dicko, I used to work for FSI at Vero- I didn't instruct JFK Jr, but I was there when he was learning there. They are an excellent organisation, but they aren't perfect; I've posted before about what I think are some of their blind spots.
In general, I'm not a fan of PPL students at a big commercial school- there is a risk that they will miss something because the instructors are used to cpl studes, and are expecting to be able to put it in at a later stage.
I am NOT saying that is what happened to JFK, just that it is a possibility in general.