John Knowles, School Board Prez, Left His Job in San Francisco

School's out!

​The president of a St. Louis school board whose members burned through $12,845 on a recent junket to San Francisco has stepped down.

John Knowles, a five-year member of the Ferguson-Florrissant School Board, handed in his resignation yesterday. Among the eye-opening expenses racked up by Knowles, his three colleagues, and two of their spouses, the president's were among the most objectionable. He billed the district for the $500 in fines he racked up after smoking in his room in the San Francisco Grand Hyatt -- twice.

Other problematic charges:

• Board member Charles Henson literally took taxpayers to the cleaners by billing for his laundry service. He also charged up movie and Internet bills;

• Paul Schroeder picked up the tab -- or, rather, he billed the public -- for a $458 dinner for the board members and two of their spouses. Generous of him.

The details emerged after the St. Louis Post-Dispatch filed a public records request regarding the school board's specific expenses.

Knowles has said the board should make changes in the way it handles travel plans and expenses -- which seems a prescient thing to do.