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One teacher’s testimony
Town Hall Meeting, Miami Carol City Senior High School Auditorium, November 10,
2008.
My name is Paul Moore and I have been teaching social studies here at Carol City
High for 26 years. A lot of the students call me Coach Moore because I coached
the girls' basketball team for many of those years. Indulge me for a moment to
tell you of past glories. My teams played for the State Championship twice and
won the title in 1990.
It is wonderful to have our district's esteemed representative on the Miami-Dade
School Board Mr. Wilbert "Tee" Holloway and the honorable Mayor of Miami Gardens
Shirley Gibson here with us today--again. These two community leaders are an
enduring part of the Chief's family and nothing needs be said to them about this
good school. I would however like to address some remarks to our guest from the
Florida Department of Education Mr. Jeffrey Hernandez.
Even though you may be here with bad intentions and you may have come to
threaten us with sanctions, welcome to our home Mr. Hernandez. You are here
today because you have looked at scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment
Test and based on those scores alone, decided that Miami Carol City High is a
failing school. I must tell you that I could not care less about changing your
mind. But I do want to tell you some things about us and ask you to relay a
message to your bosses.
Three of our graduates have died in Iraq. When Donnie Dixon, Class of '88 was
killed he left behind a wife and their four children. Joe Polo, Class of '95 was
younger than Donnie when he died in combat. Joe didn't have any children but he
was engaged to be married when he returned to this community after his second
tour of duty in the war zone. Charles Sims, Class of '03 was the youngest of our
lost warriors. He was a fresh faced 19-year-old, less than six months out of
this school's JROTC classes when he gave his life for you and me and this
country. How many young men like Donnie, Joe, and Charles would a school have to
produce to get off your list of failing schools?
A teacher was shot at Miami Carol City High last year. In fact we just observed
the anniversary, Nov. 6, 2007, when Sergio Miranda and Maria Vives went across
the street to smoke a cigarette during their lunch break. Someone came out of
the public housing complex there and shot Mr. Miranda. The bullet lodged near
his spine and, as you might imagine, the whole incident severely traumatized Ms.
Vives. To this day our colleague undergoes difficult rehabilitation procedures
several times a week. When he is well again Mr. Miranda has pledged to return to
this school! When he comes back he will be reunited with Ms. Vives who returned
to her students in a matter of days. How much courage and dedication must
teachers demonstrate to get off your list of failing schools?
Our cafeteria was closed for a rodent infestation last year. Carol City High is
45-years-old and while the school boasts a rich history and tradition, the
physical plant is worn. Holes in the building and the neglect of the state
allowed students and teachers to be exposed to filthy and unsanitary conditions
for years--maybe all throughout the FCAT era. Are endemic threats to our test
takers health and safety factored into the scores when you make up your list of
failing schools?
Many of our students live in the 33054. A local newspaper recently analyzed
crime statistics and made a startling announcement about the neighborhood
adjacent to our school. The 33054 is the most dangerous place to be young in all
of Florida. The Miami Herald found that inside the boundaries of zip code 33054
the children and young people live under the most severe threat of violence to
be found anywhere in this state. Are there any schools in safer upscale suburban
neighborhoods on your list of failing schools?
Two of my brothers in the teaching fraternity here at Carol City, Mr. Hafter and
Mr. Adler, joined me to teach two and three social studies classes at a time in
this auditorium in recent years. All our senior students would pass through here
during the week. Let me tell you about just the Class of 2006. A particularly
quiet young man named Evan Page used to come in here for class. A few days after
Thanksgiving 2005 Evan was shot to death outside the Checkers where he worked
after school. Anthony Elias attended class in this auditorium. The other
students called him "Yellowman" because of his light complexion. He was quite
popular with the girls. I don't know, something about him being "fine". Anthony
was killed with an assault rifle. Sherika Wilson Lynch took her social studies
class in this auditorium. She was a student and the beautiful young mother of a
baby she named Ahmani. Her baby was 16-months-old when she died. One day Sherika
was coming out of a convenience store in the 33054. When she was gunned down a
carton of milk for Ahmani fell to the sidewalk beside her. Brian Dupree was once
a fun-loving jovial presence in this auditorium. His father is a security
monitor in the school. Brian was shot and died just outside his father's home.
Then there was Jeffrey Johnson, Jr.. No disrespect intended but he laughed at
your FCAT. Jeffrey was a brilliant young man, one of our honor students, headed
for a meaningful education at St. Thomas University on a full scholarship. An
aspiring lawyer, he once wrote, “I have had a lot of exposure to the legal
system and its ramifications. I do not agree with all of it. But I figure they
need some good guys like me who do it from the heart, not for the money. I'm so
passionate about my goals because I have a hunch that I can make a difference.”
Jeffrey Johnson, Jr. perished violently three days before he was supposed to
graduate from Carol City High. A street outside the school bears his name now.
But as one of his teachers, there has been no consolation in the tributes paid
Jeffrey since his death, until something happened last Tuesday Nov. 4, 2008 at
11:00 p.m. EST. For the first time it made me think of Jeffrey in a joyful way.
A young man like Jeffrey who did graduate from high school, a young man like
Jeffrey who did go to law school, a young man like Jeffrey who did get to live
out his passion to make a difference, a young man like Jeffrey was elected
President of the United States!
Mr. Hernandez, please take this message back to Florida's Commissioner of
Education Eric J. Smith and Governor Crist. We are among the people who elected
Barack Obama president. Any plans you may have had when George W. Bush was in
the White House and pushing No Child Left Behind are canceled! Any plans that
were drawn up under Jeb Bush's FCAT system are canceled! You will never close
Miami Carol City Senior High School! You will never close Edison, Central,
Holmes, Liberty City Elementary, Norland, North Miami or any of the other
schools on your list! We won’t let you!
Paul A. Moore
Teacher, Miami Carol City Senior High School
Home of the Chiefs since '63