Pop Quiz

We Questioned Eight Miami-Dade County School Board Candidates on the Toughest Issues They Will Face. Here's How They Answered

By Angie Hargot and Ben Torter

On Aug. 26 Miami-Dade voters will go to the polls to elect four members of the Miami-Dade County School Board. We asked each candidate a few questions about how they would handle some of the toughest issues they will face. Here’s what they had to say. 

District 1

Wilbert “Tee” Holloway

Incumbent Wilbert “Tee” Holloway has served as state representative for District 103, and as chair of the Florida Conference of Black Legislators. In 2007, Holloway was appointed by Gov. Charlie Christ to serve out the remaining School Board term of Robert B. Ingram, who died in office. The Miami native has been the recipient of numerous honors, including United Way of Dade County Volunteer of the Year and Bethune Cookman College Distinguished Alumni, among others. The husband and father of four received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bethune–Cookman College, and attended Harvard University’s State and Local Government Executive Program in 2003.

Issues that will face the School Board?

“One of the greatest challenges facing schools, in my opinion, is the graduation rate, which is currently approximately 50 percent…. We have to do a better job at ensuring that our students are equipped with the tools necessary to become productive and contributing members of society. [Also] research shows that there is a very high correlation between the graduation rate and the ability to perform on high-stakes standardized testing. One solution would be to try to develop methods to decrease the emphasis that is placed on these tests. Another challenge is the loss of funding to the district, specifically the District Cost Differential. My solution would be for the school boards of [South Florida to] join forces and do all that we can to convince our local legislative delegation to demand that the DCD be restored so that we can continue on our mission of providing students with a quality education.”

Budgeting and funding issues?

“The School Board is currently facing a $284 million shortfall for the 2008-09 school year. No one can argue that having to eliminate such a substantial amount of money from an operating budget is a daunting task. My approach would be simple: Cut what we don’t need and protect what we do need … although a difficult task within itself. The last place where I would want to see any cuts would be at the school sites, because I believe that our children deserve the best education possible.”

Superintendent Rudy Crew?

“Needless to say, running a school district the size of Miami-Dade County would be a difficult task for anyone to complete without some shortfalls. Crew came to the district with two goals in mind. One goal was to raise academic achievement for all of our students and the second goal was to effectively eliminate overcrowding in schools. We have seen through the recent FCAT scores and school grades that our students are currently making record achievements.… Additionally, there will be 83,000 new student stations that have been created over the course of four years, including 29 new school sites, which has impacted overcrowding of our schools tremendously. Although there are always areas in which we could all improve, overall, Crew is doing an admirable job with what he has to work with.”

Erhabor Ighodaro

A native of Nigeria and a naturalized citizen of the United States, Erhabor Ighodaro has received numerous awards, including Florida Memorial University Scholar/Athlete of the Year and Omega Scholar of the Year. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Florida Memorial University and a master’s from St. Thomas University. He is a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, is one of Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ 5000 Role Models of Excellence and served as chief of staff to the late Robert B. Ingram. Ighodaro is currently an investigator with the school district’s Civilian Investigative Unit and administrator for the Ingram Africa School Alliance “Rites of Passage” Project, among other service roles and distinctions. The husband and father of two has been published in professional educational publications.

Issues that will face the School Board?

“As an educator, I believe our most important mission as a school district is to provide the highest quality educational programs to our children.... More than 40 percent of children who enter our K-12 instructional program do not graduate. The use of high-stakes standardized testing in making life-impacting decisions has compromised the task of providing a holistic approach to learning.… I would present an item authorizing the superintendent to conduct a review of our curricula to ensure that we not only have alignment with tested content, but that there is adequate and equitable allocation of resources for all our children to compete and excel academically.”

Budget and funding issues?

“Florida has the poorest record of per-pupil funding in education in the United States. We must ensure that rhetoric matches up with our budgetary allocation for education … [and] be committed to the required funding. The principles of Total Quality Management and consumer satisfaction, which is the hallmark of the most successful business models, is relevant to ensure that we have the most qualified and compensated workforce.… As a School Board member, I would advocate that a deputy superintendent … be charged with the task of fundraising and the development of a strategy to establish a public-private partnership.… We cannot afford the documented evidence of waste in overtime expenses and underreporting of services that has cost the district over $22 million.”

