE 24 REQUIRED CREDITS BY THE TIME THEY WERE DONE WITH THEIR JUNIOR YEAR AND SO BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE EIGHT CLASS AND YEAR AND IT'S 24 CREDITS, THAT'S SIX A YEAR, BUT WE DID EIGHT A YEAR.

THEY HAD A WHOLE YEAR THAT ALLOWED THEM TO GET WORK EXPERIENCE AND COLLEGE CREDIT EXPERIENCES SO EVERY ONE OF MY KIDS COULD GET 60 COLLEGE CREDIT HOURS AT NO COST OR A YEAR OF INSIGHT AND JOB EXPERIENCE MAKING $20 OR MORE AN HOUR.

THAT'S THE START.

THAT'S NOT THE FINISH.

SO I AGREE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT HIGHER EDUCATION AND GET PEOPLE IN CAREER LADDERS THAT THEN HAVE INDUSTRY SUPPORT FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE DEGREE.

THAT WILL ALSO ELIMINATE COLLEGE DEBT.

THE DEBT IS IN THE TRILLIONS AS WE KNOW, MULTIPLE TRILLIONS AND IF YOU GET THE JOB PATHWAY FIRST AND THEN HAVE A FOCUS FOR YOUR CAREER, YOU WON'T BE A STWRE -- A DEGREE CHANGER AND THAT'S THE GOAL, TO BE SMARTER, BUILD SMART AND CREATE STARS.

>> WE ALL STAND IN AWESOME OF EDUCATORS WHO EVEN -- I MEAN, WAY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WERE CHALLENGED IN SO MANY WAYS IN THE CLASSROOM, HAVING TO BE EVERYTHING FOR SO MANY CHILDREN TODAY, AND I MEAN, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IN TERMS OF SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES IS JUST THE AVAILABLE BANDWIDTH, INTERNET ACCESS, AND THAT KIND OF THING.

MISSOURI HAS ACTUALLY COMMITTED TO EXPANDING THE BANDWIDTH AND TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR KIDS ALL OVER THE STATE.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT, DR. McCOY, AND ARE YOU HAPPY WITH WHAT ANY PROGRESS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN TO THIS POINT?

>> LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE INSIDERS TALK.

I'M NEVER SATISFIED, BUT I AM PLEASED WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE REGIONALLY, BUT NOT IN THE STATE.

SO THERE ARE STILL ABOUT 20% OF OUR RURAL FAMILIES THAT DON'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID WAS I REACHED OUT TO SAM PAGE, I TEXTED HIM AND SAID WE NEED $4 MILLION AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT -- I SAID THIS IN MARCH AND APRIL.

AND HE JUMPED ON IT REAL QUICKLY.

IT WAS POLITICAL SEASON, SO HE WAS VERY RESPONSIVE, AND HE SAID, HEY, I'LL GIVE YOU 4 MILLION, BUT WHO ELSE CAN YOU SHARE IT WITH?

HE HELD A MEETING IN OUR GYM AND INITIATED THE LIBRARY BROADBAND HOT SPOTS AS WELL AS CHROME BOOKS AND I EVEN ASKED HIM TO HELP OUT KEVIN CARL'S DISTRICT, HANCOCK PLACE AND OTHERS IN SOUTH COUNTY AND IT HAPPENED.

IT WAS NOT THAT BAD IN THE RURAL AREAS.

THEY DO THIS DAY DO NOT HAVE BROADBAND CONNECTION, SO THERE WERE SEVEN C'S THAT WE FOCUSED ON AS I WROTE THE PAPER FOR HOW TO SCHOOL SUCCESSFULLY DURING COVID.

ONE WAS CONNECTIVITY THROUGH HOT SPOTS.

THE SECOND WAS COMPUTERS, EVERYBODY HAVE CHROME BOOKS.

THE THIRD WERE LIFE COACHES TO DEAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH, TRAUMA AND ANXIETY AS YOU POINT OUT, WENDY, FOCUSING ON THESE EPIDEMICS BEFORE THIS PANDEMIC OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISES WHERE SEVEN OUT OF TEN YOUTH HAD MENTAL HEALTH TRAUMA AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, MORE LIKE NINE OUT OF TEN.

