Democrats Call for Tony Bennett's Resignation

Submitted by Anonymous on July 31, 2013 - 3:46pm

Democrats are calling for Commissioner of Education Tony Bennett's resignation after AP reported that Bennett had changed a charter school's grade in Indiana from a "C" to an "A." Media outlets have described the grade change as politically motivated due to the fact that the founder of the charter school in question, Christel DeHaan, is a big time GOP donor who has contributed over $2 million to Republican candidates and has given $130,000 to Bennett's campaign alone.

In a letter to Gov. Rick Scott, Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, called for Bennett to leave his position as top dog at the Department of Education.

"In light of the recent reports from the Associated Press and other news outlets on Department of Education chief Tony Bennetts grade-changing activities in Indiana, I find it necessary to call on you to request his immediate resignation as Floridas commissioner of education," wrote Bullard. "Given the contentious and ongoing debate over quantifying and qualifying education in our state, I believe Commissioner Bennetts involvement in these issues could be looked upon questionably with respect to his objectivity. Certainly, big money is also no stranger to education in Florida and I fear what appears to have happened in Indiana may repeat itself here should Commissioner Bennett be allowed to remain at the helm."

Other Democrats, includingRep. Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, and Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, also called on Bennett to step down.

Bennett contends that Christel House was not an exception to the grading formula -- 12 other schools also fell victim to a serious flaw in Indiana's grading formula which did not account for schools lacking the 11th- and 12th-grade. These schools received zeros for graduation rates and college acceleration due to the fact that their school did not have the last two years of high school, which brought their grades down significantly.

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