Board losing Latina voice

In a quivering but determined voice, Heidi Ramirez, the most vocal member of the School Reform Commission, announced her resignation yesterday.

She'll keep her post until she's replaced. But while reading from a statement during a meeting and while talking to reporters afterward, Ramirez said that differing opinions had influenced her decision.

"We have different expectations for accountability and our role in public trust," she said, declining to say to whom she was referring.

Ramirez, the first Latina to sit on the commission, was selected by Gov. Rendell in 2007 to serve a five-year term.

Although she said she wasn't asked to leave, Ramirez declined to comment on allegations that Rendell would not resubmit her renomination.

Schools Superintendent Arlene Ackerman bumped heads with Ramirez, who often questioned the superintendent and her staff on issues.

But last night, Ackerman downplayed the bouts as nothing more than part of the democratic process.

"The fact that we may have disagreed in public doesn't mean that we didn't agree on the bottom line," she said. "That's what happens in a public discourse."

Although Ramirez said the decision to step down was her own, education-advocate Helen Gym said it came amid withering critiques from Ackerman.

"This is a serious blow to the public-trust and public-accountability issue," said Gym, of Parents United and Asian Americans United.

Gym suggested that the vacancy may result in a Republican being named to the board.

During a conference call about improvements in Pennsylvania school achievement, Rendell reacted to Ramirez's resignation.

"I support Heidi personally and professionally," he said.

"She felt she was not able to accomplish all that she thought she wanted on the board. I don't necessarily think things between the board and the superintendent always have to be completely copacetic."

Once described by Rendell as "the most qualified" member on the commission, Ramirez often championed the causes of English-language learners, special-education students, public accountability and teacher quality.

Ramirez was the only commissioner to vote "no" on allowing the A&E reality show "Teach" to film in a high school.

Staff wtriter Sandra Shea contributed to this report.