SO THOSE ARE THE FIRST THREE C'S.

WE NEEDED CHAMPIONS FOR CERTAIN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AS RAY POINTED OUT TO MAKE EDUCATION EQUITY -- MORE EQUITABLE AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE NEEDED COURAGE AND WE BECAME CONTACT TRACERS.

I HAD A FOURTH OF MY STAFF BECOME CERTIFIED CONTACT TRACERS AND LASTLY, WE HAD TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO REALTIME COMMUNICATION AND FACTS BECAUSE THINGS WERE CHANGING SO MUCH.

THOSE WERE THE SEVEN C'S THAT HAD US BE SUCCESSFUL DURING COACHED.

I WAS ON THE GOVERNOR TASK FORCE, I SHARED IT WITH THE STATE, GOT IT TO MSBA AND PUBLISH IT TO ALL THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND SO FORTH.

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU WE HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT TO MAKE SURE ACROSS THE STATE, YOU HAVE BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY AS WELL AS COMPUTERS, ONE-TO-ONE CHROME BOOKS AND MORE.

THIS IS TWO SIDES OF ONE COIN.

ALVIN'S QUESTION ABOUT BLACK CHILDREN BEING MARGINALIZED TOWARDS ONLY THE JOBS AND TRADES IS REAL.

THAT'S MARGINALIZATION.

WE DON'T WANT JOBS.

WE WANT BUSINESS OWNERS AND CAREER PATHWAYS TO LIFE.

ON THE FLIP SIDE, WE CAN'T IGNORE RURAL AREAS WITH NO CONNECTIVITY, NO BUSINESSES AROUND THEM TO GIVE INTERNSHIPS LIKE WE HAVE HERE, SO WE WANT TO CONNECT THE DOTS AND BRIDGE THE NEED, MEET THE NEED AND EXCEED THE NEED ACROSS THE STATE.

I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THE STATE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND EVEN THE GOVERNOR WORKING TOWARDS THAT GOAL.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION THAT SORT OF DOVETAILS OFF OF ALVIN'S THAT HAD TO DO WITH TRADES AND CERTAINLY THE MARGINALIZATION IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, BUT WAS THERE A PERIOD OF TIME IN EDUCATION, LET'S SAY 10, 15 YEARS AGO, WHEN NOBODY WAS BEING TOLD TO GO INTO TRADES AND YOU MUST GO TO COLLEGE AND YOU MUST BUILD UP THIS DEBT WHICH BECAME ONE OF THE OFFSHOOTS OF IT, AND SO WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE I KNOW WHO ARE PLUMBERS, ELECTRICIANS, THEY'RE LIKE, THERE AREN'T ANY AROUND, JOE.

I MEAN, I WOULD HATE TO SEE IT MARGINALIZED, BUT WAS THERE A TIME WHEN SUCCESS IN EDUCATION MEANT GOING TO COLLEGE AND THESE JOBS THAT ARE IMPORTANT AND WELL-PAYING AND CAN ALLOW PEOPLE TO BUILD UP MONEY TO START THEIR OWN -- I MEAN, YOU CAN OWN A PLUMBING COMPANY, BUT IT HELPS TO BE A PLUMBER FIRST.

DO YOU THINK THERE'S AT LEAST A RECOGNITION THAT THE TRADES ARE NOT SOME EMBARRASSING PROFESSION TO GET INTO?

>> OH, YES, BY ALL MEANS.

YOU CAN MAKE A VALID POINT.

I'M ON THE BOARD OF THE CONSTRUCTION FORUM AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON REBRANDING THE NAMES OF IT SO THAT PEOPLE WON'T HAVE THE OLD STIGMA OF THE TRADE SCHOOLS.

IF YOU RECALL BACK IN THE '70s AND '80s, THERE WERE TRADE SCHOOLS AND THAT LEFT A STIGMA OF, OKAY, YOU'RE JUST GOING TO BE A PLUMBER.

