Parents cheer as Florida schools chief resigns | Video

Parents and education activists across South Florida hailed the departure of Florida's Education Commissioner Tony Bennett, saying they strongly disagreed with his emphasis on high-stakes testing and data driven reforms.

Bennett resigned Thursday, three days after reports alleged that while he was Indiana's education commissioner he pushed top staffers to raise from a "C" to an "A" the grade of charter school run by a friend and campaign donor. The grade was raised by changing the way high school scores are counted in schools without a senior class.

But Bennett had turned down calls by the Indianapolis schools superintendent a year before to make a similar change on behalf of two non-charter schools, according to the Indianapolis Star.

"If he tweaked [the scores in Indiana]," said Clare Kirchman, a parent in Jupiter, "what can we really count on?"

Bennett, who was appointed to the Florida job in December, on Thursday did not deny acting on the charter school's behalf. "I believe we did the right thing for Indiana schools," he said.

But he said he was stepping down because he didn't want to be a distraction and "it was not fair to Gov. Scott and his pursuit and his very hard work in making Florida the greatest in the country. I end my tenure with my head held high."

But even before the controversy, South Florida teachers and parents had campaigned hard in letters to elected officials and through social media against Bennett coming to the state.

"That man has been distraction since the day he walked into the state," said Lisa Goldman, founder of Testing is not Teaching, an advocacy group in Palm Beach County. "He shouldn't have come."

Debra Wilhelm, president of the Classroom Teachers Association in Palm Beach County, said Bennett often made decisions without consulting the teachers he'd be impacting.

"It seemed like every other day decisions were being made on behalf of educators," she said. "But you have to get the advice from the educators themselves."

Last month Bennett recommended schools not be allowed to drop more than one letter grade to safeguard them from several changes to the grading formula. Many criticized the move.

"If you keep arbitrarily changing the grades and the rules, they have no meaning whatsoever," said Goldman.

Some saw Bennett's exit as an opportunity to turn around the state of public education.

"This is going to be a tipping point that could get worse or it could get better," said Mark Halpert, founder of the Florida Advocacy Coalition on Learning Disabilities. "It's most likely to mobilize those who want to see public schools succeed.''

Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association, said the resignation is proof the state's school-reform and accountability policies are "incoherent and unsound."

"These policies have no value advancing education in this state and have lost the public's trust," Ford said Thursday. "It's past time that we include teachers, parents and administrators in developing solutions, not just listen to the 'reformers' who have an approach that has been a disaster for public education in Florida."

Sharon Glickman, president of the Broward Teachers Union, said it was time for voters to once again elect Florida's school chief.

"These are our children and their education," she said. "It's got to be an elected official so we can pick the right person for the job."

But some greeted Bennett's announcement with sadness, including Gov. Rick Scott, who encouraged him to stay.

Scott made an appearance Thursday in Delray Beach and said Bennett "did a great job" and gave him credit for helping with such initiatives as increased funding, teacher raises and debit cards for teachers to buy classroom supplies.

The state Board of Education will meet Friday to begin discussing a successor.

Both Bennett and Scott said they want to see Chancellor of Public Schools Pam Stewart appointed as interim commissioner.

Talk of a succesor also prompted some to highlight the need for stability in that job.

The previous education commissioner, Gerard Robinson, resigned abruptly one year ago after facing criticism from local educators about the state's accountability system.

"Florida has not been able to maintain an education commissioner for a long time. That's a poor reflection on the state," said Robert Mayersohn, a Parkland parent. "It puts a stain on education in Florida."

kyi@tribune.com, 954-747-3033 or Twitter @karen_yi

Source: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/fl-florida-tony-bennett-resigns-2-20130801,0,1708536.story?track=rss

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