[dawn53]

His whole family is involved in public school teaching

Huh? His father is a doctor...a family practitioner.

[Fawn]

Charlie Crist was born in 1956 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, but the family soon settled in St. Petersburg, where his father is a respected family physician. Charlie learned the importance of public service from an early age, beginning with his father's tenure on the Pinellas County School Board. As a public school student Charlie quickly learned the value of participation, leading him to serve as class president at St. Petersburg High School and, later, as student body vice president at Florida State University.

[Fawn]

Sister

Department of Education: Catherine Crist Kennedy is the Director of Curriculum & Student Success for the College of Education at St. Pete College. She serves on Governor Jeb Bush’s Educational Advisory Committee. Ms. Kennedy graduated from the University of South Florida.

http://www.cristtransition.com/news/2006/12/06/crist-announces-citizen-review-group-team-leaders/

[Fawn]

http://www.newsbull.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=41790

~~~

· Education - To ensure the promise of excellent public education, Governor Crist highlighted his budget recommendations, which include $3.8 billion - a 19-percent increase over current funding - for continued class-size reduction as required by the 2002 constitutional amendment; $295 billion to double funding to reward the top-performing 25 percent of teachers with a 10 percent salary bonus; and $137 million to add 400 reading coaches along with $10 million to provide every student access to a virtual tutoring program. Governor Crist also recommended an increase in funding for state universities and community colleges without increasing tuition.

Governor Crist underscored the need to reward effective teachers by sharing the story of Stephen Anderson, a former elementary school teacher in Volusia County, who left the teaching profession because of the opportunity to earn a better salary elsewhere.

Additionally, Governor Crist supported the creation of a Children’s Cabinet to raise the profile of all children’s issues, including education and health. The Children’s Cabinet will ensure that children are the number-one priority by emphasizing such issues as physical education and financial incentives for adoption. “Our children need a voice,” said Governor Crist. “They need to be at the table because soon it will be their table.”

~~~

· Environment - Governor Crist encouraged the Legislature to continue Everglades restoration and take bold steps in moving toward alternative fuels and other alternative sources of energy. His recommended budget includes $100 million for Everglades restoration plus $40 million to improve the environmental health of the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. To foster the development and use of alternative energy sources and fuels in Florida, including ethanol and biodiesel fuels for cars and solar power for homes, the Governor has proposed a record $68.25 million.

Governor Crist announced plans for an Environmental Summit that will bring together experts and scientists after the legislative session to explore groundbreaking technologies and strategies that will place Florida at the forefront of the movement to reduce greenhouse gases. “With almost 1,200 miles of coastline and the majority of our citizens living near our shores, Florida is more vulnerable to rising ocean levels and violent weather patterns than any other state,” Governor Crist said.

~~~

Governor Crist also outlined his budget priorities of $20 million for stem cell research aimed at curing degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and spinal cord injuries, and $32.5 million to provide a tangible record of every vote cast on Election Day. He has also requested support for economic development for the film and space industries: $75 million to attract film and television productions to Florida and $7 million for Space Florida.

~~~

[Fawn]

Crist entered state politics representing parts of St. Petersburg in the Florida Senate, where he became best known for his support of chain gangs for state prison inmates, earning him the nickname "Chain Gang Charlie."[2] He became well-known in state politics in 1998, when after nearly six years in the Senate he challenged popular incumbent Democrat Bob Graham for his U.S. Senate seat but lost by 26 percent. In 1999, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Crist to the position of Deputy Secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. He then ran for and was elected to the office of Education Commissioner of Florida in the November 2000 election, in which capacity he served from 2001 until 2003. During this time he said teachers should earn at least $100,000 annually ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Crist