THE FACT IS, PLUMBERS AND CARPENTERS CAN PAY MORE THAN ENTRY LEVEL TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND EVEN ATTORNEYS IN MANY CASES, AND SO WHAT WE WANT, WHAT WE HAVE FORCED IS THE TEACHING OF MICRO ENTERPRISES AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERSHIP SO THAT THE YOUTH DOES NOT STOP WITH THE JOB AS A PLUMBER, BUT THAT THEY BECOME A BUSINESS OWNER AND THEY DON'T STOP WITH THE JOB AS A CARPENTER, BUT THEY GET THE SKILLS TO HAVE AN MBA EVENTUALLY OR TO MANAGE A BUSINESS AND MANAGE PEOPLE AND HAVE LEADERSHIP SKILLS.

THIS IS WHAT I COIN AS POWER SKILLS, AND SO ULTIMATELY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CAREER PATHWAY, WE WANT TO TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO GET A JOB, HOW TO KEEP A JOB, HOW TO GET A PROMOTION AND THEN HOW TO OWN THE JOB.

HOW TO MULTIPLY, BE A MULTIPLIER FACTOR FOR YOUR FAMILY, YOUR STREET, YOUR BLOCK, YOUR COMMUNITY, AND SO REALLY THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TEACHING, THE NOTIONS OF A CAREER LADDER AND POWER TO.

LET'S NOT GET IT TWISTED OR CONFUSED.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW THAT, THAT ARE REALLY, TO BE FRANK, WHITE, MALE, AND HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE PLUMBERS, CARPENTERS AND CONTRACTORS AND OWNERS OF THEIR OWN SMALL BUSINESSES AND THEY TYPE OF THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN, HEY -- THEY TEACH THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN, HEY, TAKE THIS JOB, IT'S NOT THE FINISH BUT THE STARTING PLACE, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE OVER MY BUSINESS AS A CONTRACTOR.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO TEACH PEOPLE IN THE MAR DIDN'T ANALYZED -- MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY ABOUT THE VOICE AND POWER YOU HAVE TO GET A SKILL AND MAKE IT DURABLE TO ANYTHING YOU'RE GOING TO.

EVEN IF YOU DON'T STAY A CARPENTERING YOU CAN BECOME AED -- AN ADVANCED MANUFACTURER WITH BOEING AND PUSHING THROUGH LIFE SKILLSES TEXTBOOK SKILLS.

WE HAVE TO REMARK THE TERM BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE DON'T THINK OF ALL THAT WHEN THEY HEAR THE WORD TRADE.

THAT'S THE ISSUE.

>> DR. McCOY, YOUR NEW ASSIGNMENT IS WITH THE REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL A GROUP OF MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESSES IN THE GREATER ST. LOUIS AREA.

WHAT DO THEY TELL YOU ABOUT THEIR NEED FOR WORKERS?

DO THEY NEED WORKERS?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, I'VE BEEN A SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS, OF JENNINGS, WE NEVER HAD A LIST OF WHAT THE NEED WAS THAT WAS FRESH FROM INDUSTRY.

AND I WAS ON NATIONAL COMMITTEES TRYING TO WORK ON, WHAT DOES INDUSTRY NEED.

AND THE SPEED OF THE NEED ALWAYS WENT SO FAST, THERE WAS NO DOCUMENTED LIST.

UNTIL I STARTED WORKING DIRECTLY WITH INDUSTRIES AND THAT'S WHAT MADE THEM FALL IN LOVE WITH ME AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH THEM AND THEY HAVE LISTS THAT HAVE BEEN CRAFTED OF POWER SKILLS, I CALL IT POWER SKILLS AND NOT SOFT SKILLS BECAUSE IF YOU'RE FROM A MIDDLE CLASS OR UPWARD FAMILY, THEY'RE SOFT SKILLS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE 50 OR 60 OR THOUSAND MORE TIMES, TO SHOW UP ON TIME, TO BE WELL DRESSED.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S EASY BECAUSE YOU SEE IT, YOU DO IT, YOU KNOW IT.

BUT IF YOU'RE NOT IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S TYPICAL, THAT'S A POWER SKILL.

YOU'RE TEACHING PEOPLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU POWER, GIVES YOU RESPECT AND HELPS YOU SEE THAT YOU WANT TO BE ON THE TRACK TO MORE POWER.

