We Educate Miami

On this day in history…June 1st, 1831 The British explorer James Clark Ross discovers the North Magnetic Pole. It is the location where the Earth's magnetic field points directly downwards. It lies in the vicinity of the Geographic North Pole.Also, in 1979: The first black-led government of Rhodesia in 90 years takes power, signaling the end of British colonial rule. The country's name was changed to Zimbabwe Rhodesia.The Miami Herald opined about the absurdity of the Governor's position   on Civics standards: DeSantis and the GOP are Posing as patriots and  don't want children to learn about racism 

On this Day:  On this day in history… May 25th…we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, which is the month of May starting with questions and answers with Texas A&M professor Vanita Reddy, published yesterday in the college newspaper (https://today.tamu.edu/2021/05/24/understanding-asian-american-and-pacific-islander-heritage-month/) For more on this topic, we refer to The Labor Toolkit on Anti-Asian Racism from the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO. You can download it from  www.apalanet.org What is critical race theory, and why are conservatives blocking it? (https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/05/25/what-is-critical-race-theory-and-why-are-conservatives-blocking-it/) Critical race theory — a broad set of ideas about systemic bias and privilege — might have its roots in legal academia, but it is fast becoming one of the more explosive flashpoints in America’s state legislatures.They say the unemployed don’t want to work. That’s not quite true. (Sun Sentinel today)https://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-bz-unemployed-look-forward-20210525-52cnjmgkzrflzn4ckex37yqydm-story.htmlFlorida’s move to strip away people’s federal unemployment benefits appears unlikely to drive packs of workers back to low-paying jobs, especially at restaurants and tourist destinations.There is limited evidence to prove the prevailing political argument that workers are staying home in droves to collect free money. In reality, many people are changing careers to escape historically low pay. Others are sick of the way their previous employers treated them, or they’re wary of what some consider reckless precautions against COVID-19.Reminder Summer School expanding—start making plans now. “Summer 305” runs from June 14 - August 20, 2021, and will provide stimulating, fun, and challenging courses, both in-person at 179 schools, and virtually for students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12th.Registration is online now at summer305.dadeschools.net or just go to dadeschools.net to find it. Registration will take place at the school site that is hosting the summer program.  You can find the program selection form at dadeschools.net, which is due back June 9th so you have a few weeks, but now is the time to make plans. 

May 18 is Haitian Flag Day, which celebrates the creation of the Flag of Haiti and revolution in Haiti that got its people freedom from France and set the precedent for slave uprisings in the US. The day is celebrated each year on the 18th of May, which is the anniversary of the date of the flag's adoption in 1803. From https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/haitian-revolution-1791-1804/ In the wake of George Floyd’s killing, there have been calls for defunding police departments and demands for the removal of statues. The issue of reparations for slavery has also resurfaced, writes Marlene Daut, Professor of African Diaspora Studies, University of Virginia (https://www.theafricareport.com/32162/when-haiti-paid-france-for-freedom-the-greatest-heist-in-history/) Janitors Get Organized in South Florida. A workforce largely composed of immigrants and women of color is fighting to organize a union after facing low wages, poor conditions and lax safety protections during the pandemic. (May 15, 2021 Michael Sainato  THE GUARDIAN (https://portside.org/2021-05-15/janitors-get-organized-south-florida) Every parent wants the best education for their child. But even with the money available, how should parents who may be considering sending their children to private schools, know to make educated choices about what will be in their students’ best interests? The State Department of Education has a list of questions to be considered by parents that provide a stark contrast between some private schools and our public schools at http://www.fldoe.org/schools/school-choice/private-schools/choosing-a-private-school.stml

On this Day:  On this day in history… May 11… 1894. The Pullman Strike by workers of the American Railway Union started. (from https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/labor-day-1) Today many Americans see Labor Day as time off from work, an opportunity to enjoy a barbecue with friends and family and a final moment of summertime relaxation before the busy fall season begins. But the history behind the Labor Day holiday is far more complex and dramatic than most might realize, starting with a heated campaign by workers in the late 19th century to win support and recognition for their contributions. In July 1894, President Grover Cleveland finally signed into law legislation creating a national Labor Day holiday in early September—even as federal troops in Chicago brutally crushed a strike by railroad and Pullman sleeping car company workers, leaving some 30 people dead.Take Action to support Students and Public Education in FloridaGo to www.utd.org and click on the first slider on the page, which says “Take Action” to send a letter to the Miami-Dade and Broward County legislative delegations in support of public education. Let me tell you why we are asking for this outreach: The 2021 regular legislative session ended on April 30th, but legislators are coming back for a special session the week of May 17th. The sole focus of this special session will be addressing a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. This compact is expected to generate billions of dollars in new revenue. We must raise our collective voices to fight for that revenue to be dedicated to Florida’s students and public education. Florida still ranks 43rd in the nation for education funding, meaning Florida’s students and educators are being shortchanged. The new Florida Seminole Compact provides an opportunity to increase support for Florida’s students and, in turn, Florida’s future.The revenue from the new Florida Seminole Compact can ensure that public education is not robbed of the opportunity to impact communities and expand educational resources. The expected $500 million from the new Florida Seminole Compact gives the legislature a second chance to support its students and public education by supplementing, not supplanting, the holes in the education budget.Please support children, education, and teachers. Go to https://actionnetwork.org/letters/invest-in-floridas-students-and-public-education/  to send a letter to the Miami-Dade and Broward County legislative delegations in support of public education. Our public schools and our students are already losing money going to private schools and the governor is giving more away…Florida families to get more school vouchers as DeSantis signs $200M choice expansion“Once again, our legislature continues to defund public education and gamble away our children’s future at the hands of for-profit companies. This past year, our public schools have faced unprecedented challenges. Instead of focusing on funding the schools that teach over 90% of Florida’s students, our legislature opted to funnel more public dollars into private and for-profit schools, many of which, like Centner Academy, fail to follow the high safety and academic standards that are required for our districts. Public education is the cornerstone of any functioning democracy and ensuring equitable access to high-quality funded public schools is a constitutional obligation that they are failing to fulfill. It is a shame our legislature fails to understand the value of public education and its role in supporting our children’s future.”