Superintendent Rudy Crew?

“I believe that we have one of the best superintendents in the United States. Crew was recently recognized as “Superintendent of the Year,” and his record of transforming some of our failing schools has been recognized by the same board that hired him a few years ago, with the issue of increasing the academic gains as his major district priority. I believe that there are opportunities for professional courtesy and rapport between the superintendent and the board; however, each party must be mindful in not allowing personalities and the politics of the day to compromise the mission and integrity of our role as guardians to our children’s future.”

District 3

Shawn Beightol

Beightol, a teacher for 15 years, began his work as a youth counselor in Liberty City in the 1980s. He obtained a master’s in Chemistry Education from Florida International University, and became a chemistry teacher with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. He was a United Teachers of Dade presidential candidate and UTD Steward of the Year nominee in 2007 and 2008, and a successful leader in the fight to overcome health care increases to school site employees during the same period. Beightol was editor and author for the Earth-Space Science textbook currently used in Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Issues that will face the School Board?

“School site employee compensation must be addressed to boost and rebuild morale, productivity and a sense of ownership of educational activities of local schools. Florida Department of Education data shows that MDCPS has three times the number [than necessary] of employees downtown earning more than $100 thousand per year, that have little to do with the day-to-day mission of educating children.… Evaluate the entire downtown operation for excess employees and begin cutting ‘from the top.’… Return control of school direction and reform (including curriculum, culture, and budget) to the local educators and community leaders.… Decide for ourselves as a community how we will define education … beyond the flawed one-dimensional FCAT rubric.… Reduce the 41 percent failure-to-graduate rate by returning career and vocational education to schools — children need to feel like they own their education.”

Budgeting and funding issues?

“My feelings are that we, the public, have been deceived. There is plenty of evidence that suggests that mismanagement has wiped out a decade of unprecedented revenue.… For years, my platform has been to require an independent audit — both forensic and a performance audit that will look at inefficiencies such as buses that are left running, bus routes, school buildings being built amid decreasing student population, textbook accountability, etc.… Ultimately, regarding budgeting and funding issues, you must have leadership that understands where education occurs (the classroom, the local school) and prioritizes the educators first before programs, technology and ancillaries.”

Superintendent Rudy Crew?

“He has shown a lack of empathy for those who come before the School Board.... From what I understand, he treats his staff with the same lack of consideration that, at board meetings, he demonstrates toward the community he is supposed to serve. This is inexcusable, and part of the reason I support transitioning from him to a new superintendent. He has shown a lack of cultural awareness for the various groups that make up Miami.… Miami is multifaceted and Crew’s attempt to manage everything himself downtown (by centralizing control) shows the weakness of taking control away from the local schools.… He is the highest-paid superintendent in one of the poorest [school districts] in this nation.… His results do not warrant [it].… Stop marketing Crew and start educating our children to be marketable, productive.”

Martin Karp

Karp is a lifelong resident of District 3, a Teacher of the Year in a District 3 school and an honors graduate of Miami Beach Senior High. A voting member on two Miami-Dade County School Board committees, Karp serves as the chair of Instructional Excellence and Community Engagement and as a member of the School Support Accountability Committee. He has served on the board of the Children’s Trust for nearly four years. Karp helped bring the International Baccalaureate Program to Miami Beach, and allowed for the partnership with Sunny Isles Beach in which $12 million was given to purchase land to build the city’s first school, and land in North Miami, a city where a new school had not been constructed in 50 years — four new schools have been added. He boasts a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership degree, a Master of Science in Education and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Miami. He also holds a master’s degree from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications. Prior to becoming an educator, Martin served as circulation director and business manager for Southern Playbill Publishing, Inc.

Issues that will face the School Board?

“Improve board relationships, behavior, interaction; stop negativity, focus and build upon our positives and return the focus to improving student achievement.”

Budgeting and funding issues?