THEY SEE WHAT SKILLS THEY NEED, THE DOMAINS, HAVING COVERS AND THE ABILITY TO SMILE -- CONFIDENCE AND THE ABILITY TO SMILE.

IT'S ABOUT THE CUSTOMER AND THEY'RE HAVING A GOOD PRODUCT AND THEN SOMETIMES THE LESS INTERNAL ASPECTS AND MORE SO THE EXTERNAL, LIKE SHOWING UP ON TIME, BEING WELL DRESSED, WELL SPOKEN, WELL TRAVELED, WELL VERSED, UNDERSTANDING MULTIPLE CULTURES.

GOING DOWN ON THE LIST AND UNDERSTANDING HOW TO BE A FEMALE DRIVING LEADER IN A MOSTLY MALE DOMINATED BUSINESS INDUSTRY, LET'S SAY LIKE BANKING FOR INSTANCE, HOW TO PERSEVERE, WHAT'S THE UNWRITTEN RULES, THE HIDDEN RULES AND WHAT WE NEED TO CHANGE.

SO I'VE CRAFT TILLEY COINED THIS NOT DEI, BUT DIE, DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND EQUITY BECAUSE WE DIE AS A COUNTRY AND COMMUNITY IF WE DON'T DO IT RIGHT.

I'M PROMOTING LIFE, WHICH IS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FOR THE FUTURE AND FOCUS ON EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT, AND SO IN MY ROLE, I DO HAVE A ROLE OF RBC CHAMPION, BUT I ALSO HAVE A ROLE OF BEING A DISTINGUISH FELLOW FOR ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY, THEIR FIRST DISTINGUISHED FELLOW FOR THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND THEIR THIRD FOR THE GEOSPATIAL RESEARCH, THE $50 MILLION DONATION BY REX SINQUEFIELD WHERE, AGAIN, ROBERT CARDILLO IS THE FIRST FELLOW, THE RETIRED NGA CEO.

DENY, THE SECOND FELLOW, THE RETIRED BOEING CEO WORKING ON ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, AND I'M THE THIRD, WORKING ON TRAINING AND WORKFORCE PATHWAY DEVELOPMENT.

I JUST DON'T JUST A PATHWAY, PIPELINE, I WANT A HIGHWAY.

SO WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER THIS WORKFORCE HIGHWAY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE STARS ON THAT HIGHWAY AND WE CAN DO IT.

MY OWN LIFE IS A SYSTEM TO THAT.

HOW CAN I RETIRE AT THIS AGE?

BECAUSE I STARTED TEACHING AT 18 AND I'VE DONE 25 YEARS AND I'M, QUOTE-UNQUOTE, FREE AT 43 FROM THE ROLE, BUT NOT THE GOAL.

I'M RETIRING FROM THE POSITION, BUT NOT THE MISSION, SO I'M GOING TO DEDICATE THE REST OF MY WORKING LIFE TOWARDS REALLY BEING AUTHENTIC AND REALLY DOING IT IN A WAY THAT'S GOING TO SHOW THAT'S SAME KIND OF RESULTS FOR OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE.

>> RAY?

>> DR. McCOY, DRAWING BACK TO YOUR EDUCATION BACKGROUND, YOU MADE A REFERENCE TO PRE-K.

THERE SEEMS TO BE MORE CONTROVERSY IN RECENT YEARS, THERE WAS A PERIOD IN WHICH -- IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS A CONSENSUS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

THERE SEEMS TO BE LESS OF A CONSENSUS TODAY PERHAPS.

I DON'T KNOW REALLY THE SOURCE OF IT, BUT WHAT DO YOU -- WHERE DO YOU COME DOWN ON THAT?

IS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND PRE-K EXTREMELY IMPORTANT OR OVERRATED?

>> IT'S AS IMPORTANT AS THE AIR WE BREATHE.

IT REALLY IS THAT IMPORTANT.

IT'S THE BEST INVESTMENT ANY BUSINESS PERSON OR PARENT CAN MAKE INTO THE LIFE OF A CHILD.

LET ME GIVE IT TO YOU FROM A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE.

