Bennett shares goals for discipline, efficiency and great teachers at the state level
(Talk of the Town photos by Jennifer Zartman Romano) Above, many gathered Saturday morning at Smith's Coach Room in Columbia City to hear Republican candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett, standing below, speak about his goals for education in the Hoosier state.
By Jennifer Zartman Romano
Concerns about the quality and future of education in Indiana were at the forefront of Saturday’s GOP breakfast in Columbia City. 
Dr. Tony Bennett, Republican candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, was the speaker for Saturday morning’s gathering of local Republicans at Smith’s Coach Room, sharing his passion for education and determination to make a difference in the future.
“I never thought I’d be in politics,” Bennett told the group. Talking of his experience as a long-time coach and educator, she said of teaching, “It’s a passion of mine.”
Bennett said he sees three main issues at the forefront of education in the Hoosier state: discipline in the schools, efficient use of tax dollars and great teachers.
Throughout the room, heads nodded in agreement as Bennett talked about the difficulties teachers and administrators face when addressing discipline in the classroom.
“We need to turn back into disciplined places where learning occurs,” Bennett said emphatically. “Teachers need to be able to maintain discipline in the classroom without being threatened.”
Bennett said teachers ability to effectively initiate discipline in the classroom has been challenged and in many ways threatened by parents and by lawsuits. He feels a system needs to be set in place where teachers can once again gain control of their classrooms without fear.
“We are not wanting to arm our teachers with paddles,” he said, dispelling myths he’s heard around the state that his plan calls for corporal punishment. “We want to arm them with discipline.” He suggests there are other effective ways of creating an atmosphere of respect and control in the classroom. He cites building relationships with local law enforcement, child protective services and other entities as a way of appropriately managing issues.
Bennett also believes that when looking at expenses in the realm of education, there are ways to pump more dollars and resources into schools – without changing anything.
“We need to find streamlined, efficient use of tax dollars so that money goes to learning,” he said. Bennett advocates sharing resources between government entities when in makes sense to do so.
“We have to make sure every penny we spend isn’t wasted,” Bennett said.
On of the greatest ways to impact the quality of education, according to Bennett, is to find, reward and retain great teachers.
“There is no way you can substitute inspired, inspiring teachers,” he said. “We need to find the brightest and the best,” he said, and added that they also need to be well-paid, evaluated and treated like the valuable professionals they are.
Bennett advocates deregulating education and making the Department of Education a place to address problems and a resource for finding solutions.
Although the audience was peppered with individuals seeking positions on local school boards, one man in attendance voiced his concern that no acting school board members from any of the county’s three public school boards were in attendance for the discussion Saturday morning.
Though Bennett did not address the man’s concern, he did share his thoughts on the importance of school boards.
“You have to have high quality school boards to have high quality schools in the State of Indiana,” said Bennett.
In opposition to gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson’s education plan for adding a 13th year to high schools in the State of Indiana, Bennett was quick to point out he sees it differently – eliciting cheers of agreement in the room.
“If we do our job well in the first 12 years, there won’t need to be a 13th year,” he said. “Some kids don’t need 12 and we’re going to address that too.”
“We need to put kids on a pathway to success,” Bennett said in conclusion.