Is Vitti’s relationship with Gary Chartrand the reason he is willing to disrupt children’s lives.

Superintendent Vitti arguably owes his position to Gary Chartrand, the influential and rich local grocer who has his fingers in just about every local education pot imaginable. He also parlayed support of Rick Scott to a spot on the state board of education despite the fact he was never a teacher nor worked in a school.

Where most of the state is in an uproar about testing, the horrible roll out, common core and thinks it is a terrible idea to fail third graders, Chartrand gave it all a thumbs up when he said education commissioner Pam Stewart has done a good job, a sentiment that few besides Chartrand share.

I believe Chartrand wants our schools to fail because he knows that will drive more parents to charter schools and private schools that take vouchers. He is okay with the disaster unfolding in our schools because it serves his ideological position and Vitti rather than doing what is right and saying the district will not fail children based on a flawed test is going along.

Jacksonville deserves a super that will serve the needs of the families and children of Jacksonville not the needs of an ideologically driven grocer who would dismantle our schools given the chance.