MIAMI (WSVN) - As the school year comes to a close, Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ superintendent provided a report card when it comes to day-to-day operations in the district.
It is graduation season in South Florida, as classes end for summer across the region.
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, M-DCPS Superintendent Dr. Jose L. Dotres listed students’ accomplishments throughout the school year that has just wrapped up.
“The graduating class of 2023, in terms of scholarships, $606 million worth of scholarships,” he said.
And while it has been a year of achievements, Dotres said, “the landscape has definitely changed.”
It has also been one where Florida politics seemingly have played out in the classroom.
“If new laws are put into place, we have to respond to them,” said Dotres.
Some of the new laws limit what can be discussed and taught in schools, including gender, sexual orientation and topics that, some argue, could indoctrinate children.
“We are responsible to making sure that our students come to school, they learn, and there is nothing that blocks them from being successful,” said Dotres.
Last month, “The Hill We Climb,” a poem that received national praise was relocated to a different section of the library at Bob Graham Education Center in Miami Lakes following a parent’s complaint.
Author Amanda Gorman recited her poem at President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Daily Salinas, the parent who filed the complaint about the poem, spoke to 7News at the time,
“It’s about indoctrination, [critical race theory] and gender ideology,” she said.
The school committee at Bob Graham Education Center agreed with Salinas and moved the book to a different section.
“We looked at it, and that committee did follow the proper procedures,” said Dotres.
On the last day of school, members of the United Teachers of Dade rallied in Doral against the recent moves by state legislators.
“This is fascist. This is This is not the United States that we are supposed to be living in,” said Karla Hernandez-Mats, the president of the union. “These are types of things that we seen happen in Haiti under ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier, in Dominican Republic under Trujillo, but not in the United States.”
The demonstration takes place as the nation’s third largest school districts sends off students for summer and prepares for another year of learning.
“We will to continue to be a school district that prioritizes our students and our staff,” said Dotres.
School might be out for summer, but there are plenty of opportunities for children over the summer. To find out more details about topics like STEM and internships, click here.
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