On this Day:  Since today is May the 4th, we should make brief welcome for fans of Star Wars that today is the unofficial “May the Fourth Be With You Day” when devotees of the intergalactic battle between good and evil cheer on Luke and Leia and Han against the evil forces of Darth Vader and the repressive empire. The challenges of the ongoing pandemic these days make a deep dive into the fantasy universe of "Star Wars" just right. And, thanks to the efforts of a devoted fan base and the movie machine behind the series alike, May 4 is just the day to do it. The day was made for a punning slogan: "May the Fourth be with you."But more importantly, when we think about all the writers, actors, producers, file crews, and creative talent who brought Star Wars what do you think is the occupation that encouraged them to follow their paths in life? Well teachers of course! So today we hope the force is strong with our teachers as we celebrate Teachers’ Appreciation Day in the midst of Teachers Appreciation Week, because just one day really doesn’t do it.  Since we always take a drive through history to start the show, let’s take a look at the origin of Teachers Appreciation Day. The Origin of Teacher Appreciation WeekTeacher Appreciation Week originated in 1953, and teachers have Eleanor Roosevelt to thank for its inception. Roosevelt convinced Congress that there needed to be a specific day on which teachers were recognized. Prior to Roosevelt going before Congress, it is believed that some states did practice, but it is unclear and unsubstantiated. The theory, however, is that either a teacher from Wisconsin or Arkansas (they aren’t sure which) wrote letters to her trying to get her to help teachers’ cause.The Arkansas theory states that Mattye Whytte Wooldridge began communicating with leaders in the education system to form a day on which teachers would be honored. She ultimately began writing letters to Eleanor Roosevelt. Roosevelt decided the cause was worthy of her attention and took it to Congress.Even with Eleanor Roosevelt taking the case to Congress and getting their help and support, it would take another 27 years for it to become an official national day. It was 1980 when the National Education Association (NEA), which was formed in 1857, joined together with the Kansas State and Indiana State Boards of Education and began to lobby Congress to have the day nationally recognized.The First National Teacher Appreciation DayNational Teacher Day was celebrated on March 7th until 1984, when it was moved to May. Behind the move was the National Parent Teacher Association and, instead of just one day, they named the entire first week of May to be Teacher Appreciation Week. The NEA followed suit the next year and held National Teacher Appreciation Day on the Tuesday of the week.There are still a few cases of oddities though. Massachusetts celebrates Teacher’s Day not on National Teacher Day, but instead on the first Sunday of June; perhaps because teachers are out for summer and therefore get to relax on their special day.Celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week in Your ClassroomThe NEA believes National Teacher Day is day to not only honor teachers but to show them that they help make lasting impressions on their students’ lives. Typical gifts range from thank you notes to small treats and gifts.Whether you want to send a small gift or a kind word, make sure to plan on letting the teachers in your life know that they are appreciated.

On this Day:  –  On this day in history, April 27, 1911, pacifist and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi  suspended “passive resistance” and entered into negotiations for civil rights for Southeast Indians in South Africa, where they were treated as second-class citizens. Gandhi’s mass nonviolent tactics would serve as a model for Martin Luther King Jr., and subsequent generations of advocates for freedom and equality. Miami private school Centner Academy won’t employ vaccinated teachers, staff A private school with two campuses in Miami has warned its staff against taking vaccines that prevent COVID-19, saying it will not employ anyone who has been inoculated and spreading misinformation about the potential risks of vaccination. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article250961279.html The No. 5 best high school in the country is in Miami, ranks U.S. News & World Report  The best high school ranked in Florida — and the fifth best in the nation — continues to be right here in Miami, according to the 2021 rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. School for Advanced Studies continues its reign at the top of the annual list ranking the best high schools across the country. The school has five campuses at Miami Dade College where selected juniors and seniors graduate with a high school diploma and a college associate’s degree. In Florida, Miami-Dade’s high schools crowd the top of the state list with six schools in the top 10. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article250966574.html Yesterday, Florida state Senate on Monday approved these tighter vote-by-mail regulations in a bill that in recent days was made less stringent after neighboring Georgia's new voting restrictions elicited widespread condemnation, according to a report on NPR. https://www.npr.org/2021/04/26/990990355/florida-state-senate-approves-tighter-rules-on-vote-by-mail-and-drop-boxes On April 28, the labor movement will once again observe Workers Memorial Day to remember workers killed or injured on the job and to renew the fight for strong safety and health protections. See www.aflcio.org for more.  Write your Senators and tell them to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize(PRO) Act on Workers Memorial Day. International Workers Day (May Day, May 1st) In the late nineteenth century, the working class was in constant struggle to gain the 8-hour work day. Working conditions were severe and it was quite common to work 10 to 16 hour days in unsafe conditions. Death and injury were commonplace at many work places and inspired such books as Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Jack London's The Iron Heel. May Day began as a commemoration of the 1886 Haymarket Riot in Chicago. The day is officially recognized in much of the world.

Secretary-Treasurer Mindy Grimes-Festge welcomes UTD Organizer Mike Roland to talk about the repressive legislation signed by Gov. DeSantis. UTD Dean of Professional Development Karen Kelly introduces the Teachers and Parents 'Survival Guide'  and UTD First Vice President Antonio White calls in to report on the status of anti-union bills in Tallahassee. On this Day in history:  –  On this day in history, April 20, Harriet Tubman, abolitionist and activist, started the Underground Railroad in 1853, a network of anti-slavery homes, helping enslaved African-Americans escape to free states. 

With the state legislature in session, UTD Secretary/Treasurer Mindy Grimes-Festge welcomes teacher Joy Jackson to the show to discuss her work with exceptional students, the executive order on testing and impact of unionization on wages and working conditions. In addition to her activism with UTD, Ms. Jackson is also active with the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (the CBTU).Since the earliest days of this nation when democracy was built on racial exploitation, black workers have risked their lives to protect and empower their communities through agitation, collective action and faith. The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists proudly carries that tradition into the 21st century. For more information, see www.cbtu.org On the anniversary of becoming the first African-American to win the Oscar (in 1963), here are 5 Things You Need to Know About Sidney Poitier https://medium.com/@MarriedAtTheMovies/4-things-you-need-to-know-about-sidney-poitier-171392fb668e  (blog post) Poitier is and will always be a brilliant figure in film history; a key bridge in 20th century African American cinema between black actor as caricature and black actor as actor. With his poise, intelligence, grace, and emotional intensity, Poitier was the right man for the times: at the height of the Civil Rights movement.Amazon “Broke the Law”: Union Seeks New Election After Alabama Warehouse Organizing Drive Fails (https://www.democracynow.org/2021/4/12/rwdsu_alabama_amazon_union_vote, April 12)  The largest union drive in the history of Amazon has ended with the company on top. After a months-long battle, 738 workers at Amazon’s Bessemer, Alabama, warehouse voted to unionize, and 1,798 voted no. Ballots from another 505 workers were challenged, mostly by Amazon. The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union that led the drive says Amazon illegally interfered in the vote, and it plans to file unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board. Amazon, which is led by the world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos, spent millions to defeat the closely watched election, and even got a private mailbox installed at the warehouse so it could pressure workers to mail their ballots from work and monitor votes. “It’s important that people don’t misread the results of this election,” says Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. “People were not saying that they were satisfied with Amazon’s working conditions in any way. They were saying that they were afraid to vote for the union.”

