At a recent Miami-Dade County School Board committee meeting, District 1 Board Member Dr. Steve Gallon III passionately defended the district’s commitment to lawful and equitable practices amid rising political pressure to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
“Through the chair, we are not implementing any illegal DEI procedures and processes in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools,” said Gallon at the April 9th.
The declaration came in response to growing scrutiny over DEI efforts in public institutions across Florida.
“I would never support anything that would compromise not only federal funding, but funding for children, for teachers, for the effective and successful operation of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools,” said Gallon. “We are in compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and all other federal laws.”
Gallon emphasized the importance of distinguishing between federal law and executive orders.
“An executive order is just that—an executive order. The Civil Rights Act is the law,” he said. “We cannot afford to compromise the support our schools receive based on political misinterpretations.”
But Gallon didn’t stop there—he also reminded the board and the community of the historical context behind the district’s efforts toward representation and inclusion.
“And to understand how we got here—board member Rojas knows very well, Mr. Nelson Diaz back here, he’s the historian and others,” he said. “In 1996, there was one Black and one Hispanic member on the school board of Miami-Dade County. One Black and one Hispanic. And someone in their infinite wisdom said, ‘Let the people decide.’ That’s how we got single-member districts. Basically, without it, many of us would not be sitting here today. “
He explained that the push for single-member districts gave underrepresented communities a real seat at the table.
“They may not have called it DEI back then, but that’s exactly what it was,” Gallon said during the meeting. “It was about fairness. It was about equity. And that move gave birth to the diverse board we have today—a board that reflects the community it serves.”
Addressing broader public concerns, Gallon pushed back against the narrative that DEI and Critical Race Theory (CRT) are being secretly taught in schools.
“Many of these things are not being taught or implemented in Miami-Dade County Public Schools,” he said. “In fact, historically, the biggest benefactors of DEI have been white women, not Black people.”
He also expressed concern over the national trend of using DEI as a political scapegoat.
“DEI has become a dog whistle for Black—and let’s be real about that,” he said. “We need to keep the main thing the main thing: making sure all children get the resources and education they need.”
With a nod to Vice Chair Monica Colluci and references to each of the other Board Members by name, Gallon underscored the importance of leadership during political chaos.
“There’s chaos out there. We have to keep order in here,” he said. “We have to be courageous in these chaotic times.”
Dr. Gallon closed his remarks with a personal note about legacy and responsibility.
“Those of you who know me personally and politically know that I’m not partisan. I don’t play that game. But I will always call a thing a thing. And I’d never be able to sleep at night if I didn’t speak on something I know my father would have stood up against,” he said.
In one of the most poignant moments of the meeting, Gallon reflected on a conversation with a community member who had attended local schools like Brownsville and Filer Middle—where Gallon himself began his teaching career. “That’s the beauty of this district,” he said. “We come from the people. And we serve all children, in all zip codes.”
At a time when DEI efforts are being politicized across the country, Dr. Gallon’s remarks served as a history lesson, a reality check for Florida’s largest school district and the third largest in the nation.
You can watch Dr. Gallon’s remarks below.
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