Count Florida Board of Education Chairman T. Willard Fair and Education Trust President Kati Haycock among those not surprised by yesterday's St. Petersburg Times story. A Times review found serious teacher misconduct cases appear to be more often linked to high poverty schools.

"In some ways, it fits with everything else we know about teacher quality and high poverty schools," Haycock told the Gradebook after yesterday's presentation. "Not that there aren't some fabulous teachers there, as you know. Dedicated, high performers, incredible. But these schools have often been a dumping ground for really awful people."

Fair said it's no surprise given a system that knowingly shuffles teachers to high poverty schools after they're deemed "not worthy" of more affluent schools. "We're not going to let them filter up," he said.

Fair also said the issue of teacher equity deserves more scrutiny, and that at some point will gain traction with parents. "Parents, be they white, black or polka-dotted, care about who's surrounding their children," he said. "As soon as they find out, they're going to be upset. They don't know yet."

- Ron Matus, state education reporter