Charter school backers worry Bennett scandal threatens to slow a growing movement
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Supporters of charter schools had a champion in Tony Bennett, the former Indiana schools chief who installed a school grading system that cut the time it took to sweep away a failing public school in favor of charters.
But Bennett's involvement in a grade-changing scandal is making them nervous.
Emails uncovered by The Associated Press showed Bennett's efforts to make sure one charter school he had highlighted scored an "A." He's denied wrongdoing.
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But some charter supporters say the fallout could shake the public's confidence in charters.
Frederick Hess, director of education policy at the conservative American Enterprise Institute and a Bennett admirer, said what's needed is a school grading structure that protects officials from public pressure and the appearance of impropriety.