CONNECTICUT

RANT OF THE DAY

July 12, 2007 - A convicted drug dealer in Connecticut will be allowed to teach.

... a math teacher at Fair Haven Middle School when he was arrested for selling cocaine to an undercover police officer in 2003. Hernandez's teaching certificate was automatically revoked when he was convicted Feb. 11, 2004. He was given a conditional discharge and a suspended sentence of three years in prison.

The state Board of Education reinstated him. With conditions:

Gesmonde proposed the conditions for his certificate, which would limit Hernandez to teach at Bridge Academy until Oct. 31, 2010, and require random drug testing.

He must also see a state licensed psychologist or psychiatrist at least twice a month until Oct. 31, 2010. Under terms of the agreement, Hernandez also would forgo confidentiality accorded to the patient-therapist relationship and authorize his therapist to give monthly updates on his progress to the state Board of Education. He must submit to random drug testing a minimum of four times a year and pay for the testing himself.

The only board member to vote against reinstatement summed it up nicely.

"I think there are certain events for which there are no second chances. We don't know if Mr. Hernandez can be trusted."

TT - Makes you wonder if the Connecticut Board of Education should be trusted. By voters.

The school rates a 3 at Greatschools.com and has 54% Blacks and 42% Hispanic students which tells you that the nearly-all white state Board of Education what they think minorities deserve.