Rick Scott just named Michelle Rhee for his education transition team.

[madfloridian]

Heaven help Florida teachers. I heard he was going to do it. Even the local news called her "controversial", and showed a picture of her with attitude.

Rhee joins team of Fla. Gov.-elect Scott

Former D.C. schools chancellor Michelle A. Rhee has joined the education transition team of Florida Gov.-elect Rick Scott (R), according to a statement from the Scott's office.

The full text of the statement, after the jump.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Calling the members of his latest transition team “Champions for Achievement,” Governor-elect Rick Scott announced an experienced and distinguished team of education experts, including nationally recognized education reformer, Michelle Rhee, to help him find innovative ways to create a new education system for a new economy.

The transition team will assist Scott in identifying innovative ideas from the private sector, success stories from other states, cost-saving opportunities and legislative priorities that will help reduce the size of government, improve the education system in Florida and meet the workforce needs necessary to create 700,000 jobs over the next seven years.

This name on the commission jumped out and me:

"Dennis W. Bakke - President and CEO, Imagine Schools"

And Jeb's right hand lady:

"Patricia Levesque - Executive Director, Foundation For Florida's Future"

This week Arne Duncan spoke at Jeb's education forum and received a rousing ovation.

So this is where we are going now.

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Maybe that will help GA get out of the cellar in ratings.

I can see poor FL sinking now.

[AnArmyVeteran]

19. Great! It will help Mississippi and Louisiana too.

[Tansy_Gold]

2. Imagine Schools -- looters of the first water

My sincere condolences, Florida. We've got those bastids here in Arizona, too.


:grr:




Tansy Gold

[madfloridian]

8. Here's an example of one in Florida.

Imagine Charter in St. Pete a million in debt. Taxpayers will foot the bill.

"An F-rated St. Petersburg charter school stands on the verge of collapse, mired in debt and losing enrollment. And most of those debts — around $1 million in public tax dollars — are owed to the same private company that founded it.

Pinellas County district officials say they're battling with Virginia-based Imagine Schools, the nation's largest commercial charter operator, over the future of the Central Avenue school. The school was $963,572 in deficit last spring, according to auditors. It's paying $881,179 to lease a half-empty building from Imagine's real estate affiliate, plus thousands more for equipment, administration and fees, on income of just $2 million a year.

"It's a death spiral," said district charter supervisor Dot Clark."

[Sancho]

3. The good news is collective bargaining!

I've lived and worked in non-union states. Florida can teach Scott and Rhee a lesson if we want to...no matter what, join your union!

[peace frog]

4. Fuckety fuck fuck!

No great surpise, but still. Florida was bad under Bush and Crist, but I'm thinking Rick Scott is gonna be worse than those two combined. ::heavy sigh::

[Blue_Tires]

5. she's an ambitious little social climber, i'll give her that...

at this rate, does anyone doubt she'll be a future education secretary??

[Starry Messenger]

6. Oh weeping Christ.

I'm sorry. x(

[yurbud]

7. in other news, he named a prominent creationist as his science advisor, and George W. Bush as a

speech therapist.

[Recursion]

9. Who here has heard of Clifford B. Janey?

Just curious.

[Recursion]

17. Nobody? That's odd

He was Michelle Rhee's predecessor (though under a somewhat different governance model; DC can't seem to make up its mind about this) and he fired more teachers than Rhee did, and couldn't come up with a contract that they would agree with. But nobody cares about him. Rhee fired fewer teachers, and came up with a contract that they overwhelmingly supported, and yet she's the one everybody cares about. Go figure.

[lib2DaBone]

10. I'm still reeling from the Rick Scott disaster..

.. I can't believe the people of Florida were STUPID enough to elect a medicare thief to office.. an ultra-right-wing-jeebus-teabag-jihad moran (sic)... he makes Michele Bachman and Sharon Angle look reasonable.

[madfloridian]

13. I have talked to people who just now are realizing what they did.

I heard someone in a waiting room say why didn't someone tell us about him? I said ignorance is no excuse...

[lpbk2713]

14. Damn that's pathetic.

Casting a vote without knowing what the issues are or what the candidates are for or against or anything about their background is like driving a car with a blindfold on. I'm actually surprised that someone would even admit to that in public.

[madfloridian]

15. It is pathetic. They got carried away being anti-everything.

And it's gonna come back and bite them in the butt.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

20. Ricky will sell the state right out from under everyone

Of the many disaster of this past election, electing that criminal was top 5.

[Reader Rabbit]

11. Condolences to all Florida teachers and students

Matthew 27:46

[madfloridian]

12. Forsaken....just about the truth.

Apt verse. ;(

[quaker bill]

16. To round things out

I think he needs either Limbaugh or Beck as press secretary. Of course, that position does not pay enough for either of them.

Seriously though is there a currently unemployed "luminary" off the deepest end of the far right spectrum, who is not currently serving a prison sentence, that Gov. Elect Scott has not hired? I can't think of one.

The odd bit is that they still think this RW works and that all the observed failures are a result of it not being done fully with force. If having low taxes and small government was actually the answer, we would already be out in front of the 48 other states, that have higher taxes and larger governments.

[erodriguez]

18. Just a little perspective from NYC

During the Cathie Black thing here, at the legislative body of the UFT, there was a motion for the union to come out strongly against Black.

It was watered down by the UNITY caucus, part of the Randi Weingarten led faction that dominates the AFT. At the meeting, UFT Pres. Mulgrew alluded that at least Black was not Rhee.

I don't think it is any coincidence that Rhee's announcement was held back until after Black recieved the needed waiver to run the NYC schools.

I do not doubt that someone in the AFT of UFT leadership knew where Rhee was going.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

21. That's like naming Colonal Sanders to watch the chicken coop

Then again, Rick Scott getting elected to a state with that many seniors he could defraud is the the same thing.

[madfloridian]

22. Just about right.

Teachers should be nervous.