On this Day:  April 6, the trial of Scottsboro Boys started. The case of the Scottsboro Boys, which lasted more than 80 years, helped to spur the Civil Rights Movement, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture (https://nmaahc.si.edu/blog/scottsboro-boys) The perseverance of the Scottsboro Boys and the attorneys and community leaders who supported their case helped to inspire several prominent activists and organizers. To Kill a Mockingbird, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by white author Harper Lee, is also loosely based on this case.Why I'm going to church for Easter (Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, Sat April 3, https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/03/opinions/easter-jesus-gallup-poll-church-decline-graves-fitzsimmons/index.html)As a gay man who advocates for social justice, I get why some people look askance when I mention what my Sunday plans entail. While prominent progressive Christian voices exist, too often the loudest voices in American Christianity often sound nothing like Jesus — the radical healer and teacher who taught his followers to love their neighbor and free the oppressed.  This Sunday past was not only Easter, but marked 53 years since MLK was killed. His fight for Black voting rights has yet to be won (Dean Obeidallah, CNN, April 4, https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/04/opinions/martin-luther-king-assassination-voting-rights-obeidallah/index.html) On April 4, 1968, a White gunman shot and killed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. More than 50 years later, the fight he waged to ensure Black Americans had equal access to vote is still very much alive.Alcee Hastings, pioneering civil rights activist, judge and politician, dies at 84 (from today’s Miami Herald https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article248269530.html) Alcee Hastings, crusading civil rights lawyer, the first Black federal judge in Florida and dean of Florida’s U.S. congressional delegation during a tumultuous career that took him from the segregated lunch counters of the Deep South to Capitol Hill, has died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 84.Children Now Playing Big Role In Spread of COVID-19https://abc7chicago.com/covid-chidlren-variant-coroanvirus-coronavirus-vaccine/10486843/

On March 30, 1870, the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution was formally adopted. It had been ratified on February 3, 1870 as the third and last of the Reconstruction Amendments. On March 30, Secretary of State Hamilton Fish proclaimed the 15 Amendment to be officially part of the U.S. Constitution. Historian Stephen West explains, “That was considered necessary because of questions about its status amidst the messy and irregular politics of Reconstruction.”The 15th Amendment is described in Freedom’s Unfinished Revolution,“In 1870, two years after the 14th Amendment was ratified, Congress and the states responded to another round of racial violence in the South by providing additional constitutional protection for the Black electorate. The 15th Amendment declared that the right of U.S. citizens to vote could “not be abridged or denied” by any state” on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”Florida must expand, not curtail, access to the ballot box by Tom Lopach and Juanica Fernandes in the Tallahassee DemocratIn the aftermath of the contentious  2020 elections, there’s one point most Florida Republicans and Democrats can agree upon: The state and county election offices did an admirable job in running a fair and efficient election. As Gov. Ron DeSantis himself recently declared, “Last November, Florida held the smoothest, most successful election of any state in the country.”But that’s where the "Kumbaya" agreement may end. Despite the widespread acknowledgement of a free and fair electoral process in the Sunshine State, the governor and many lawmakers now want to backtrack. Several restrictive new voting laws, including SB 90, would upend Florida’s mail-in ballot system and cancel current mail ballot requests. Worst of all, these proposed bills threaten to disproportionately disenfranchise Florida’s Black and brown voters.Session's limited access darkens Sunshine Week (The Palm Beach Post Editorial Board on March 14) During a normal session of the Florida Legislature, the halls of the Capitol and the House and Senate office buildings are filled with advocates, constituents and lobbyists, all hoping to persuade their elected officials on any given issue. Not this year. ‘Anti-educator’ bill clears Senate committee as hundreds of Florida teachers and school faculty testify against it As far as Senator Victor Torres is concerned, the message was loud and clear.“There’s no way I’m gonna support this bill,” he said. “Because you heard the testimony from different counties, from different sections of the state opposing this bill.”

Following months of discussion and planning, more than 3,000 union women from across the U.S. convened in Chicago, IL on March 23-24, 1974, to form an organization to address the critical needs of millions of unorganized working women and make unions more responsive to the needs of all working women. CLUW adopted four core objectives: to empower women for greater participation at all levels in the labor movement; to organizing the unorganized; to promote affirmative action, social and economic justice in the workplace; and to increase the participation of women in the political and legislative processes.For more, see www.cluw.orgActivists call on Biden to issue a new TPS for Haitians as nation’s turmoil deepen (Miami Herald https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article250119774.html) Immigration advocates called on President Joe Biden Monday to end deportations to Haiti and offer a new Temporary Protected Status designation for Haiti, a move that would provide immigration protection to thousands of additional migrants already living in the United States from the troubled Caribbean nation.Biden administration releases nearly $1 billion in education funds for Puerto Rico (Miami Herald https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/article250116129.html) The U.S. Department of Education will release nearly $1 billion in federal funds to help Puerto Rico respond to both the pandemic and a series of natural disasters in the Biden administration’s latest move to reset relations with the island

How ‘Strange Fruit’ Killed Billie Holiday. Holiday, who throughout her career called public attention to the devastating impact of white supremacy, drew the notice of the Commissioner for the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. He ordered her to stop singing the song... (as reported in The Progressive https://progressive.org/dispatches/strange-fruit-caused-the-murder-of-billie-holiday-180220/) The song’s lyrics were shocking to members of Holiday’s mostly white audiences: Southern trees bear strange fruitBlood on the leaves and blood at the rootBlack bodies swinging in the southern breezeStrange fruit hanging from the poplar treesThe song's writer, Abel Meeropol, actually taught at a high school in the Bronx, New York, and churned out reams of topical songs, poems and plays under the alias Lewis Allan. He published a poem under the title Bitter Fruit in the union-run New York Teacher magazine in 1937. The later name change was inspired. "Bitter" is too baldly judgmental. "Strange", however, evokes a haunting sense of something out of joint, according to a Guardian profile (https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/feb/16/protest-songs-billie-holiday-strange-fruit) Pop Quiz: What national politician—well known in this area—endorsed the union drive at Amazon? This week we were happily surprised when the workers received another solidarity message from a politician well known to our listeners. Can you guess who it was? Let’s read what was written and see how long we can keep mystery alive before you guess who it is. In the USA Today on Saturday, this well-known elected wrote: What our nation desperately needs is not more oligopolies like Amazon or hostile relationships; what we need is a more productive relationship between labor and management.Sounds like Bernie Sanders, right? Nope. Keep guessing. I will provide another hint. The person further wrote: One of my earliest political memories was marching the picket line with my dad in a Culinary Workers Union strike when he worked as a hotel bartender, and the lesson I took from it — all workers deserve respect — has stuck with me all throughout my career. Could it be progressive rookie Congresswoman “Squad” member AOC?You are getting colder. Give up? None other than our Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio. If you did not get that pop quiz correct, it is certainly understandable: Tell us more about Senator Marco Rubio’s labor record: The Intelligencer (https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/03/marco-rubio-amazon-union-alabama-oped-woke-capital.html) reports: Over the course of his career, the Florida lawmaker has backed the AFL-CIO’s position in relevant Senate votes 8 percent of the time. For the average Senate Republican, that figure is 17 percent. Rubio is a co-sponsor of national “right-to-work” legislation (a policy that undermines organized labor by allowing workers who join a unionized workplace to enjoy the benefits of a collective-bargaining agreement without paying dues to the union that negotiated it, which has the effect of encouraging other workers to skirt their dues, which can then drain a union of the funds it needs to survive). Rubio opposes the $15 minimum wage, and supported all manner of anti-labor Cabinet nominees during the Trump administration. Just last night, he criticized Joe Biden for including a “bailout” of the pensions of millions of Teamsters, carpenters, builders, and other unionized trades in the newly signe

