January 6, 2009
Education Reform Just Lost A Warrior
Some 18-months ago we blogged about how honored we were to be present for the official declaration of "Brian Bennett Day" in San Diego by the City Council and Mayor Jerry Sanders. Bennett had been a front-line warrior in the fight to close the Opportunity Gap through four decades.
I called him a warrior's warrior because that is what he was.
So I was extremely saddened to hear from one of our board members, Alan Bersin, over the weekend that Bennett had died after his courageous battle with ALS. I'll post some of Alan's comments below, after the jump, but going forward, we have decided to rename our Education Warrior Award the "Brian Bennett Education Warrior Award." It just seems so fitting, and the next generation of education reformers has to remember the trailblazers.
The world just lost a great one.
Some comments from DFER board member Alan Bersin (former San Diego Schools Superintendent, former California Secretary of Education):
Brian has been a keystone in the charter movement both nationally and in California. After serving as a school principal for many years, he headed up the Office of School Choice in San Diego and was instrumental in supporting 12% of the student population here whose families determined to attend charter schools in the City, many of them formed during Brian's tenure. At the time of his death, he was a senior advisor to NACSA.
The grail for Brian Bennett was student learning and success; he was resolute in supporting charter schools that served children well and worked fairly to close those which failed that standard. A celebration of his life and a funeral mass will be conducted at his family's neighborhood church this Wednesday.
Brian was a giant in the struggle for quality education for all children, a warrior in the battle against obstacles to that end, and a gentle, thoughtful human being. He was the strongest most selfless and courageous individual I have been privileged to walk beside in the education sector or otherwise.
