Herald endorsement: Our choice for Miami-Dade School Board District 7 | Opinion

By the Miami Herald Editorial Board

Updated November 2, 2024 11:41 AM

Incumbent Miami-Dade School Board member Mary Blanco (left) is in a runoff with Maxeme “Max” Tuchman.

Editorial Board’s General Election Endorsements

In advance of the upcoming general elections on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 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.

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Political newcomer Maxeme “Max” Tuchman impressed in the August primary by coming in second in a race for the Miami-Dade School Board District 7 seat.

Tuchman bested a district veteran and now faces incumbent Mary Blanco in the general election.

Blanco, a high school counselor and school psychologist, was appointed to the seat once held by School Board member Lubby Navarro, who was accused of stealing $100,000 from the district through her expense account.

Blanco, currently a guidance counselor at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami, was appointed to the seat in January by Gov. Ron DeSantis, and now needs to win election to hang onto it.

Blanco came first in the primary with 45% of the vote, but fell short of 50% to win outright. She has 29 years of education experience, including jobs in the Miami-Dade and Broward school districts. She is a strong proponent of mental health initiatives in schools.

But we feel Tuchman, a tech consultant who says her views have been formed by her Holocaust survivor grandparents and her Cuban immigrant parents, remains the better choice.

She will be an independent voice on the Board, which is undergoing some philosophical battles.

Tuchman will bring fresh views to a nine-member board, where Republican and Democratic members now often clash on culture issues, even though the board is nonpartisan. If Blanco wins, the board will maintain a conservative majority.

“This is a very important race,” said Tuchman, who told the Editorial Board she has knocked on “10,000 doors” in District 7 to get the message across. Tuchman is clearly the outsider in this race — and she is leaning into that reputation.

A Miami Palmetto Senior High graduate, Tuchman has an impressive resume, including a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard. Tuchman launched — and then sold to toy giant Mattel — a tech education company called Caribu, a literacy platform for young children that Time Magazine considered one of the best inventions of 2019. She was also a teacher at Miami Northwestern Senior High and is the former local head of Teach for America.

If elected, Tuchman says she will focus on early childhood education and championing the adoption of new tech-based ways 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.

Blanco, a Miami Dade College trustee, is among a handful of school board members appointed by DeSantis in Miami-Dade and Broward. Blanco told the Editorial Board she understood her appointment made her vulnerable to challengers.

“I feel like I’m running against the governor and the lieutenant governor,” Tuchman told the Board this week, referring to Blanco fliers that heavily promote the endorsements of DeSantis and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez.

Tuchman says she will continue knocking on doors because she believes the school board needs an independent voice with new ideas and a tech-savvy attitude. We agree.

The Herald Editorial Board endorses MAXEME “MAX” TUCHMAN in the School Board District 7 race.

BEHIND THE STORY

Who 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 October 8, 2024 at 4:55 PM.