The person who will vote on budgets, safety policies and school operations affecting Aventura City of Excellence School, Don Soffer Aventura High School and Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High is up for grabs, with seven candidates on the ballot for Miami-Dade School Board District 1.
Dr. Steve Gallon III is vacating the seat to serve as Miami-Dade County commissioner. The race is nonpartisan. All registered voters, regardless of party, can cast a ballot. Election Day is Tuesday, Aug. 18, but early voting is already underway at the NE Dade-Aventura Branch Library, 2930 Aventura Blvd., through Sunday, Aug. 16.
School security dominated an Aug. 10 candidate forum covered by Local 10, with the field split between those favoring physical hardening and those pushing preventative mental-health strategies.
The candidates
Joy L. Jackson, a retired teacher and pastor with 51 years in Miami-Dade schools, argued existing measures are working. "We do have those entities in place," she said. "Doors locked, safety rooms and police officers and security monitors to ensure safety."
James Wright, former Opa-locka police chief and private security company owner, said prevention matters as much as reaction, calling for anti-bullying programs that address grievances before they escalate to violence.
Erhabor Ighodaro, former Miami Gardens vice mayor and former Miami-Dade teacher who served as chief of staff to former board member Robert B. Ingram, emphasized funding for trauma-informed teacher training and school counselors.
Katrina Wilson, a retired principal and former Miami Gardens councilwoman, said schools are safer than ever and that knowledge is the best shield. Gallon has endorsed Wilson, according to the Miami Times.
Bernard W.H. Jennings, chair of the Board of Trustees at Florida Memorial University, focused on hiring and retaining well-paid security staff who will stay committed to the job.
Wrendly Mesidor, a Catholic school teacher, called for clear backpacks and metal detectors similar to policies in other districts.
Linda Cothiere, a public school teacher, linked building security directly to student learning, saying students cannot learn where they do not feel safe.
A write-in candidate, Thera Johnson, also appeared at a separate NAACP Miami-Dade town hall in Miami Gardens but is not among the seven named on the official ballot.
What it means locally
ACES and Don Soffer Aventura High are both A-plus rated charter schools operated by the City of Aventura under the Miami-Dade County Public Schools umbrella. Don Soffer reports an 82% AP participation rate and a 99% graduation rate. The District 1 board member votes on the policies, budgets and oversight that shape those outcomes.
How to vote
Early voting runs through Sunday, Aug. 16, at the NE Dade-Aventura Branch Library, 2930 Aventura Blvd. Polls on Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 18, are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot was Aug. 6.
