Former Washington D.C. Schools chancellor Michelle Rhee is turning her attention to Florida, where Gov.-elect Rick Scott, a Republican, just hired her as a key member of his education transition team.
A release by Scott’s office singles out Rhee as one of 18 members of the transition team, which is charged with helping him “find innovative ways to create a new education system for a new economy.”
The extent of Rhee's responsibilities in her new role weren't immediately clear, nor was it clear how often she would have to be in Florida for the job.
Florida education activists have been speculating on a possible scenario in which Rhee could live in Tallahassee as state commissioner for a few years, with the hope that Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and the brother of ex-president George W. Bush, runs for president in 2012 and wins.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/rhee-agrees-to-join-florida-go.html?wprss=answer-sheetHere's the rest of the "team". Dennis Bakke, head of the scamming "Imagine" Schools, is also on the "team".
Maybe he can get Imagine to answer some of the state's lingering questions about his company's nonprofit status, or clarify the confusion about whether or not Imagine is an education service provider (ESP). Imagine currently operates 17 charters in Florida.
Scott also saved a spot for another for-profit CEO, Charter Schools USA's Jonathan Hage, and the executive director of Jeb's foundation, Patricia Levesque. Another appointee, John Kirtley, a venture capitalist who also chairs the Florida School Choice Fund, generally donates to Republican candidates, but he made an exception for the folks at Democrats for Education Reform. Kirtly is also on the board of the Alliance for School Choice.
Keep in mind that Scott's team has reportedly considered Rhee for the state's education commissioner position.
Here's the rest of the list, courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel:
Michelle Rhee – Former Chancellor, Washington, DC Schools
Patricia Levesque – Executive Director, Foundation For Florida’s Future = Jeb BushMaryEllen Elia – Superintendent, Hillsborough County Schools
Ed Moore – President, Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
J. David Armstrong, Jr. – President, Broward College and Former Chancellor of Community Colleges of Florida
John Kirtley – Chairman, Step Up For Students
Liza McFadden – President, Volunteer USA Foundation
Frank T. Brogan – Chancellor, State University System of Florida
Dr. Fred Lippman – Chancellor, Health Professions Division – Nova Southeastern University
Dennis W. Bakke – President and CEO, Imagine SchoolsDr. Judy Genshaft – President, University of South Florida
Julio Fuentes – President, Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Carlos Curbelo – Miami Dade School Board and State Director for Sen. LeMieux
Mindy Cunningham – Principal, J Strategies
Gary R. Chartrand – Executive Chairman, Acosta Sales & Marketing Company and Board of Directors, KIPP Schools Jacksonville, Florida
Dr. Don Pemberton – Director, Lastinger Center For Learning University of Florida
Mindy Lafevers-Hodge – World History Instructor, Florida Virtual Schools
Jonathan K. Hage – President and CEO, Charter Schools USA
http://www.schoolsmatter.info/Bakke used to be the head of a giant energy corp, major polluter & dumper in third world countries.
His charter schools are scamming frauds, he can't even get status as a non-profit because his schools are all about scamming from the public purse.
What a disaster. Floridians, leave now or fight, cause your state is becoming a shithole.