NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman is getting some support amid criticism of his leadership.
The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/1n0Hu4c) reports that an online petition with more than 300 signatures as of Monday lauds the leadership of the embattled commissioner.
Last month, a letter signed by 15 Republican lawmakers demanded the resignation of Huffman, citing complaints from school administrators, teachers and students about Huffman's leadership style as his department implements a series of changes in K-12 education.
That letter followed a petition signed by nearly half of the state's superintendents last year who argued that the commissioner had "no interest in a dialogue" with local school leaders as he made policy changes.
However, the general consensus of the online petition is that under Huffman's leadership Tennessee is the fastest improving state in the country in education.