Law & Courts News in Brief

Bennett Could Play Role in Ind. Charter Venture

By The Associated Press — April 21, 2015 1 min read
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Former Indiana schools chief Tony Bennett is contributing to a former top aide’s efforts to start an Indianapolis charter school.

Documents say he is on the ACE Preparatory Academy’s professional-advisory council. His focus is listed as including “state accountability,” “strategic planning,” and “fundraising.” Mr. Bennett said that his role was limited to a letter of recommendation for the school’s leader.

He resigned from his job as Florida’s schools chief after the Associated Press published emails showing he changed the school-grading system in Indiana to help a top Republican donor’s charter school. An Indiana inspector general’s report said that his staff and state-issued vehicle were used extensively for political work.

The IG’s investigator said Mr. Bennett could face federal wire-fraud charges as well as state ghost-employment charges. But he hasn’t been charged and has denied any wrongdoing.

A version of this article appeared in the April 22, 2015 edition of Education Week as Bennett Could Play Role in Ind. Charter Venture

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