Florida Education Commissioner Eric Smith resigned effect June 10, 2011 at the end of the current school year. Mr. Smith oversaw major improvements in Florida educational progress during the past few years. Hired in 2007 under the Charlie Crist administration, he lead Florida schools to an unprecedented number 5 ranking in Education Week’s annual report. Mr Smith was strongly supported Jeb Bush’s original education reform foundations and most Florida lawmakers during the remarkable improvement in what has been a long-time bottom dwelling state in national education rankings.
Governor Scott released the following short statement today: “On behalf of the state of Florida, I thank him for his years of dedicated service,” he said in a written statement.The St Pete Times calls that a terse statement here. That is the sad example of the common lack of journalistic integrity we see from the St Pete Times today. Bashing our duly elected Governor on a daily basis because the Democratic party lost in 2010. Get over it St. Pete Times !
Mr. Smith gave a fairly long statement stating Florida’s educational improvements in the past 4 years under his direction, and also had the following all-telling statement about the recent passage of Governor Scott’s Student Success Act:
“Last week, the Florida Legislature passed landmark legislation called the Student Success Act that will reform the teaching profession and allow our state to better attract and retain high-quality teachers and remove the low-performing teachers from the classroom. (Emphasis mine)
While certain leftist so-called newspapers and paid pundits working for Democratic operatives have been bashing the new Student Success Act in every possible place down here in Florida,and are spreading misinformation about it, I would like them to dispute the above quote from a very distinguished educator who has worked here in Florida reforming an historically very poor performing school system. Governor Scott has a dedicated plan to ensure all of Florida’s children receive the best education possible by rewarding the better teachers with incentives to keep them here in Florida. Beware that recently in the media certain mouthpieces among teacher’s Unions and Union-type groups are mumbling about a lawsuit against Governor Scott’s new Student Scuccess Act. So much for looking out for our children’s right to the best education possible. Those types of people are shameless, self-serving concrete blocks around the taxpayers necks, out to block this progress by any means possible to further their power base through vote-buying schemes by paying for political campaigns with Union dues from members ,our children be damned.