SCHOOL BOARD REQUESTS LIAISON FOR MEDIA, PUBLIC
Miami Herald, The (FL) - Thursday, February 10, 2000
Author: ROBERT SANCHEZ, rsanchez@herald.com
Miami-Dade School Board members voted Wednesday to tell Superintendent Roger Cuevas to come back next month with a plan to hire someone by May to respond to questions from the public and the news media.
``My proposal is not meant to be a criticism of anybody,'' said board Vice Chairman Michael Krop, alluding to complaints about Henry Fraind, the deputy superintendent who handles media relations and numerous other duties.
One problem, said veteran board member Holmes Braddock, is the perception that a gag order impedes the dissemination of information.
``I've had many calls from staff members - from principals on up - who say they can't talk to the media,'' said Braddock, who noted that he has had ``a love-hate relationship'' with the press. ``I don't think we're spinning the news. We're not just getting any. We're blocking the news.''
In that vein, board member Betsy Kaplan cited a recent Herald story on award-winning music students that dwelled almost exclusively on Broward County students because ``the reporter couldn't get entree'' to Miami-Dade County schools.
Board member Solomon Stinson countered that ``the media aren't interested in the good things that we do; they're interested in sensational things,'' but he voted for Krop's proposal.
Earlier, Krop again expressed dismay about last week's seizure of film from South Dade High School student journalist Leandro Leon. Krop said the incident brought back unpleasant memories of his travels behind the Iron Curtain, where security officials confiscated his camera and his wife's film.
The board's student advisor, Judy Peacock, added that the South Dade seizure upset students. ``We hold our rights very dear to us. We cannot tolerate this kind of incident.''
Kaplan noted that the security guards who seized the film work for a private firm under a contract with the School Board. ``They need sensitivity training,'' she said.
Fraind responded that his staff would schedule training sessions so that there would not be a recurrence of such an incident.
In another action, the board defeated a proposal by Marta Perez requiring administrators to give 72 hours notice to board members and the public when meetings are scheduled to discuss the agenda.
``Allow me to be a better board member,'' pleaded Perez, whose presence led administrators to cancel a November staff meeting and reschedule it without telling her.
``Aren't you outraged that this happened to me?'' she asked.
Evidently not. Stinson and others complained the proposal smacked of ``micromanagement.'' The item lost on a voice vote.
WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DID
Heard a Florida School Construction Finance Commission proposal to end developers' impact fees and replace the property tax now used for school construction with a sales-tax hike, but took no action.
Approved applications for three new charter schools - the ASPIRA South Leadership Academy, the Pinecrest Preparatory Academy and the Rosa Parks Academy - subject to negotiating a satisfactory contract.
Approved renaming Richmond Elementary School the Ethel F. Beckford/Richmond Elementary Community School, naming new elementary schools in honor of Dr. Carlos J. Finlay and Eugenia B. Thomas, and naming a new West Dade school the Doral Middle School.
Expelled 14 students ranging in age from 12 to 17, reassigning most of them to alternative programs.
Approved plans for 11 groups, totaling 151 students, from nine schools to travel abroad in 11 countries ranging from England and France to Belarus and Azerbaijan.
Approved allowing an additional 231 teachers to continue working in academic fields in which they're not certified.
Announced a public hearing on March 3 about the future of the financially troubled Florida International Academy charter school.
Discussed tightening audit requirements on charter schools and other private organizations receiving public funds through the district.
Approved raising fees paid to the law firm representing the district in workers' compensation disputes to $90 an hour from $75 an hour.
Approved raising the fees paid to the district's insurance consultant to $125 an hour from $75 an hour.
Fired former Miami High School teacher Felipe S. Sagastume, who was arrested last October on charges of molesting a 15-year-old girl in his classroom.
Received a mid-year budget report showing a $9.7 million drop in state revenue because of lower-than-projected enrollment.
Requested federal and state funds to expand the ``career academy model of high school reform.''
``My proposal is not meant to be a criticism of anybody,'' said board Vice Chairman Michael Krop, alluding to complaints about Henry Fraind, the deputy superintendent who handles media relations and numerous other duties.
One problem, said veteran board member Holmes Braddock, is the perception that a gag order impedes the dissemination of information.
``I've had many calls from staff members - from principals on up - who say they can't talk to the media,'' said Braddock, who noted that he has had ``a love-hate relationship'' with the press. ``I don't think we're spinning the news. We're not just getting any. We're blocking the news.''
In that vein, board member Betsy Kaplan cited a recent Herald story on award-winning music students that dwelled almost exclusively on Broward County students because ``the reporter couldn't get entree'' to Miami-Dade County schools.
Board member Solomon Stinson countered that ``the media aren't interested in the good things that we do; they're interested in sensational things,'' but he voted for Krop's proposal.
Earlier, Krop again expressed dismay about last week's seizure of film from South Dade High School student journalist Leandro Leon. Krop said the incident brought back unpleasant memories of his travels behind the Iron Curtain, where security officials confiscated his camera and his wife's film.
The board's student advisor, Judy Peacock, added that the South Dade seizure upset students. ``We hold our rights very dear to us. We cannot tolerate this kind of incident.''
Kaplan noted that the security guards who seized the film work for a private firm under a contract with the School Board. ``They need sensitivity training,'' she said.
Fraind responded that his staff would schedule training sessions so that there would not be a recurrence of such an incident.
In another action, the board defeated a proposal by Marta Perez requiring administrators to give 72 hours notice to board members and the public when meetings are scheduled to discuss the agenda.
``Allow me to be a better board member,'' pleaded Perez, whose presence led administrators to cancel a November staff meeting and reschedule it without telling her.
``Aren't you outraged that this happened to me?'' she asked.
Evidently not. Stinson and others complained the proposal smacked of ``micromanagement.'' The item lost on a voice vote.
WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DID
Heard a Florida School Construction Finance Commission proposal to end developers' impact fees and replace the property tax now used for school construction with a sales-tax hike, but took no action.
Approved applications for three new charter schools - the ASPIRA South Leadership Academy, the Pinecrest Preparatory Academy and the Rosa Parks Academy - subject to negotiating a satisfactory contract.
Approved renaming Richmond Elementary School the Ethel F. Beckford/Richmond Elementary Community School, naming new elementary schools in honor of Dr. Carlos J. Finlay and Eugenia B. Thomas, and naming a new West Dade school the Doral Middle School.
Expelled 14 students ranging in age from 12 to 17, reassigning most of them to alternative programs.
Approved plans for 11 groups, totaling 151 students, from nine schools to travel abroad in 11 countries ranging from England and France to Belarus and Azerbaijan.
Approved allowing an additional 231 teachers to continue working in academic fields in which they're not certified.
Announced a public hearing on March 3 about the future of the financially troubled Florida International Academy charter school.
Discussed tightening audit requirements on charter schools and other private organizations receiving public funds through the district.
Approved raising fees paid to the law firm representing the district in workers' compensation disputes to $90 an hour from $75 an hour.
Approved raising the fees paid to the district's insurance consultant to $125 an hour from $75 an hour.
Fired former Miami High School teacher Felipe S. Sagastume, who was arrested last October on charges of molesting a 15-year-old girl in his classroom.
Received a mid-year budget report showing a $9.7 million drop in state revenue because of lower-than-projected enrollment.
Requested federal and state funds to expand the ``career academy model of high school reform.''
Memo: see WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DID at end
Edition: Final
Section: Local
Page: 3B
Record Number: 0002110365
Copyright (c) 2000 The Miami Herald
Section: Local
Page: 3B
Record Number: 0002110365
Copyright (c) 2000 The Miami Herald
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