Tag Archive for: Iber

FLORIDA: Another Double Standard in Miami-Dade Public Schools

Alberto Iber the principal of North Miami Senior High School was recently fired by Superintendent Alberto Carvalho of the Dade County School District. According to Christina Veiga of the Miami-Herald Iber’s crime was that he, “inadvertently injected himself into the racially charged national debate over police treatment of blacks with a social media comment.”

Iber wrote in support of McKinney, Texas Police Officer David Eric Casebolt in a Facebook comment, “He [McKinney] did nothing wrong. He was afraid for his life. I commend him for his actions.” Iber responded to a call of a disturbance at a pool party and was video taped subduing a black woman in a bathing suit. This led to accusations of racism and death threats against Officer Casebolt and his family. Casebolt subsequently resigned because of concerns for the safety of his family. Casebolt is a Navy veteran.

Superintendent Carvalho in a press release about the firing of Mr. Iber stated:

The Principal of North Miami Senior High School, Alberto Iber, has been removed from the school. Miami-Dade County Public Schools employees are held to a higher standard, and by School Board policy, are required to conduct themselves, both personally and professionally, in a manner that represents the school district’s core values.

“Judgment is the currency of honesty,” said Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho. “Insensitivity – intentional or perceived – is both unacceptable and inconsistent with our policies, but more importantly with our expectation of common sense behavior that elevates the dignity and humanity of all, beginning with children.” [Emphasis added]

If Superintendent Carvalho is a man of his word then why did he not fire Ms. Christine Jane Kirchner, a language arts teacher and union steward at Coral Reef Senior High SchoolMiami-Dade public schools. Ms. Kirchner in 2008 was appointed by the Miami-Dade School Board to the Lesson Plan Development Task Group. Kirchner was also elected Vice President At-Large and sits on the Executive Board of the United Teachers of Dade (UTD). So what did Ms. Kirchner do?

According to the April 4, 2014 DOE Education Practices Commission of the State of Florida report:

  1. During the 2012-2013 school year, Respondent [Kirchner] discussed inappropriate topics, such as sex, virginity and masturbation, with her language arts class. The conversations made several students feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.
  2. During the 2012-2013 school year, during a lesson with her language arts class, Respondent [Kirchner] simulated having an orgasm. The simulation made several students feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.
  3. During the 2012-2013 school year, Respondent [Kirchner] gave massages to students of her language arts class. The massages made several students feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.

Shouldn’t Ms. Kirchner be held to the same high standards of honesty, common sense behavior, dignity and humanity as Mr. Iber? Why didn’t Superintendent Carvalho fire Kirchner immediately and issue a similar press release?

We have also reported on the test cheating scandal in Miami Norland Senior High School. This is another example of a double standard in the implementation of the high standards used to justify the firing of Mr. Iber and not all of those teachers who took part in the cheating scandal known as “Adobegate.

Is there a double standard in the Miami-Dade school district? You be the judge.

RELATED ARTICLES: 

Hey, look! A Cop yelling at a black girl in a bikini!

Florida and Georgia: A Tale of Test Cheating Scandals in Two States