School Board Member Marta Perez, said NO to tolerance and anti-racism curriculum in Miami-Dade County Public Schools– an idea brought to the table by School Board Member Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall in their lastest school board meeting. In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, the calls for arrests of the cop who killed, and the subsequent protests across the nation, many elected officials have been using this energy to get more policies passed to address racism on every level. Bendross-Mindingall’s board item rightfully does just that.
However, let it sink in that Republican Perez said NO to teaching students about racism and cultural understanding. People like this lead our institutions yet we wonder why there’s not equality or equity. The people voted her into that seat, so that means she’s supposed to serve whats best for the community.
I implore you that it’s not enough for us to just know who is running in OUR areas, we have to know the people that our elected officials have to work with. Our representatives can have the greatest ideas for laws, items, resolutions, etc, but if the rest of the governing body doesn’t want that then how effective can our elected officials be?
The Miami Herald reported the following about the proposed curriculum:
On Wednesday June 10th , Bendross-Mindingall, who sits on the same School Board that uprooted her family and represents the same area from where she was evicted, talked about her proposal to take a hard look at how racism and cultural understanding is taught in schools.
“Racism is a learned behavior, it’s taught, and as a school system, we teach,” her proposal read. “Just like we teach students in the classrooms and in schoolhouses, we must also teach our students in the classroom of life.”
Bendross-Mindingall’s item calls for a review of currently available curriculum that address racial and cultural understanding, the creation of a student-led task force that reports to the School Board to discuss institutional systemic racism in the community. It asks district staff to develop or enhance existing curriculum to address racism and cultural understanding. Her proposal was supported and celebrated by all board members, with some offering more suggestions to broaden its scope.But there was one exception. Marta Perez, who said she would not support the item and said the board should “focus all our resources on addressing student academics.
I’m so happy that Perez the lone wolf against this item and it passed 8-1. So many times we are not this fortunate.
To read the Miami Herald’s full story that we quoted, click here.
This Opinion Piece was written by Janey Tate. Follow Hy-Lo News Editor-in-Chief on Twitter @Janey_Tate, Facebook and Instagram.
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Are Miami dade county school board members elected? She needs to go. There is no place for people like this in leading how our children learn and grow.
Yes this is an elected seat. The voters need to know how she feels
No place in the society for those kind of people. She needs to be voted out. Do not used people tax money against them.
Sad part is because she is Cuban and they really dont care for the black community at all… If it’s not a cuban thing or a white thing, they are and will be against it…this is the issue with Miami-Dade county right now…I just wishes there was more people of color representing us…
She’s a Cuban, her and her family have been through political deception, like all Cuban families living in South Florida. She obviously knows that the current state of affairs is pushing a different agenda that has nothing to do with racism, but more with socialism.
This is incorrect, remember when cubans came to Florida, we have to start from zero. When on many rent sign in Miami, you can read: NO Blacks, No Cubans, No Dog. Then we built out of nothing only the idea of having a better live, while waiting to comeback to Cuba, but it was impossible. Communism and a tyrant keep us here. What you think is your right and a good idea is others pushing hidden agenda, an ideologist that put one against others. Maybe you did not see what happen in Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador few months ago, the same kind of riot and destruction… and sadness, using an honest demand. More people of color, representing us, is a real racist statement, we need people with good ideas, ethic and intelligence enough to the right thing, not said what is political correct. As a cuban I see a human being, I see a name, eyes, struggle, I hear a voice before to give to the skin color all values.
And your point is?
The fact is the people who voted her in probably agree with her position They chose to be WILLFULLY IGNORANT of the history of this country They have convinced themselves that they are White when they are not However because they live in Miami-Dade County they’ve been able to skate by
She should be voted off the Board and I am sure voted for Trump. She supports Trump racist ideas, she must go! No place for her and the likes of her!
For the most part the Cubans who are in Miami are the ones who were if the privileged class in Cuba when Castro took over. They try to maintain their privilege even if they don’t have the money and power they once had.
This is incorrect. You need to read the history or talk to those Cubans you are talking about, this is a dishonest argument, based on the terrible idea that the rich are wrong and they are bad … Let me tell you: doctors, teachers, singers, musicians, blue collar workers, and then the people who grew up during the revolution … This is an example of the hidden, dishonest socialist political agenda.
Too bad they represent those people that are not inclusive ,They refuse to acknowledge others and their history ,it’s only then we can speak as a community.If you are in America and the African community has been here since 1619 ,their history should be thought as well for the benefit of all
They want us to teach social emotional learning, but not address the root of our depression!!!!
Explain why she would vote against something that is needed. Does she actually believe race relations are great in this country. If she does, then she’s either blind, tone deaf or stupid.
Marilyn
06/23/2020
I have been in the school system for twenty one point three years;I was a security monitor -and everything else.One February,2010 I was ask by a first grade student why the pink people hate the brown people,.we were just treated bad because know one wanted to know our story. So when you don’t want to listen Mrs. Perez too our story find something else,get off the board I have grandchildren, and great grands need to know that we need to love one another