“Recognizing that an economic downturn was on the horizon, the School Board cut administration by 30 percent ($130 million) beginning last year. Currently, 2008-2009 funding is less than 2006-2007 levels. While everything has been on the table for budget reductions, my focus has been to impact the classroom as a last resort. We need to explore incentives for early retirement and granting a leave of absence for all employees interested in such an option. Hiring a development director to raise money for the district could provide additional resources.… The school district and Miami-Dade community need to make a better and stronger case for increased funding from Tallahassee.... It is certain that there will be additional holdbacks in funding during the 2008-09 school year.... We need a better way to address the issue of under-enrolled schools. This should be a thorough process through our Attendance Boundary Committee. One of the reasons I voted against the original plan was the lack of community input. We need to have the public behind us in order to properly fund public education.”

Superintendent Rudy Crew?

“It’s time to move forward and change the subject — to our students, especially with this week’s opening of schools. I am publicly and respectfully asking the board and the superintendent to employ a professional, respectful and collegial tone.”

District 5

Renier Diaz de la Portilla

A School Board member since 2006, Diaz de la Portilla is a former representative of House District 115, where he chaired the Education Innovation Committee. He received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Florida International University and his master’s degree from Cornell University. Diaz de la Portilla was first elected to the Miami-Dade County School Board at the age of 25, making him the youngest member ever to serve on that board. He has served on the Florida Education Practices Commission, has taught English to speakers of other languages at Hialeah-Miami Lakes Adult Education Center, and gained national media attention for sponsoring the nation's first drug-testing program for public high school students. Hailing from a family with deep political roots, Diaz de la Portilla is married and works as an attorney with the Fort Lauderdale office of GrayRobinson.

Angel Zayon

Zayon is running on a platform to fire Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew and to change the position to an elected one. A former television news reporter for WSCV-Channel 51, Zayon gave Marco Rubio a run for his money in the 2000 election for the Florida House of Representatives.

Responses could not be obtained from either candidate by deadline.

District 9

Larry Feldman

Feldman began his career as a Miami-Dade school teacher. The 58-year-old retired earlier this year from his job as principal at Devon Aire K-8. He made headlines when he offered to continue as principal for a salary of only $1 per year. The offer was turned down by the school system.

Issues that will face the School Board?

“The fiscal crisis is the most important issue. All other issues relate to the budget. For example, the district must honor its contract and pay the teachers what they have rightfully earned. My plan from day one is to ask the right questions, come up with innovative solutions and refocus the district’s priorities so that classroom teachers, day-to-day workers and students are given first priority over … bureaucrats.”

Budgeting and funding issues?

“I refer to my answer in question one. Also, just as I offered to work for $1 a year as a principal, which this administration wrongly declined to accept, we must come up with innovative proposals, make reasonable and fair sacrifices, and make tough decisions that hold our students, teachers, police officers and other support personnel harmless. This district wastes millions of dollars on administrative, bureaucratic expenditures and it needs to end.” 

Superintendent Rudy Crew?

“My position is as follows: If the superintendent were to receive a performance grade, just as our students, teachers and schools do, he would have earned a D. The superintendent has mismanaged the district’s budget, unnecessarily caused poor morale among teachers, and shown disdain and disregard for several elected board members who are elected to represent the people.”

Evelyn Langlieb Greer

Incumbent Evelyn Langlieb Greer was elected to the School Board in 2004, and was the co-founder and first mayor of the village of Pinecrest. She received her bachelor’s degree in economics from Barnard College and her law degree from Columbia University. Greer is an attorney with Hogan, Greer & Shapiro, P.A., and is founder and CEO of Greer Properties, Inc. Greer has served as a member of the Miami-Dade County Superintendent Search Committee, the Joint Task Force on School Overcrowding and is currently a member of the foster care privatization effort, Our Kids. A director of both City National Bank of Florida and Fusion Telecommunications, Inc., Greer has served as a trustee of colleges and universities. Greer did not respond to phone calls and E-mails by deadline.

Virginia Lora and Rene Basulto contributed to this report.

Comments? E-mail letters@miamisunpost.com.