We ran a Guest Blog about hundreds of children denied education in Homestead. It pitted Homestead Director of Housing, Ed Carrera, against Cipriano Garza, Director of Migrant Education for Miami-Dade Public Schools -- a power struggle of sorts, the blogger laid most of the blame on Carrera. Carrera controls the school's location and Gaza controls the school. In three years they could not negotiate a lease so Carrera locked the gate. Is Garza also to blame? Where is the truth? Hmmm.
The Homestead Housing Authority (HHA) (not on Sunbiz) had faced two complaints of discrimination brought forth by the Garza's acting as interpreters for Spanish speaking residents. The completed investigations said that the people bringing the complaints said that the Garza's told them they would get money to show up at the Human Relations Board. The people also told investigators that they did not have discrimination complaints. The investigation found the accusations groundless (hit on image at left).
Is there bad blood because the Garza's mislead immigrants to file complaints against HHA or did Homestead Housing Authority's Carrera bully Garza to cause the bad blood? After all, the Migrant Education Program should not have to answer to another entity (HHA) providing services to its clients.
The HHA is an independent body from the City of Homestead. I could not find them on Sunbiz. So Mayor Linda Bell is not really involved because she has no authority although, I was told, the city might have tried to help mediate the standoff. The South Dade Monitor believes Bell does have the authority to remove Carrera.
The HHA says they can provide replacement programs for the migrants, but then Cipriano Garza would be unemployed. Garza, could be replaced, seemingly solving the issue except he is beloved by his clients, the farm workers. Superintendent of Schools, Carvalho, knows this and will offer an alternative to keep Cip Garza in place even with the allegations that Garza instigated the filing of false reports. This is turning into a tangled web. Looking at the video of Carrera on the South Dade Monitor website, I think he is out to lunch now. There is intimidation going on, who cares who started it? It has to stop. For yet another version of events, see Article in the South Dade Monitor.
9 comments:
Can't they all just get along? Garza's should fess up to what they did, apologize and get on with taking the children's many needs seriously. Typical Miami and Dade County politics always about who has the bigger ego.
Geniusofdespair you were duped by the Judy Waldman (councilwoman homestead) people. The guest story you published on this blog was another weak attempt to defeat Mayor Lynda Bell.
I suspect most of the bloggers on the first post are Waldman people, since she sent a message to her foot-solders to do whatever it takes to get her reelected. It is a pity they brought you into their tangled web of deceit.
We are sorting through it aren't we? The only thing that the guest blogger did wrong, was leave out the discrimination complaints. Granted, big thing to leave out. I will always print a guest blog but I am also trying to get to the bottom of the story. I think it is good to hear all sides. The truth lies somewhere in between.
Remember those discrimination complaints were false. It was only after follow up visits with unbiased (non-Garza interpreters) that the truth appeared. So it appears as if the superintendent will do nothing to Cip Garza for making false accusations. Don't tell me, statute of limitations?
Yes, the discrimination complaints were found false, you have to assume the people commenting read the blog. Did you read the Blog?
Hmmm...how about untangling using the old rule of follow the money. If the correspondence is true (and not a pretext) then the real reason for termination is replacement of M-D school services by HHA. Sometimes local is better but sometimes it's just a way to hire your cronies. I am certain people who read this blog would be SHOCKED that people would hire their cronies rather than continue to use the county's services.
Someone needs to see who the HHA has signed contracts with; that may be the answer here.
Homestead can't catch a break, it's always about the swindlers down there.
What isn't clear from this entry is who hired Ogletree Deakins? Was it the HHA? Was it the MD CRB?
The report doesn't seem in any way impartial.
It is very clear who hired them: The person the letter is addressed to. They are making presentations to the person who hired them.
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