Tony Bennett, the defeated state superintendent from Indiana, has landed the job as state commissioner in Florida.
Bennett is the hero to the rightwing “reform” sector, a champion of privatization, vouchers, charters, online for-profit schools, and the Common Core. His last action in Indiana was to lower standards for new trackers and principals, so that no preparation was needed to become a teacher and anyone could become a principal with only two years of experience as a teacher, even in higher education.
Jeb Bush is mad for Bennett, who serves as head of Bush’s Chiefs for Change.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Believe me, Florida teachers are not pleased with this development. 😦
Indiana’s gain is Florida’s loss.
FL educators are livid with this pick. Bush has managed to get his puppet into Tallahassee. Any grounds gained because of all the goofups the DOE had over this past year have just been lost. Our only hope is that Bennett will be so impressed with himself he will make even more mistakes. Why can’t FL public education just catch ONE break???
Oh, let me tell you — get ready for some spectacular goofups. They will be classic.
It’s two years until we can rid ourselves of Scott and his useless posse. Time for Florida educators to start shopping for a real governor who actually cares about children and not just servicing the captains of industry. If not, the Florida DOE can start shopping for some unqualified, untrained quasi-teachers to take over when we leave or retire.
Sorry Florida, you have now entered the twilight zone. Teachers, please prepare your resumes and check on your retirement dates and benefits. May the force be with you, you will need it.
Noooooooooooo!!!!!
He’s nothing but a bully. Hang tough Florida teachers & parents. Work hard to elect a governor & state legislators who will support public schools.
We’ve still got Mike Pence & a Republican controlled state legislature doing ALEC’s bidding here in Indiana. Glenda Ritz needs all teachers & parents to stand with her as she begins her work in Indianapolis.
It all comes down to one thing now. Pink Slip Rick… and when we do, we might finally get to pink slip jeb.
Only Florida would pick up another state’s thrown out garbage and then triple his pay at the taxpayer expense. He is going from making $79,000 to $275,000 as a reward for getting fired. This is from someone advocating accountability and merit pay for teachers. What exactly does an Education Commissioner do anyway and why is it not an elected position? Furthermore, why is Jeb Bush still running education in this state?
Stupid Floridians gave up their right to vote for Education Commission under the guise that it would keep politics out of this position. Yea Right! Time to start a petition to get that vote back. We are in real trouble. Many wrote Rick Scott asking him not to appoint Tony Bennett and as usual Govenor and the board turned a blind eye to the citizens of Florida. Shame on you. Two more years before we can dump Scott.
What about those teachers that were once paid a supplement for their degress in curriculum and design and teaching and learning. Is there help for them
None — there is nothing for a master’s degree in Bennettland. Indiana has now completely deprofessionalized education. At the time we need more skills, especially in technology and special education — there is no incentive to get a graduate degree.
Something needs to change. How can a governor, have all this power along with their pocket lobbyist and cause so much turmoil in the lives of his statesmen?
So sorry Florida, you are in for such a nightmare with Tony Bennett. Bennett caused so much harm in the state of IN. Thank God we were able to vote him out!
I thought some might find this article in the Washington Post interesting. I’m wondering if there are more revelations to come.
http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2012/12/12/indiana-failed-to-spend-millions-of-federal-funds-on-migrant-students-report/