First Vice President Tony White and Secretary/Treasurer Mindy Grimes-Festge welcome state representative Kevin Chambliss who gives update on House Bills 835 and 947, which would allow for employers to intimidate workers who wish to join union and undermine union strength. Visit the UTD Legislative Action page to stand up for workers' right and public education by contacting your elected representatives. On this day in history, March 9, Dr. Antonia Novello was appointed Surgeon General of the United States in 1990. She was the first woman—and the first Hispanic—ever to hold that office. One of her most visible and effective campaigns was against tobacco industry advertising aimed at children, especially evident in posters and billboard advertisements that featured the cartoon character "Joe Camel." A vote on whether to form a union at the e-commerce giant’s warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., has become a labor showdown, drawing the attention of N.F.L. players, and the White House.Players from the National Football League were among the first to voice their support. Then came Stacey Abrams, the Democratic star who helped turn Georgia blue in the 2020 election.The actor Danny Glover traveled to Bessemer, Ala., for a news conference last week, where he invoked the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s pro-union leanings in urging workers at Amazon’s warehouse there to organize. Tina Fey has weighed in, and so has Senator Bernie Sanders.And on Sunday, President Biden issued a resounding declaration of solidarity with the workers now voting on whether to form a union at Amazon’s Bessemer warehouse, without mentioning the company by name. Posted to his official Twitter account, his video was one of the most forceful statements in support of unionizing by an American president in recent memory.“Every worker should have a free and fair choice to join a union,” Mr. Biden said.Amazon Workers’ Union Drive Reaches Far Beyond Alabama (New York Times, March 2) Further, Rep. Chambliss says that HB1 has "license to kill" contained within bill. Chambliss sent a strongly-worded statement calling the measure “the scariest piece of legislation that I have seen in my life.”

Celebrate Read Across America Day - March 2 is "Read Across America Day." Books and stories provide points of access for understanding other people's lives, to walk in someone else’s shoes—or to try on a different hat! We did Read Across America this morning and had so much fun. That video will be up at www.utd.org for parents to watch with their children so please take advantage of this wonderful resource. Why Reading Aloud to Kids Helps Them Thrive (PBS for parents) Reading aloud to kids has clear cognitive benefits. For example, brain scans show that hearing stories strengthens the part of the brain associated with visual imagery, story comprehension, and word meaning. One study found that kindergarten children who were read to at least three times a week had a “significantly greater phonemic awareness than did children who were read to less often.” And the landmark Becoming a Nation of Readers report from 1985 concluded that “the single most important activity for building knowledge for their eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.”On this Day: – March 2, 1955: Claudette Colvin Refuses to Give Up Her Bus Seat (Zinn Education Project) I could not move, because history had me glued to the seat. . . It felt like Sojourner Truth’s hands were pushing me down on one shoulder and Harriet Tubman’s hands were pushing me down on another shoulder, and I could not move. — Claudette Colvin At age 15, on March 2, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat to a white woman. Colvin was motivated by what she had been learning in school about African American history and the U.S. Constitution. Why is March Women’s History Month? Besides International Women's Day on March 8, March holds a few more important milestones for women's history:Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in all federally funded education programs, was passed by the Senate on March 1, 1972. It became law later that year. In fact, the educators who formed the first Women's History Week a few years later did so to help schools comply with Title IX regulations. The Equal Rights Amendment, a constitutional amendment which guarantees rights regardless of sex past those assured by the 19th Amendment, passed the Senate on March 22, 1972. (P.S. -- it's still not fully ratified.) Earlier in the 20th century, two significant women's suffrage events took place in March. The first major suffragist parade took over Washington, DC, on March 3, 1913, and the National Woman's Party, a political group dedicated to women's suffrage, was officially formed in March 1917.Today is the first day of the state legislative session. Often that seems far removed from our every day lives here, but the decisions these folks in Tallahassee make have significant consequences in the lives of each and every one of us. We are going to talk about these issues and, more importantly, ask you to take action every week so the peoples’ voices are heard in Tallahassee and beyond. Fight ‘Jim Crow’ bills (Miami Herald, Feb. 26)When she stepped onto the sidewalk behind the Broward County Main Library Friday, it had been 271 days since LaToya Ratlieff stood at that unassuming street corner in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The last time she was there, in May, a police officer shot her in the face with a rubber bullet while she peacefully protested the death of George Floyd.“I really never left this corner,” Ratlief said Friday. “I left, but in reality I’m here all of the time.” Ratlieff has suffered from de

Thanks to Federal support, Teachers age 50 and older will soon get access to COVID-19 vaccine in Florida Demand for vaccinations has outpaced supply, so the federal CDC outlined a three-phase vaccine rollout plan. The first phase, issued in early December, recommended vaccinating health care workers and long-term care residents. The second phase, issued three weeks later, recommended vaccinating people ages 75 and older and non-health care frontline “essential” workers, including teachers, police officers and grocery store employees. The CDC included vaccinating people ages 65 to 74 in a third phase, along with younger people who have underlying medical conditions.DeSantis, though, ignored the second round of recommendations and issued an executive order in December directing that vaccine doses be given to staff members and residents of long-term care centers, people ages 65 and older and people who hospitals deemed were high risk. Condolences to out to the family of Donna Blatche, M-DCPS school bus driver, who died of COVID-19. Between students who refuse to wear their masks and a breakdown in communication on whether any students sent home to quarantine were also on their routes, bus drivers’ concerns are growing.Bradshaw said her mom often expressed concern that she was not being notified when kids who had been on her bus route were sent home to quarantine.She believes this is crucial information so bus drivers can make life-critical decisions like whether to quarantine themselves or get tested.“I know she inquired about the protocols and why kids were missing over a certain period of time,” Bradshaw said, adding that with other family members working as bus drivers, she feels like her mom’s legacy will be fighting for them to be safe and respected, fighting for their dignity.Pandemic looms over education priorities for Florida Legislature Some Democrats have charged the Republican majority has given early priority to partisan measures that do little to address the troubles created by the health crisis. For instance, legislators have advanced ideas that would expand vouchers and create education savings accounts, mandate moments of silence in public schools, add new requirements to participate in teacher unions, and exclude future teachers from a traditional pension plan.“My hope, genuinely, is that my Republican colleagues would see that their priorities right now are not going to help our children or our teachers,” said Senate Education Vice Chairman Shevrin Jones, a West Park Democrat.Jones is urging senators to emphasize policy that would help students who are struggling academically or proposals to encourage teachers to tutor after school.“Put the power back into the teachers. They are really doing a lot, so give them more resources to be able to continue doing it,” Jones said.On this Day: – W. E. B. Du Bois, one of the most important activist scholars of the 20th century, was born on Feb. 23, 1868. Du Bois, a sociologist, historian, Pan-Africanist, author, and editor, was one of the co-founders of the NAACP in 1909, leader of the Niagara Movement, and editor of the NAACP’s journal The Crisis.See more at Feb. 23, 1868: W. E. B. Du Bois Born - Zinn Education Project (zinnedproject.org)

