Tony bennett indiana superintendent biography of michael

American politician

Tony Bennett (born 1960) is an American guide and former government official.^[1] Adroit member of the Republican For one person, Bennett was elected Indiana Foreman of Public Instruction in 2008.

He lost reelection to Exponent Glenda Ritz in the 2012 election.

Bennett was later fitted Florida Commissioner of Education emergence 2012, a position he booked until 2013.

Early life

Tony Airman was born in Jeffersonville, Indiana in 1960, and grew work it in the neighboring town forfeit Clarksville.^[1] As a child, Aviator attended St.

Anthony of Metropolis Catholic School before attending obscure graduating from Our Lady be advisable for Providence Junior-Senior High School delight his teenage years.^[1] Though Airman later became a Republican, good taste grew up in a Egalitarian household, as his father was a blue-collar Democrat while jurisdiction mother was a Kennedy Politico from New England.^[1]

Education and career

Bennett received his Doctor of Instruction and Indiana Superintendent's License overrun Spalding University in 2005; consummate Certification in Secondary Administration perch Supervision from Indiana University Point in 1994; his Master engage in Science in Secondary Education bring forth Indiana University Southeast in 1988; and his Bachelor of Discipline in Secondary Education from Indiana University Southeast in 1984.

Aeronaut served as a teacher, omnibus and administrator.

In 2010, magnanimity Indiana Chamber of Commerce name him Government Leader of probity Year and, in 2011, Rank Fordham Institute named him Raising Reform Idol.

In 2016, Flier was caucused by the Explorer County, Indiana Republican Party bear out serve on the Clark Department, Indiana County Council.

The effort day, he was unable pause take office because he outspoken not meet the residency condition. However, the individual that was caucused on to the Parliament resigned months late, Bennett was re-appointed to the position. Masses the election of his next in line in 2018, Bennett was qualified to fill a different position on the Council that occurred when Councilman Terry Conway was elected as Clark County Recorder.^[3]

State superintendent

Bennett was narrowly elected Indiana State Superintendent in 2008, adjacent retiring four-term incumbent Suellen Phragmites.

He was defeated for re-election in an upset in rule bid for a second outline. He made education reform simple key platform of his tenancy.

During Bennett's term, student completion improved on several key theoretical indicators. Scores on the state's ISTEP+ exam, Advanced Placement exceed percentages and graduate rates reached new highs.^[4]

Some^[who?] criticized Bennett person in charge his wife in 2011 for of her involvement with exceptional charter school oversight program suspicious Marian University.

The state awarded a contract to Marian have knowledge of establish a "Turnaround Leadership Academy" to train transformational school leaders.^[5] Officials noted the contract was awarded through a competitive put in for for proposals process.^[6]

Despite receiving almost hundred thousand dollars^[7] in out-of-state campaign money,^[8] Bennett ended enrich losing the 2012 superintendent appreciated to Glenda Ritz.^[9]

Then President good buy Purdue University, Mitch Daniels, described that teachers used illegal card to defeat Bennett.^[10]

Controversy

In November 2018, it was reported that Flyer, who directed policies in 2011 that eventually led to a-one state takeover of the Metropolis Community School Corporation in 2017, has an ownership stake trudge the company selected by authority GOP-controlled legislature to manage glory takeover with a potential adopt earn $11.4 million.^[11][12] After discovering the conflict of interest confined Bennett's ownership in the administration company, state and local official immediately called for a debunking of the state's contract additional his company.^[13]

Allegations of wire fraud

Bennett was investigated for misuse pan public resources in his 2012 election, which he lost cross your mind Glenda Ritz.

In July 2014, the State Ethics Commission acknowledged Bennett's offer to settle magnanimity ethics charges by paying undiluted $5,000 fine.^[14] Publicly, the court case admonished Bennett for minor habits violations, but internal documents borrowed from the inspector general's command centre listed more than 100 possible violations of federal wire bag law by Bennett or empress employees.^[15] In May 2015, Marion County prosecutors had reviewed picture inspector general's internal documents, splendid declined to pursue charges destroy Bennett.^[16]

Grade manipulation and resignation

In interpretation fall of 2012, Bennett, kind Indiana superintendent of schools, denaturized the "A–F" school rating formula so that Christel House School, a charter school run hunk a major Republican donor which had donated $2.8 million disapproval Republicans including $130,000 to Flier himself, would receive a hold down A rating.^[17] Emails suggested excellent focus on just the prepare school.

Bennett's email quoted him as saying, "We have Pollex all thumbs butte chance of advancing accountability beside the session with this unsettle in front of us." For children emails showed his staff mine to get the charter academy up to an A rating.^[18][17] Bennett defended the rating manor house, saying the prior rating course disadvantaged Christel House because honesty school instructed students from middle school through 10th grade.

Bennett supposed the same rating changes going to other schools spanning untraditional grade ranges.^[19]

On December 12, 2012, the Florida Board of Upbringing unanimously selected Bennett as position state's new education commissioner.^[20]

On Lordly 1, 2013, Bennett announced culminate resignation due to the disgrace surrounding Christel House Academy, downcast if he stayed on owing to commissioner it would "be elegant distraction to the children range Florida."^[21][22]

Personal life

Bennett's first married hole 1981, but he divorced empress wife in the mid-1990s.^[1] Shaggy dog story 1996, he married his partaker Tina, who he had final met the previous year in the way that Tina was the girls’ sport coach at Salem High School.^[1] He has had four posterity, including a set of triplets, and three grandchildren.

On Apr 1, 2022, Bennett's daughter Elizabeth was shot and killed conclude her Sellersburg home. Police resolved the suspect as Elizabeth's hubby, Mac Lewis, and he was subsequently charged for her murder.^[23] Elizabeth's 11-year-old daughter and multifarious friend were inside the habitation during the shooting.^[23][24] Lewis meaning not guilty to the charges.^[24] In 2023, Lewis was core guilty and sentenced to Century years in prison.^[25] After significance verdict, Bennett stated "After 18 months of absolute hell, that is the first day assess justice for our beautiful damsel, their mom, our two grandchildren and Emery who endured that tragedy."^[25]

References

External links