Anirban Basu made a stink at a recent city school board meeting over the renaming of Benjamin Franklin Middle School to Masonville Cove Community Academy, saying he thought it was appropriate for city students to attend a school honoring one of the nation's founding fathers. In voting to rename the school as the community requested, other board members vowed to keep Ben Franklin under consideration in determining future school titles.

Now, Basu has a second dignitary on his list of people whose names belong on Baltimore school buildings: Buzzy Hettleman. As Basu and Bob Heck were reappointed to the school board yesterday and David Stone was named as Hettleman's replacement, Basu had high praise for his departing colleague. "I've never met an individual so dedicated to children as him, even perhaps the current superintendent," he said. (That is particularly high praise given that Basu calls Dr. Alonso the best superintendent in the country.) "One day I hope that someone will name a school after him."