THE MOTHER'S EDUCATION LEVEL IS ABOUT THE MIDDLE TO CEILING OF A CHILD'S EDUCATION LEVEL, AND THAT'S BEEN RESEARCHED AND WRITTEN FOR LONGER THAN WE'VE BEEN ALIVE.

SO IF YOU INSERT EDUCATION AT AGE 3 OR 4, YOU CHANGE THAT TRAJECTORY, ESPECIALLY IN THE PARENT HAD A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA ONLY OR DID NOT GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

YOU THEN INSERT THIS LEVEL OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND MATH AND COUNTING WHICH IS CRITICAL REASONING, THAT SETS THE TRAJECTORY OF THAT CHILD TOWARDS THE PATH THAT WILL BE MIDDLE CLASS OR COLLEGE LEVEL OR ABOVE, BUT THE PRESCHOOL TEACHER IS COLLEGE OR ABOVE.

IT PREVENTS INCARCERATION, THE STOPS THE 30 MILLION WORD GAP OF 5-YEAR-OLDS THAT MIDDLE CLASS STUDENTS DO.

IT SETS THE A.C.T.

SCORES HIGHER, IT PREVENTS CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE WITH TRAUMA, ABUSE, NEGLECT, SO THE RESEARCH IS ENORMOUS ON THE IMPACT OF THE YEARS OF AGE 3 AND 4.

THAT'S HOW I MET THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE.

I STARTED -- I PARTNERED, THE NURSES FOR NEWBORNS PROGRAM AND THE RAISING STL PROGRAM IN THE CITY, I BROUGHT IT TO THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE EVERY PREGNANT MOTHER HAD A NURSE AND PARENT MENTOR FROM CONCEPTION AND BIRTH OF THE CHILD AND HAD THEM WORKING WITH THE PARENTS AND GIVING THEM WORDS, LITTLE STICKY NOTES OF CARDS, READING BOOKS TO THE CHILD, EVEN WHILE THEY'RE NOT STOMACH OF THE MOTHER.

THAT'S ALL PART OF THIS, AND THEN OF COURSE AT AGE 3 AND 4, EARLY CHILDHOOD AND THEN KINDERGARTEN AND 1st GRADE.

IT'S THE BEST INVESTMENT FOR THE LONG RUN.

>> DR. McCOY, WITH EVERYTHING HAPPENING TODAY AT SUCH WARP SPEED, HOW DO EDUCATORS STAY ON TOP OF POTENTIAL CAREER PATHS OF THE FUTURE?

YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK WITH THE COLONIAL PIPELINE, THERE'S BEEN A REAL EMPHASIS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CYBERSECURITY JOBS.

HOW DO YOU AS AN EDUCATOR ADDRESS THE FUTURE WHEN THINGS ARE MOVING SO QUICKLY?

>> THAT'S -- I HAVE TO SAY, THAT'S WHY THE NEED FOR US TO CREATE A LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FOR THE FUTURE OF EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT, AND -- EDUCATION IN BUSINESS AND IN COMMUNITIES.

AS AN EDUCATOR MYSELF, I DID IT BY REALLY REESK OUT AND TOUCHING THOSE BUSINESSES.

I WOULD RAISE $2 MILLION OF PRIVATE FUNDS FROM THEM TO CREATE A FOUNDATION, USING THE FOUNDATION TO PAY FOR INTERNSHIPS.

I HELPED BRIAN CROSS AND THE MISSOURI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO ESTABLISH ME THE SHOW ME CAREERS PROGRAM WHICH TAKES TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS EVERY SUMMER TO DO EXTERNSHIPS FOR ONE WEEK AT THE BUSINESSES WITHIN THEIR LOCALE.

WE ACTUALLY STARTED THAT IN FERGUSON IN 2011 BEFORE THE ST. LOUIS CHAMBER AND THROUGH DEBORAH PATTERSON'S WORK WITH DEBORAH HOLMES AND AT THAT TIME, AND NOW IT'S GOT CRYSTALLIZED TO THAT PROGRAM.

WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND WHAT WE ARE DOING AT RBC, WE'RE SUPPORTING THE SHOW ME CAREER'S WORK, SUPPORTING THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO TEACHER EXTERNSHIPS SO THEY CAN GO TO THE BUSINESS IN THE SUMMER AND THAT'S THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

NO MORE SITTING IN THE CLASSROOM, SITTING AT HOME REMOTE AND DOING A P.D., PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE SCREEN, INTO TO THE BUSINESS.

