Maine Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen was a constructive advocate for better education in Maine and he will be missed.
Bowen announced Friday he will resign Sept. 12 to work for the national Council of Chief State School Officers.
When Bowen was appointed in March of 2011 by Gov. Paul LePage, many feared we were in for a period of open educational warfare.
They quickly found Bowen had strong opinions, but that he was also a patient listener with a passion for educational policy.
While his critics included teacher unions and Democrats in the Legislature, Bowen went about his work with facts, tact and enthusiasm.
Bowen will now serve as director of innovation for the CCSSO, providing an opportunity to take his ideas to a national level.
We wish him well.
rrhoades@sunjournal.com
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