Black and Poor Left Behind in Florida’s vaccine rollout: CBS MoneyWatch took a deep dive into Florida's vaccine rollout, comparing vaccinations rates with demographics on income and race across the state's 67 counties. As Florida scrambles to vaccinate residents of the state against COVID-19, a key determinant in whether people are able to get a shot is whether they live in an area that is predominantly White and wealthy. One factor seemingly not playing much of a role: the number of COVID-19 cases in that area.Here are their key findings:As of February 7, residents of Florida's top 10 counties with the highest percentage of White residents were 80% more likely to have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine than those who live in top 10 counties where non-Hispanic Whites make up the smallest percentage of the total population.Residents of Florida's 10 counties with the highest incomes had a vaccination rate of 9% — that's nearly double the 5% vaccination rate of people living in the state's 10 poorest counties. Statewide, the first-dose vaccination rate for Floridians is 6%.Publix, the supermarket chain, is the main pharmacy provider of vaccines in Florida. In Broward County — which has a population of nearly 2 million and is among the state's districts with the highest percentage of Black residents — not one of the more than 50 Publix locations in the county has begun to provide COVID-19 vaccinations. Boca Raton — a wealthier and whiter city in Palm Beach County, with one-twentieth the population of Broward — has 10 Publix locations offering the vaccine. New CDC Guidelines About School Safetyhttps://www.npr.org/2021/02/12/967033554/cdc-offers-clearest-guidance-yet-for-reopening-schoolsHowever……a new CDC survey of nearly 4,000 middle- and high-schoolers released this week shows how inconsistent mask use can be among older students (13-21). "Approximately 65% of students reported that fellow students wore a mask 'all the time' in the classroom and in hallways or stairwells." But mask use dropped precipitously elsewhere, from just 42% on school buses and 40% in restrooms to 36% in the cafeteria (when not eating).On this Day: – On this day in Black History, February 16, 1923, Bessie Smith made her first recording, “Down Hearted Blues," which sold 800,000 copies for Columbia Records. Give a listen at https://youtu.be/go6TiLIeVZAAlso On this Day… February 16, 1874 – Frederick Douglass elected president of Freedman’s Bank and Trust. This Sunday, while many of us celebrated Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 1818: is also the Day the U.S. Observes Frederick Douglass’ Birthday. Douglass said, "If there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters."

Guest DC Clark of DCS Mentoring joins First Vice President Antonio White and Secretary-Treasurer Mindy Grimes-Festge to discuss mentoring young men and Miami history. Role of African American teachers in establishing Black History month discussed. On this Day: February 2nd, 1971 US Congressional Black Caucus (the “CBC”) organizes. So happy 50th Birthday CBC! Since its establishment 50 years ago today, the Congressional Black Caucus has been committed to using the full Constitutional power, statutory authority, and financial resources of the federal government to ensure that African Americans and other marginalized communities in the United States have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. Also, on this day in history, February 2, 1988, James Weldon Johnson is commemorated on a U.S. postage stamp. Johnson co-composed of the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” in 1900. He had been the first African-American accepted to the Florida Bar in 1898, and the first executive secretary of the NAACP.On Feb. 3, 1870, the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. It decreed that the right to vote shall not be denied on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude.

White House: Florida has used only half its COVID vaccines: The Biden administration Monday said Florida had used only half the COVID vaccines given to it by the federal government, challenging Gov. Ron DeSantis’ attempt to blame the slow pace of vaccinations on a lack of federal supplies.Attention has been focused on the transition in Washington, DC , but our state legislature is up to its old tricks while there is little “on-the-ground” oversight in Tallahassee. Instead, public input is being restricted and we need to pay especially close attention to legislation which would undermine our public education system, disenfranchise the voices of educators, and trample workers’ rights. Here are dangerous bills we are watching: · SB 48 would dramatically expand unaccountable vouchers, draining our already underfunded schools, so they can line the pockets of those who seek the profit off of our kids· SB 84 would take away retirement security for teachers, staff, first responders and other front line workers who sacrifice so much for our community· SB 78 would force teachers, staff, first responders and other front line workers to cut through a bunch of bureaucratic red tape and jump through hoops when they decide to join and/or remain a member of their professional organization/unionFor those you following education news locally, the Broward Teachers Union won a critical victory for information from an arbitrator even in a somewhat split decision that found the district had the right to return teachers who had been out with accommodations back to the classroom.“Principals must now provide documents justifying their decisions,” Broward Teachers Union President Anna Fusco said. “We have been asking Runcie to give us information for months. He stonewalled and prevented BTU from finding out how principals reached their decisions. Now there is a binding decision that Runcie must follow. Runcie will finally be brought to account.”Support builds for Florida teachers to get vaccinated sooner Gov. Ron DeSantis has turned away requests to move educators to a higher priority. A big “thank you” goes out to the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, who passed a resolution asking Governor DeSantis to prioritize frontline workers for the vaccine distribution, including teachers, on Thursday, January 21st. On this Day: January 26, In 1863: Black Troops Recruited for the Union Army. Also, in keeping with the concept of second doses, here is today’s second dose of “this day in history”: on Jan. 26, 2010, The World Health Organization rejected claims that it overstated the severity of the swine flu pandemic under pressure from vaccine companies.

Miami Dade had a virtual visit yesterday from the incoming Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, to a MLK breakfast with the 5000 Role Models of Excellence group, which provides mentorship, scholarships and more for our children. So that was a special treat. The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project is a dropout prevention, mentoring program committed to closing the minority male achievement (access) gap by guiding minority male students along a carefully charted path through grades K-12 and college or ensuring the attainment of other post-secondary credentials, and increasing their employability in higher wage, high skills jobs within high demand industries. Presently, the program serves approximately 8,000 students in 105 schools, including 37 Elementary, 24 Middle, 33 Senior High, and 11 K-8 Centers in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Find out more at www.5000rolemodels.comTomorrow is inauguration day so we are feeling pretty, pretty good about that. After four years of Donald Trump as President, we are looking forward to an administration were at least education advocates, labor unionists, social justice seekers in all fields should be able to have a dialog with the resident of the White House and the people who work with him. So let’s take a minute to reflect, give thanks and celebrate the will of the majority.On this Day in history: January 19, 1966... the Georgia State House of Representatives refused to seat state representative Julian Bond despite his election the previous November. Their stated objection was his endorsement of a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee statement accusing the United States of violating international law in Vietnam. In December 1966, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Bond’s exclusion unconstitutional, and Bond was finally sworn in the following month.

First Vice President Antonio White hosts guest Ruben Roberts, immediate past President of Miami-Dade NAACP. Picking up the two Senate seats gives Democrats the opportunity to move an agenda. What is President 45 have to lose when he loses his seat? Note the difference between how the armed insurrectionists at the U.S. Capitol were treated in comparison with Black Lives Matter peaceful protestors? What would the danger be if conspirators are left unaddressed? On this Day in History: January 12, 2010. Deadly earthquake strikes Haiti.The earthquake, which lasted 35 seconds and was followed by several aftershocks, left an estimated 316,000 dead and 1.5 million injured. More than 1.5 million Haitians were left homeless after more than 400,000 houses crumbled into broken slabs of concrete and twisted steel. In the aftermath, donors and the Haitian government promised better construction, free public housing and a revitalization of Haiti’s devastated economy. None of it has materialized as envisioned.The earthquake decimated the southern portion of Haiti, leveling more than 100,000 buildings in metropolitan Port-au-Prince and the cities of Jacmel and Léogâne, where the epicenter was. A post-disaster assessment by the U.N. estimated the destruction at $7.9 billion.

Looking forward to a new year and new education policies. COVID-19 update report. On this day in history, 1980, Rappers Delight becomes first hip hop album to crack Billboard top 40.

