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School Named for Ex-Mayor: Days Before Former Mayor Alex Fekete Leaves Pembroke Pines, the City Agreed to Rename a Charter School in His Honor

Posted on: Thursday, 16 February 2006, 06:00 CST

By Amy Sherman, The Miami Herald

Feb. 16--Pembroke Pines will rename one of its charter schools in honor of former Mayor Alex Fekete, who was a driving force behind creating the schools.

But the new, lengthy name is such a mouthful it seems unlikely that many of the elementary students will actually use it.

On Wednesday the commission unanimously agreed to tack on Fekete's name to a school, renaming it the "Pembroke Pines F.S.U. Charter School -- Alex G. Fekete Campus."

Mayor Frank Ortis suggested renaming the school now because Fekete is moving to Laughlin, Nev., later this week to live closer to family.

Political observers in the past have disagreed on exactly how much credit Fekete deserves for creating the popular charter school system, which at times has had as many as 10,000 children on its waiting lists. The system now serves about 5,000 students.

Some say City Manager Charlie Dodge took the lead while Maryann Flanagan, widow of former mayor Charles Flanagan, has said her husband suggested city-run schools. Flanagan supported Sue Katz, who defeated Fekete in the 2004 mayoral race.

But Fekete was always an outspoken advocate for the schools, and battled with Broward's then-schools superintendent Frank Petruzielo to make the dream of the charter schools happen.

"I don't want sole credit for it," Fekete said. "Nothing is accomplished by any one individual in the city."

Pines officials agreed it's time to honor Fekete.

Commissioner Angleo Castillo voted for the name change but, in an interview before the meeting, questioned why Ortis chose that particular school.

"I was surprised they didn't choose the high school," Castillo said. "There is no question he was essentially the driving force behind the charter school system."

Fekete was appointed to the City Commission in 1990 and served his last nine years as mayor. Katz died shortly after defeating Fekete in 2004, and Ortis then won the mayor's seat. Fekete then lost a bid for county commission.

Frustrated with overcrowding in the Broward schools, Pines opened its first charter school in 1998 and now has seven charter schools and plans to soon build an 8th school. Charter schools are public schools that receive state money but are run by someone other than the county School Board.

Opened in 2003 beside Pembroke Shores Park, the FSU school is a partnership with Florida State University which provides student teachers in the classrooms.

Pines has named several buildings and parks after political leaders.A Broward public high school is named for ex-mayor Flanagan.

In other business, commissioners areed to rezone the Raintree Golf Course so that a developer can build about 100 $1 million homes on the course. Commissioner Iris Siple voted against the rezoning.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Miami Herald

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Source: The Miami Herald

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