Following John Moore’s abrupt departure as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and the Chairman of the House Education Committee, Richard Bennett (R) has been named as the new Chairman of the committee.
Bennett has served in the House for ten years as District 120’s representative. Prior to this appointment from House Speaker Philip Gunn, Bennett served as the Chairman of the Gaming Committee. He was also currently serving as a member of the education committee. Bennett also serves on committees including Tourism, Public Utilities, Appropriations, and several others.
At MEC Capital Day on Thursday, State Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright talked about what the department was looking for in a new Chairman.
“We would love to have someone that’s not coming in with a preconceived notion of what needs to happen, but rather being an equal partner at the table and working to improve education. Everything we’re monitoring in education is head in right direction, so what were we know is working, and the reform efforts are working so we want to keep that momentum up with whoever comes in,” Wright said.
Bennett will now serve as the chairman during this legislative session, during which, education will once again be one of the most widely debated topics. Areas of discussion throughout the session will most likely be the future of MAEP, school choice, early childhood education and the overall funding across the state.