Time for resolutions. Those who write down realistic goals tend to be more effective in achieving lasting change. As we enter a new year, educators are calling for a new approach to education, including reexamining 12-month learning. Tips for working with young students to increase love for learning.

Where are we with COVID-19 in Miami. Avoid large gathers and indoor spaces--stay vigilent. Support for Miguel A. Cardona, Joe Biden’s education secretary pick. What are some of the benefits of online learning for students?

As of yesterday, Florida has well more than a million cases of COVID-19 and Miami-Dade County has consistently suffered with approximately one-quarter of that total. More than 300,000 Americans have died and death counts continue to be high. More than 20,000 Floridians have died due to COVID-19, and more than 4,000 Miami-Dade residents have died due to the virus.Unfortunately, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools COVID-19 dashboard, which tracks infections for students and staff in the district, continues to climb as well.This week, several significant developments in the good news department, which we hope means that 2021 will have better outcomes for more people than 2020. First off, The Electoral College formally chose Joe Biden on Monday as the nation’s next president, giving him a solid electoral majority of 306 votes and confirming his victory in last month’s election. The state-by-state voting took on added importance this year because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede he had lost.As we know, Florida voters were in the minority nationally, selected Donald Trump as the nominee in his adopted home state. The coronavirus tests forced one of the 29 electors, Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, to drop out after he tested positive for the coronavirus Sunday night.Simpson, who was formally chosen as Senate president last month, is the most high-profile state lawmaker known to test positive for the virus. The second piece of good news for this week, is that Florida is planning to get COVID-19 vaccines to more than 150 hospitals by next week. The news of Moderna’s likely federal authorization puts the state on a timeline to vaccinate front-line healthcare workers at more than 150 hospitals within the next two weeks.On this Day: December 15, 1791, the new United States of America ratified the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, confirming the fundamental rights of its citizens. Howard Zinn said, 'We should celebrate, honor, all those people who risked their jobs, their freedom, sometimes their lives, to affirm the rights we all have, rights not limited to some document, but rights our common sense tells us we should all have as human beings."Dec. 15, 1791: Bill of Rights Ratified - Zinn Education Project (zinnedproject.org)

State Approach One Million Positive COVID-19 CasesFlorida’s Department of Health on Monday confirmed 6,659 additional cases of COVID-19, pushing the state closer to the one million mark.Florida has a total of 999,319 confirmed cases, the third highest number of total confirmed cases in the country after Texas and California, according to the New York Times COVID-19 database.As of yesterday, Miami-Dade County reported 1,962 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one new death, according to Florida’s Department of Health. The county has a total of 229,618 confirmed cases and 3,835 deaths. Percent positivity for new cases decreased from 10.06% to 9.81%. The 14-day percent positivity average was 8.25%, according to Miami-Dade County’s “New Normal” dashboard.Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said she tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday and is experiencing mild symptoms. The county’s new mayor linked her diagnosis to her husband, a doctor, contracting the virus from exposure to a patient last week during a house call.On this Day: Dec. 1, 1955: Rosa Parks Refuses to Give Up Her Seat - The Montgomery Bus Boycott was one of the first successful protest of segregation in the Deep South, inspiring other nonviolent civil rights protest.

Please observe the recommendations against holiday travel this Thanksgiving. Instead, check out some virtual activities. If you are gathering, please do so outside. Thanksgiving trivia, even a few Thanksgiving jokes in this episode. This is from the National Museum of the American Indian, which is part of the Smithsonian in Washington, DC: The harvest celebration of 17th century settlers at Plymouth in reality was very different from what we generally think of as the “First Thanksgiving” between Pilgrims and Indians. How far off is the modern story of Thanksgiving from what actually happened? What do you think about the idea of the “Thanksgiving myth” as a representation of what we celebrate today? Find out at The Harvest Celebration.

The Miami-Herald asks whether Gov. DeSantis is pursuing a policy that will allow the virus to spread freely in the state until most of the population becomes infected — or is vaccinated with a yet-to-be obtained vaccine — while attempting to protect those thought to be most vulnerable.Two months after a deadly summer surge and months before a realistic goal to begin rolling out a vaccine, the governor issued an order that opened up nearly every part of commerce, ended restrictions on restaurant dining, and barred local governments from enforcing mask mandates and social-distancing rules. He has since spent more time and commanded more media attention to his “open-everything” policy than on encouraging people to prevent contagion. It is the same policy advanced by Scott Atlas, the controversial White House coronavirus adviser who does not have a background in infectious diseases. It is also an approach that has made DeSantis the target of fierce criticism from Democrats who accuse him of pursuing a controversial and deadly “herd immunity” strategy, as well as from scientists, who usually use more diplomatic language.“I sincerely hope that Florida doesn’t go down that path,” said Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security last month. “It’s pretty clear that a small minority of people have been infected at this point. If political leaders decide to go down that trail and encourage people to get infected … extraordinary numbers of people are going to die from this illness before immunity is achieved in the population.”More >>What public education advocates want to see in Biden’s pick to succeed Betsy DeVosBetsy DeVos just got her pink slip. Throughout her four-year tenure, she did everything she could to undermine public education. Instead, she promoted the idea that schooling should be a competitive free-for-all in which parents shop for schools with tax dollars and then hope it all works out. Now it is time to end that war against public schools as she walks out the door. It is time to chart a course away from the failed reforms that began with George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind (NCLB), accelerated with Barack Obama’s Race to the Top and brought us to the place we are today.More >> This Day in History. Nov. 10, 1898: Wilmington Massacre https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/wilmington-massacre-2/On Nov. 10, 1898, white supremacists murdered African Americans in Wilmington, North Carolina and deposed the elected Reconstruction era government in a coup d’etat.

The highest number of cases is at Miami Senior High which has eight. Kendale Lakes Elementary has 7, followed by Miami Lakes K-8 Center with 6. Coral Reef Senior High and Henry E. S. Reeves K-8 Center both have 5. Other schools on the list have 4 or less.This week, President Hernandez-Mat, Vice President White, and Secretary-Treasurer Grimes-Festge are joined by Balsera Communications Vice President Sonia Diaz. We are extremely concerned with the continued spread of the disease and are hearing reports every day about new infections in schools that have yet to be officially added to the dashboard. In addition, we hear reports every day about teachers, staff, and students being quarantined because of the positive test in in their schools. These stories are heartbreaking and, as a union, we have been focused on this as the most pressing local issue. We need to get the election right for the sake of our country, but we also need to make sure we vote all the way down the line to the School Board races so that when our teachers and district staff are facing a crisis we have responsible leadership to work with. The numbers of infections keep climbing. With one week left before the General Election, Early Voting locations are open every day. This Day in History. Oct. 27 On October 27, 1810, U.S. President James Madison proclaimed that the United States should take possession of West Florida between the Mississippi and Perdido Rivers, based on a tenuous claim that it was part of the Louisiana Purchase. The West Florida government opposed annexation, preferring to negotiate terms to join the Union. Governor Fulwar Skipwith proclaimed that he and his men would "surround the Flag-Staff and die in its defense". William C. C. Claiborne was sent to take possession of the territory, entering the capital of St. Francisville with his forces on December 6, 1810, and Baton Rouge on December 10, 1810. Claiborne refused to recognize the legitimacy of the West Florida government, however, and Skipwith and the legislature eventually agreed to accept Madison's proclamation. Congress passed a joint resolution, approved January 15, 1811, to provide for the temporary occupation of the disputed territory and declaring that the territory should remain subject to future negotiation.

