Herald recommends: Candidate with experience is District 2 ‘s best bet for Miami-Dade School Board | Editorial
.jpg "Miami-Dade School Board member Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall and challenger La-Shanda West.")
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In advance of local and state elections, the Editorial Board interviews political candidates to better understand their views on various issues and how their policies will affect their constituents. The goal is to give voters a better idea of who’s the best candidate for each race. Read our 2022 recommendations below:
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Miami-Dade School Board member Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall has been a force for her district since 2010. She now is seeking a fourth term on the Board, and facing a challenger — La-Shanda West — for only the second time.
District 2
Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall has a record of accomplishment, having confronted the challenges in her district, which takes in Liberty City, Overtown, Little Haiti, Wynwood, Morningside, El Portal and Miami Shores.
The district comprises low-income, working- and middle-class neighborhoods, along with many schools. One of Bendross-Mindingall’s primary concerns is learning losses students experienced while on remote learning during COVID-19 quarantine.
“A lot of them lost a lot, but in District 2, because we are a little bit behind in terms of our children being at the top of the ladder in terms of learning, we have got to work very, very hard to catch them up,” Bendross-Mindingall told the Editorial Board. “We’ve got to engage our parents in working with our children and we got to engage the community so our children are getting the best of all worlds.”
The incumbent rightly cites among her accomplishments meetings where she listens to parents, her efforts that increased the number of K-8 centers in District 2 and her support for a referendum in November to increase teacher pay and school safety measures.
A former state legislator, teacher and school principal, Bendross-Mindingall has brought a wealth of know-how to the district and to the school board, to the benefit of both.
However, she should also listen carefully to West, who has taught a range of topics — such as civics, law, reading and U.S. history — to middle schoolers, and global studies, speech and debate honors, world cultural geography honors and world history to high school students.
West questioned the incumbent’s accessibility — a lament we have heard from other quarters. In addition, West articulated well what she sees happening in the classroom — the belly of the beast, as it were — and not all of it is pretty.
On the subject of learning losses during quarantine, West told the Editorial Board, “Tutoring? Yes, those services are available. But accessibility to all students? I would like to know the data of how many students take advantage of those programs that my opponent talks about, because I see clearly that students are still lagging.”
Similarly, West also wondered whether mental-health services that Bendross-Mindingall has touted were easily accessible for students.
West addressed the long arm of the governor and state Legislature reaching into classroom curriculum: “The only concerns I would have with the discussion coming from Tallahassee — because they make the policies, they make the standards — is that there are mandates for teaching African-American history, Holocaust history, character education. We use those mandates to go beyond the curriculum, go beyond the textbook.”
“So if we have academic freedom, according to our contract with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the United Teachers of Dade, we need to make sure our school districts are protecting teachers for doing what they are doing best — teaching those difficult topics that may be uncomfortable but are necessary to talk about.”
She said that she also stands with LGBTQ students in affirming their identities however they may choose.
West has the makings of a solid education leader, even capable of eventually following in Bendross-Mindingall’s footsteps.
Right now, given the incumbent’s record of accomplishments in her time on the board, the Miami Herald recommends DOROTHY BENDROSS-MINDINGALL for Miami-Dade School Board, District 2.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWho decides the political endorsements?
In advance of local and state elections, Miami Herald Editorial Board members interview political candidates, as well as advocates and opponents of ballot measures. The Editorial Board is composed of experienced opinion journalists and is independent of the Herald’s newsroom. Members of the Miami Herald Editorial Board are: Amy Driscoll, editorial page editor; and editorial writers Isadora Rangel and Mary Anna Mancuso. Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
What does the endorsement process look like?
The Miami Herald Editorial Board interviews political candidates to better understand their views on public policy and how their policies will affect their constituents. Board members do additional reporting and research to learn as much as possible about the candidates before making an endorsement. The Editorial Board then convenes to discuss the candidates in each race. Board members seek to reach a consensus on the endorsements, but not every decision is unanimous. Candidates who decline to be interviewed will not receive an endorsement.
Is the Editorial Board partisan?
No. In making endorsements, members of the Editorial Board consider which candidates are better prepared to represent their constituents — not whether they agree with our editorial stances or belong to a particular political party. We evaluate candidates’ relevant experience, readiness for office, depth of knowledge of key issues and understanding of public policy. We’re seeking candidates who are thoughtful and who offer more than just party-line talking points.
This story was originally published July 29, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
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