HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #42 - Discussion ItemDADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
1410 N. t. SECOND AVENUE
MIAMI, FLORIDA 33132
OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
April 27, 1979
Mr. Joseph Grassie, City Manager
City of Miami
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, Florida 33133
Dear Mr. Grassie:
It has come to my attention that during the regular Commission meeting of
April 19, 1979, Commissioner Armando Lacasa proposed a motion against The
School Board of Dade County for the closing of Ada Merritt Junior High School.
The motion was adopted by the Commission.
Attached is a copy of the letter we received from the Department of Health,
Education, ' and Welfare's Office for Civil Rights, Region IV, regarding the
complaint filed by the Spanish American League Against Discrimination.
The Office for Civil Rights found the complaint invalid and is taking action to.
close the case.
The attached letter is forwarded for your perusal. I would like to reiterate that
The School Board of Dade County has always been cognizant and sensitive to
the needs of the Hispanic community. It has been our commitment and priority
to offer equal educational opportunities to all students regardless of race,
ethnicity or sex.
Sincerely,
J. f.1or,%s
Superintendent of Schools
JLJ:jy
Attachment
cc: J. L. DeChurch
John Earle
Lucille Montequin
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
REGION IV
101 MARIETTA TOWER
ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30323
April 20, 1979
Dr. J. L. Janes
Superintendent
Dade County School System
1410 N.E. Second Avenue
Miami, Florida 33132
Dear Dr. Jones:
Be: Complaint if 04-79-1174
'Ibis is to inform you that we have completed our investigation of
the complaint filed by the Spanish American League Against
Discrimination, alleging that your school district has proposed the.
closing of the Ada Merritt Jr. High School, which would adversely
impact an the Hispanic residents in. the Little Havana,Carmunity.
Our findings regarding the issues addressed in the Complaint are as
follows:
1. The State Survey Team has classified the Ada Merritt School
as a Code-3 institution, which means that the State will no
longer allocate funds for maintenance and renovation
because at 52 years of age, it is considered economically
infeasible.
2. The school district is operating under court orders from
the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. District
Court, which require that all matters affecting school
closings, school abandonments, faculty transfers,
transportation, and student compositions be submitted to
the court for review on a semi-annual basis to cxmply with
the district's desegregation plan.
3. There is an advisory committee comprised of staff from the
local schools and citizens from the various communities.
This committee reviews proposals for school closings and
makes recommendations to the School Board. We understand
that the committee membership reflects the ethnic and �1
racial,00mposition of the school district.
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
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Dr. J. L. Jones
Page 2
Prior to the School Board making its final decision regarding.
school closings, public hearings are held in the affected.
areas
5. Five schools have been recatmended for closing at the end of
this school year. Only one of these schools' has a majority
Hispanic student enrollment.
6. According to district officials, the school to which the Ada
Merritt students will be transferred, Booker T. Washington,
is located within a distance of 30 blocks to approximately
three miles from the Ada Merritt School.
7. Booker T. Washington's current student enrollment is majority
Hispanic (7% white, 27% black, and 70% Hispanic).
S. Booker T. Washington is also Ada Merritt's "paired" school.
Ada Merritt contains seventh and eighth graders and currently
feeds into Booker T. Washington for ninth grade.
Based upon the above•facts, we-find.the complaint invalid. We -are;.'
taking action to close the complaint and are notifying -the -complainant
,of our findings."- If"there are any questions, please con act us.
Sinc- rely yours
i
i'
E' L Wiliam H. Thomas, Director
Office for Civil Rights (Region IV) ;>
Chief State School Officer