Florida has obscured the true extent of its COVID-19 pandemic by using a misleading measure of positive cases to justify reopening schools and businesses, state data indicates. While Florida has publicized that its “positivity rate” has regularly fallen below 5%, other health organizations are publishing data that shows the rate may be dramatically higher. Independent experts, including Johns Hopkins University, consistently list Florida’s positivity rate at 10% or higher, twice the recommended level for widespread reopening. Florida itself calculates another version of the rate — not widely publicized — that shows the pandemic is worse than state officials have championed. Those figures show that the rate has never fallen to the 5% threshold, the South Florida Sun Sentinel discovered. The result: As coronavirus cases again threaten to rise in Florida, with schools and businesses fully open, it is becoming increasingly difficult to answer a simple question: What percentage of people tested positive for COVID-19 on any given day — and are we justified in going about our business without worry? Or did Gov. Ron DeSantis put people at risk when he allowed businesses to return to normal?On this day in history October 20th, we recognize and pay tribute to suffragette (a woman seeking the right to vote through organized protest) Alice Paul, who began a seven month jail sentence for protesting for women’s rights back on October 20th 1917. The arrested suffragists were sent to a prison in Virginia. Paul and her compatriots demanded to be treated as political prisoners and staged hunger strikes. Their demands were met with brutality as suffragists, including frail, older women, were beaten, pushed and thrown into cold, unsanitary, and rat-infested cells. Arrests continued and conditions at the prison deteriorated. For staging hunger strikes, Paul and several other suffragists were forcibly fed in a tortuous method. Prison officials removed Paul to a sanitarium in hopes of getting her declared insane. When news of the prison conditions and hunger strikes became known, the press, some politicians, and the public began demanding the women’s release; sympathy for the prisoners brought many to support the cause of women’s suffrage. Upon her release from prison, Paul hoped to ride this surge of goodwill into victory.In 1919, both the House and Senate passed the 19th Amendment and the battle for state ratification commenced. Three-fourths of the states were needed to ratify the amendment. The battle for ratification came down to the state of Tennessee in the summer of 1920; if a majority of the state legislature voted for the amendment, it would become law. The deciding vote was cast twenty-four year-old Harry Burn, the youngest member of the Tennessee assembly. Originally intending to vote “no,” Burn changed his vote after receiving a telegram from his mother asking him to support women’s suffrage. On August 18, 1920, Tennessee ratified the 19th Amendment. Six days later, Secretary of State Colby certified the ratification, and, with the stroke of his pen, American women gained the right to vote. For more information on Alice Paul and the suffragette movement, visit www.alicepaul.org or search for “Alice Paul” on www.sharemylesson.org, a great, totally free, resource for lessons and study materials that educators and parents should know about.

As Miami’s education professionals, including teachers, district staff and security personnel, our colleagues in United Teachers of Dade take our role as education advocates seriously when issues arise that threaten the well-being of our community. Since the COVID-19 pandemic took root in the United States, we have been advocating non-stop for a science-based public policy approach guided by medical experts and data.If that sounds like high-minded jargon, what that simply means is that our goal is to save lives through safeguarding health. We are concerned about our students and our own children since we do not know the long-term impact of this “novel” (meaning “new”) virus, and we see the short-term devastation on our elders, the medically fragile and even on strong, able-bodied athletes throughout the country. On This Day in History: On Oct. 13, 1792, the White House cornerstone was laid.How many students learn in textbooks or tours to D.C. that while the Obamas were the first African American “First Family,” they were not the first African American residents of the White House?Enslaved laborers were likely involved in all aspects of White House “construction, including carpentry, masonry, carting, rafting, plastering, glazing and painting, . . .and shouldered alone the grueling work of sawing logs and stones.”More than one in four U.S. presidents were involved in human trafficking and slavery. These presidents bought, sold, and bred enslaved people for profit. Of the 12 presidents who were enslavers, more than half kept people in bondage at the White House. Constructed in part by black slave labor, the home and office of the president of the United States has embodied different principles for different people. For whites, whose social privileges and political rights have been protected by the laws of the land, the White House has symbolized the power of freedom and democracy over monarchy. For blacks, whose history is rooted in slavery and the struggle against white domination.

First Vice President Antonio White and Secretary-Treasurer Mindy Grimes-Festge are joined by Jeff Garcia in this episode. Yesterday, as face-to-face instruction started in this district, the COVID-19 rate in Miami-Dade was over 6%. In many other states with much lower infection rates students are not returning to face-to-face instruction this calendar year. We continue to stick to our position that the decision about when it could be safe to return to face-to-face instruction in schools needs to be made based on science, data and public health measures as reported and interpreted by responsible health professionals. As educators, district staff, parents and community members in the fourth largest school district in the nation, we will continue to call for safety first to protect the health of our education workforce, students and families. As we return to face-to-face instruction, UTD is asking for limits on class sizes to enable six feet social distancing where possible (with a minimum of one meter), abundant access to soap and hand sanitizers throughout the schools, traffic mitigation in hallways, plexiglass outfits in areas receiving street pedestrian traffic, mask requirement at all times except for eating periods, sanitation between transitioning classes, and proper ventilation systems throughout schools and district offices. UTD is encouraging everyone who has not registered to do so yet to Vote By Mail 1. If is safer than potentially going into an indoor setting. We want to keep people safe so even for people who enjoy the interaction of going to the polls on election day—and some of us do—this is not the time to pound the flesh outside the polling locations, nor to shoot the breeze inside. For a public health standpoint, Voting By Mail is the way to go.2. You can track the receipt of your ballot. Using the lookup tools at www.miamidade.gov you can confirm that your ballot was accepted long before Election Day on November. 3rd. In this way, there is some measure of security that your ballot has been received and should be counted. 3. You avoid the potential for an emergency on Election Day that could prevent your vote. Whether health problems, job emergencies or even bad weather, if you wait until November 3rd, a Tuesday, when you might have to work, any number of events could happen that would get in the way of you casting your ballot. This Day in History. Oct. 6, 1917: Fannie Lou Hamer was Born: “All my life I’ve been sick and tired,” she said in 1964. “Now I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

Professor Aileen Marty served as a Naval officer for 25 years and has more than 40 years of clinical and research work in the fields of infectious disease, public health, outbreak response, & mass gatherings. She also works with the World Health Organization and has responded to disease outbreaks around the world.Dr. Marty is a public health expert who advises the district and county on the realities behind the COVID-19 numbers. Those who have heard her speak at committee meetings and in public appreciate her direct, frank approach. She has not hesitated to ask the difficult questions that speak to the underlying realities of the health crisis we are facing in the reopening of schools for face-to-face instruction. For example, Dr. Marty publicly questioned the practice of artificially lowering the reported infection rates by conflating molecular and antigen testing, terming the practice "political trickery" (August 27th). Further, she points out that is it one thing to open a restaurant, where you have some control over the environment, but much more challenging to open schools where you have young people who may not grasp the danger of the situation. Advising the district's health committee on September 18th, Dr. Marty "drove the conversation," according to the Herald, asking direct questions about the district’s preparedness, from air quality and ventilation to how high-risk activities like music programs will be handled.

