Herald endorsement: Our pick in Miami-Dade School Board District 7 | Opinion
.png "On the Aug 20. primary election ballot, incumbent School Board member Mary Blanco (middle) faces challengers Javier “Javi” Perez and Maxeme “Max” Tuchman.")
READ MORE
Miami Herald Editorial Board’s 2024 Election Endorsements
In advance of the upcoming primary elections on Aug. 20, 2024, the Editorial Board interviewed and researched 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.
Expand All
The resignation of former School Board member Lubby Navarro, followed by her arrest for allegedly stealing $100,000 from Miami-Dade County Public Schools, left her seat open in District 7.
Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Mary Blanco, a school psychologist working at a Miami-Dade private school, to fill Navarro’s seat. Blanco, who has 29 years of experience, including in the Miami-Dade and Broward public school systems, is now seeking to be elected to the seat she has occupied since January 2023.
Blanco says she understands her appointment by the governor makes her vulnerable as a first-time candidate. Both of her opponents cited her appointment as a reason for challenging her.
Javier “Javi” Perez began his 29-year career in Miami-Dade schools as a security monitor, then substitute teacher and teacher and eventually principal. In 2016, Perez made news when, as principal of South Dade Senior High, he was struck by a drunk driver while coaching his son’s baseball team at Tamiami Park. Perez’s legs were amputated.
Perez said some wanted him to go on disability permanently, but, after three years, he was anxious to get back to work. “I have a passion for education,” he told the Miami Herald Editorial Board. It shows. Perez now works at a district office.
If elected, Perez said he will be a more visible school board member. “I feel we need to be involved with our students and educators, with our parents and with our community members — speak to them, find out what the needs are and also get to know the schools,” Perez said.
Blanco’s other challenger is Maxeme “Max” Tuchman, who said she is the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors and the daughter of Cuban immigrants. A Miami Palmetto Senior High graduate, she is currently a tech consultant.
Tuchman launched and then sold a tech education company, Caribu — a literacy platform for young children that Time Magazine considered one of the best inventions of 2019 — to toy giant Mattel. She was also a high school teacher at Miami Northwestern and the former local head of Teach for America.
If elected, Tuchman, who has the heftiest campaign coffer, will focus on early childhood education and bringing the district up to speed on technological changes to prepare students for the jobs of the future.
“We know the impact of a strong foundation and early literacy, which allows our students to succeed,“ she said.
With an MBA and a master’s in public policy from Harvard, Tuchman has an impressive resume and is clearly the outsider in this race — and that’s a good thing. She is critical of DeSantis’ efforts to inject politics into nonpartisan school boards. Tuchman said she would be an independent voice.
All three candidates are solid and dedicated to education. Blanco’s experience with mental health and Perez’s dedication make them strong candidates. But, the School Board could benefit with someone with fresh ideas and a tech-savvy attitude
In the School Board District 7 race, the Herald Editorial Board endorses MAXEME “MAX” TUCHMAN.
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 August 1, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
.png)
