Ex-Indiana Schools Chief Bennett Not Eligible For County Council

Updated Feb. 3 at 11:30 a.m.

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Former state schools superintendent Tony Bennett can't fill a vacant Clark County Council seat because he hasn't lived there long enough.

Republican precinct committee members elected Bennett to the vacancy Wednesday, but when the News and Tribune informed him Thursday that state law required residency of at least one year, he said he would step aside. Bennett says he's lived there about six months.

Attorney Larry Wilder said he misread the statute before advising Bennett and the party on the matter.

After Bennett's unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid, the former Clark County school superintendent became Florida's education commissioner but resigned after The Associated Press published emails showing he changed Indiana's school-grading system to benefit a top Republican donor's charter school. The Indiana inspector general also found he broke ethics laws.

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Ex-Indiana Schools Chief Bennett Picked For County Council

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Former state schools superintendent Tony Bennett is returning to political office as a member of a southern Indiana county council.

Republican precinct committee members voted Wednesday to appoint Bennett to a vacant Clark County Council position.

Bennett tells the News and Tribune that his family's roots are in Clark County and sees the position as a chance to serve.

Bennett was the Greater Clark County Schools superintendent when he was elected state schools chief in 2008. He became Florida's education commissioner following his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid, but resigned after The Associated Press published emails showing he changed Indiana's school-grading system to benefit a top Republican donor's charter school.

The Indiana inspector general also found he used his office staff and state-issued SUV extensively for political work.