In the United States of American we have: Confirmed Cases 6,804,814 of COVID-19, Resulting in 199,509 DeathsIn Florida, we have 683,754 Confirmed Cases, Resulting in 13,296 DeathsMiami Dade County has Total Cases: 167,153 and 3055 DeathsSo Florida has one-tenth of the cases in the nation and Miami-Dade has one quarter of those cases. We are truly in a hot-spot for the coronavirus.We also average about one-quarter of the deaths in the state, giving our County the unfortunate distinction of contributing about 1.5% of the deaths for the entire nation. Considering Miami-Dade County has 2.7 million residents of the 328 million U.S. population, that means the county has approximately .08% of the U.S.’s population, but 1.5% of the deaths, nearly twice the average. This Day in History. Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation. On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issues a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which sets a date for the freedom of more than 3 million enslaved in the United States and recasts the Civil War as a fight against slavery.

UTD continues to call for health and safety: "The decision about when it could be safe to return to face-to-face instruction in schools needs to be made based on science, data and public health measures as reported and interpreted by responsible health professionals. As educators, district staff, parents and community members in the fourth largest school district in the nation, we will continue to call for safety first to protect the health of our education workforce, students and families." Please sign on to support. This Day In History marks the tragic killings of four little girls in Birmingham, Alabama. We will never forget Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Addie Mae Collins–all 14 years old, and 11-year-old Denise McNair. The four girls were murdered in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in an act of terrorism by a Klan related group on Sept. 15, 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. It came soon after the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (Aug. 28, 1963.) See “Terrorism is Part of Our History” for more.

UTD celebrates the cross-racial unity of the Delano grape strike, which started on Sept. 8, 1965, 55 years before today's show. One of the little-known facts about United Teachers of Dade is that we were the first union in the South to desegregate. Before 1974, there was a black teachers union and a white teachers union in Miami. United Teachers of Dade arose from the merger of both into one union that advocates for quality public education and is deeply rooted in racial justice issues. 46 years later, in 2020 we are still fighting for the same. During this episode First Vice President White and Secretary/Treasurer Grimes-Festge are joined by UTD Organizer Shawnie Tumbling, who started teaching in 1998. She has been a media specialist and math coach. Tumbling describes the challenges teachers are facing with the K12 platform and why the district should have conferred with instructional staff prior to trying the system.

It has been back to school, but there have been technical difficulties restricting access to the district's K12 platform. Karla was elected AFT national Vice President and immediately put to work so Tony and Mindy are joined by UTD Communications Director Nat Bender. Catch the Labor Day Live 2020 series of online Labor Day events to discuss the current state of labor amid pandemic and recession. This episode aired 63 days prior to Election Day so the show examines differences between Vice President Biden and President Trump.

Teachers want to teach. Students and parents are anxious for normalcy and many need child care coverage. National, state and local politics are in play. Karla, Tony and Mindy welcome back listeners to another season in the midst of critical decisions about how to safely resume schools and the looming shadow of a national election. Subscribe to make sure to catch every episode.

Karla Hernandez-Mats was interviewed by correspondent Ellen Jaffe on Community Focus', EASY 93.1's long-running signature community affairs program. The show airs each Sunday morning at 6:50 a.m. ET, hosted

In the wake of the tragic killing of autistic nine-year-old Alejandro Ripley, Karla, Antonio and Mindy offer resources for parents whose children have special needs. Parents can call the University of Miami’s Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) at 800-9-AUTISM, Parent to Parent Miami at 305-271-9797, and for general family help FIU's Center for Children and Families at 305-348-0477. The episode features tips for summer activities for children at home.

May 18 is Haitian Flag Day: Blackpast.org says the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) has often been described as the largest and most successful slave rebellion in the Western Hemisphere. Slaves initiated the rebellion in 1791 and by 1803 they had succeeded in ending not just slavery but French control over the colony. Karla, Antonio and Mindy interview Nancy St. Leger, an educator, and Haitian culture arts worker. Learn more about her at https://www.facebook.com/nstleger9/.UTD is reaching out to the Miami community to gauge reaction to safely reopening schools. Give your input to the short survey to share your ideas and concerns.

Karla, Antonio and Mindy discuss the origins of Mother’s Day: A Campaign for Peace with Justice from its start promoting cleanliness to ward off disease. May 12 also marks the 52 anniversary of the launch of the Poor People's Campaign in the wake of the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, the current recession is characterized as a "shecession" because women are more severely impacted. Without access to childcare, mothers struggle to rejoin labor force.

As Karla, Antonio and Mindy recognize Teacher Appreciation Day, the discussion focuses on when school could safely reopen. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) introduced a science-based plan of 5 public health and safety pillars as keys to reopening safely. The Florida Education Association is calling for educator and medical professional representation on a task force about when to reopen schools. On today's show, School Board member Dr. Steve Gallon joins the discussion about the efforts teachers are making to keep education going through distance learning while the school buildings are closed.

April 28 is Workers Memorial Day, to remember those who have suffered and died on the job, and to renew the fight for safe jobs. Workers are taking action and fighting back to keep each other safe. Nurses in the Jackson Health System, represented by SEIU 1991, are protesting for N95 masks and appropriate health protections. Transit operators, represented by TWU 291, are suing for safe working conditions, launching the #RideNotDie campaign and daring the authority's director to ride the bus one day with an operator. Karla, Antonio and Mindy interview TWU President Jeffery Mitchell about the struggle his members face. Thousand of Miami-Dade parents are getting information about where school lunches are being distributed at https://freeschoollunch.info, where Miami-Dade County Public Schools are providing free meals to students at 50 locations in the county.

In this episode Karla, Antonio and Mindy celebrate the coming 50th anniversary of Earth Day and announce the launch of https://freeschoollunch.info/ to help Miami parents and students find food distribution sites at schools. Also, when are stimulus checks coming?

Schools must remain closed this year Gov. DeSantis. Miami can give back or find help at www.unitedwaymiami.org/covid19 . Op-ed: Now that parents are the teachers, they might better appreciate the profession 'One parent wrote “If you see me talking to myself, don’t worry about me. I’m not crazy yet. I’m just having a parent-teacher conference.”'

Celebrating "Music and Arts Education" month. Obama on music education. Guest Music Education teacher Seth Patterson talks about his work at Whispering Pines Elementary. "Everyone has a different pathway to success," said Patterson.

Karla, Tony and Mindy are joined in studio by Dr. Ruth Doriscar to talk about 2020 School Social Work Week and the important role School Social Workers play in students' lives. Women active in the trade union movement, including Tony telling a story about Dolores Huerta.

End of second grading period. Maintain back-to-school routines. New Years resolutions broken already (lol). Consider these resolutions: Utilize Parent Resource Centers in district, join Parent Teacher Association (PTA), take your children to the library on a regular basis. Make change: don't just talk about it, be about it.

Christmas memories emphasizing giving. The value of spending time with family; limiting screen time. Recycling through crafts.