THAT'S WHERE WHAT A CARPENTER TOLD ME.

THE BEST WAY TO KNOW WHETHER YOU CAN DO THE JOB IS TO PUT YOU ON THE JOB AND SEE IF YOU CAN DO IT OR NOT.

DON'T READ A TEXTBOOK.

THE SAME IS TRUE FOR TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS TO LEARN WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND BUSINESS IS FAST.

IT'S MOVING AT THE SPEED OF PEOPLE AND PEOPLE THAT'S PIVOTED ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL AND THOSE THAT AREN'T ARE NOT HERE.

YOU HAVE TO SEE THE PIVOT AND BE PART OF IT.

I'VE HAD STUDENTS DO EXTERNSHIPS IN FUTURE READY LABS EVERY SUMMER AND NOW WE'RE PAYING TEACHERS TO DO EXTERNSHIPS AT THE BUSINESSES.

>> ART, YOU KNOW, THAT LIST THAT YOU GAVE, A LOT OF KIDS, THEY FULFILL THAT LIST AND THEN OTHERS, THEY DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO, YOU KNOW, PUT THEMSELVES IN A SITUATION TO WORK IN THE TRADES.

SO THEY WANT TO WORK IN THE TRADES, BUT MEANWHILE, DOWN AT THE UNION HALL, THEY'RE THINKING SOMETHING ELSE ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT AND MEANWHILE DOWN AND THE CORPORATE OFFICE, THEY'RE ATTITUDES THAT ARE COMPLETE DIFFERENT.

OUR BEST AND OUR BRIGHTEST GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE.

I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MY DAUGHTERS LEAVE AND COME BACK AT SOME TIME.

HOW DO YOU COMBAT THAT?

THAT'S A REALITY OF ST. LOUIS AND ALL THE TALK WON'T CHANGE THE ATTITUDES THAT HOLD PEOPLE BACK.

HOW DO YOU FIGHT THAT?

>> YOU'RE RIGHT.

REAL MONEY IS THE QUICKEST WAY.

WHEN I HAD REAL PEOPLE, I GOT 50 OF THEM RIGHT NOW THAT ARE GOING TO BE DOING WORK WITH -- 30 THAT ARE UPSTAIRS FROM WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW THAT ARE CELEBRATING GETTING $20 AN HOUR APPRENTICESHIPS IN A TECH COMPANY WITH THE SIGMA AND THE TRAINING FROM BUSINESS SOLUTIONS.

WHEN THOSE KIDS WHO ARE HIGH SCHOOL, 18-YEAR-OLDS AND LAST YEAR'S GRADUATES, HEN THEY SHOW THEIR FRIENDS THAT CHECK AND WALK IN THE ROOM WITH A GUCCI AND THEIR FRIEND IS LIKE, DID YOU STEAL THAT?

NO, I GOT A JOB THAT'S PAYING ME MORE THAN MY MAMA MAKES.

THE FASTEST WAY IS WORD OF MOUTH, SO THE KEY TO KEEP OUR THEN HERE IS GIVING THEM ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES.

PEOPLE SAYING EDUCATION IS THE GREAT EQUALIZER, BUT ACCESS TO POWERFUL OPPORTUNITY IS AN EQUITY SUPER SIZER.

YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY AND SHOWCASE YOUR STARS SO PEOPLE SAYOFF TO GO TO CHICAGO TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN, I BELIEVE BE RIGHT HERE AND BE PAID, BE WELL EDUCATED, TAKEN CARE OF FOR FOUR YEARS AND HAVE A COMMITMENT TO THE BUSINESS.

THEIR LOYAL TO ME MAKES ME MORE LOYAL TO STAY HERE AND BE LOYAL TO YOU.

THAT'S OUR SHORTEST MESSAGE.

IN THE LONG-TERM, YOU SHOULD ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS AND THAT MENTORSHIP, THAT "R" FOR RECONSTRUCTING WHAT MENTORSHIP LOOKS LIKE WHERE YOU HAVE A PERSON SAY YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE MY JOB, SO I WANT TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW TO INVEST IN YOU BECAUSE I'M GIVING IT TO YOU.

