15032: Hermantin-Miami Herald-letters to the Editor (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Miami Herald

Letters to the Editor

Posted on Thu, Mar. 06, 2003

Students at Miami Edison can excel

I appreciate the recent profile A school worth saving -- and a man who
believes in it (Feb. 23) and the editorial Hope for Edison High (Feb. 28),
which lauded Santiago Corrada, a principal who deserves the admiration and
praise of this community.

Corrada has a difficult job -- not because the students who attend Edison
are poor; not because they are struggling with English as a second language;
and not because a great number hail from a declining nation-state. Corrada's
challenges are compounded by the absence of innovation that this urban
school needs.

I wonder what would happen if the parents and community members demanded
that Edison offer a high-level academic magnet, like a scholar's academy or
engineering magnet?

GEPSIE M. METELLUS

Miami Shores

•

The story was another example of the mind-set of victimization. Jewish
people have survived centuries of oppression and yet expect their kids to
succeed. Recent Asian immigrants are at the top of their classes. Archbishop
Curley High, in the heart of Little Haiti, offers a fine example of
diversity and achievement.

Don't underestimate Haitian Americans. It's insulting. We'll take any day an
unpopular principal whose school reaches the highest bar over a popular
principal at the helm of a school that receives failing grades year after
year.

The mission should be clear: Ensure upward mobility and social inclusion.
It's time that Little Haiti schools get a good overhaul and Haitian-American
educators find the courage to speak their minds and do their part to improve
the learning environment.

FEDY VIEUX-BRIERRE

Miami

[Editor's note: Santiago Corrada has been appointed to head the city of
Miami's parks department.]









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