I DON'T WANT TO KEEP IT.

YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE NEXT BEST JOURNALIST OR BANKER OR ENGINEER, SO FORTH.

THAT'S WHAT MANY COMPANIES ARE DOING MORE.

EVEN BJC, THEY'RE COMMITTING TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, SO THAT COMMITMENT WILL LEAD TO PEOPLE STAYING IN MY OPINION MORE AND US NOT LOSING OUR TALENT.

>> WHAT IS THE MOST DETRIMENTAL ATTITUDE THAT YOU HEAR FROM THE KIDS THAT YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH?

IS THERE -- THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, THERE IS NO SUCCESS FOR ME, THERE'S NO CHANCE FOR ME.

I MEAN, WHAT IS IT AS AN EDUCATOR, YOU SAY LOOK AT ALL THESE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE AND THEY JUST THINK THAT'S NOT FOR ME.

HOW DO YOU COMBAT WHAT SEEMS TO BE AN ALREADY -- SEEMINGLY ALREADY ENTERING THE SYSTEM WITH SOMEWHAT OF A DEFEATED ATTITUDE, THAT THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT HERE FOR ME?

HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THEIR ABILITY TO SUCCEED?

>> I'VE BEEN AN EDUCATOR IN ALMOST EVERY LEVEL AND ALMOST EVERY ENVIRONMENT.

I MEAN, I HAVE BEEN IN EVERY LEVEL FROM PRE-K THROUGH COLLEGE, TEACHING GRADUATE SCHOOL.

LET ME GIVE YOU A MULTIFACETED ANSWER FOR A VERY INTELLIGENT AUDIENCE.

URBAN AND MORE SO IMPOVERISHED PLACES, THE SCHOOL IS THE SAVIOR AND THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE DEBT STI DUTY SITUATIONS.

IN AFFLUENT PLACES I'VE BEEN IN, THE SCHOOL IS THE SLAVE TO THE PARENTS.

THE PARENT GIVES YOU THE $20,000 CHECK AND YOU CLOSE THE SCHOOL FOR THE DAY SO THEY CAN FLY SOME PLACE AND GET AN EDUCATION.

MIDDLE CLASS IS ABOUT THE PATHWAY TO COLLEGE.

HOW CAN YOU BE BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS GENERATION.

SO THE EACH STUDENT RESPONDS AK ACCORDINGLY TO THE PURPOSE OF WHAT THE EDUCATION IS FOR.

THE LOWER, JUST GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE, WE'RE ALL TRYING TO MAKE IT, I'M DEPRESSED ALREADY, I FEEL ALL ALONE IN THE WORLD, I'VE BEEN ABUSED, NEGLECTED, IGNORED AND THE IS WORLD IS NOT FOR ME, SO THE GOAL IS TO GET YOU OUT AND UP STORED A PATHWAY TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE, NOT TO BE A SURVIVOR, BUT A THRIVER, SO GIVING KIDS $20 AN HOUR IN THE TRADES WHILE THEY'RE 17 OR 18, BECAUSE IF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, I GAVE 12th GRADE TO INDUSTRY AND 11th GRADE TO INDUSTRY.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

THE KIDS GOT IRCs.

INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS AND THAT'S HOW THEY GOT PROMOTED.

SO AS A JUNIOR AND A SENIOR, YOU GOT IRCs, SO THOSE ARE CARPENTRY CONSTRUCTION CERTIFICATIONS, POWER TOOLS, FORKLIFTING, SO FORTH AND FOOD -- >> DR. McCOY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE AND PICK IT UP ON THAT POINT NEXT TIME AND WE HOPE THAT NEXT TIME COMES REAL SOON.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US ON NEXT UP AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO.

>> THANK YOU ALL.

PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU.

>> DR. ART McCOY WITH US.

THANKS, EVERYBODY.

WE'LL CHECK IN WITH YOU NEXT WEEK AT THIS TIME.

>> Announcer: DONNYBROOK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORT OF THE BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION AND THE MEMBERS OF NINE PBS.