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Miami Herald
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Dedicated long-time Miami-Dade school board member Perla Tabares Hantman dies at 88
Perla Tabares Hantman, a long-time Miami-Dade County school board member known as a tough-as-nails yet compassionate leader with an uncompromising commitment to education, died Tuesday from natural causes at the University of Miami Hospital. She was 88. Hantman was the first Hispanic woman to serve as school board chair. Hantman served on the school board for 26 years, and as chair 14 times, where she was known for running very strict and efficient meetings. She represented District 4 which includes the communities of Miami Lakes, much of Hialeah and Hialeah Gardens. Jose Dotres, the current superintendent of schools in Miami-Dade, recalls how persistent and capable Hantman was, leading the district with professionalism through challenging times, including the pandemic and the height of the culture wars. When Hantman found out some students had difficulties seeing the board and needed glasses, she created a program for all students to get eye exams. When there were issues with students walking to school safely, she secured over $18 million in federal funding for infrastructure projects to create safe routes to school. 'She is one of these very few individuals that are able to turn a no into a yes,' said Dotres. A proud Republican and fiscal conservative, she was well-loved by colleagues of all political affiliations, known for using her humor and wit to diffuse tense situations, and was unafraid to take bold and unexpected positions. Her late husband Arnold Hantman, who her children describe as loving and supportive, was a Democrat. In 2022, when the Miami-Dade County Schools rejected new sex education textbooks after an outcry from parents, Hantman eventually changed her vote, which allowed the district to ultimately adopt the materials. 'It was a politically unpopular position to take,' said District 1 board member Steve Gallon. 'I think her ability to be reflective, when it comes to things that will affect children, moves things to a better place,' he added. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava says she admired Hantman for her ability to compassionately navigate political differences in a civil manner. 'I saw her as someone very caring and very judicious and balanced,' said Levine Cava. Marcos Moran, assistant/region superintendent for the school district, said she was known for coming into the school board building to work even during spring break when the district was off. 'She was just so determined to get things done that she did not mind sacrificing her time or her efforts to get things done,' said Moran. One of her many accomplishments was starting a college fair at Miami Dade College for high school students to get more information about continuing their education. The fair is now named in her honor. This year's college fair will take place on Sunday, March 9. The plan was to have Hantman at the fair this year for a ribbon cutting. Mari Tere Rojas, the current chair of the Miami-Dade school board, said it will be tough to be at this year's fair without her. Loving but strict Hantman was not only dedicated to the children of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. She was a mother of four, a grandmother to eight, and great grandmother to six. 'Our house was a little bit like school board meetings. She was tough, demanding, high expectations and perfectionist, and her children were everything,' said her son Michael Hantman, now a partner at Holland and Knight law firm. Her children say Hantman instilled in all of them the importance of working hard to achieve your goals, as well as the power of education. 'She never believed in excuses. You get it done, or you don't get it done,' said her son. School board chair Rojas said that Hantman would boast about her children and grandchildren, always sharing their accomplishments. The two would talk about work, but would also chat for hours about their grandchildren and family vacations. They would also discuss the importance of continuing to prioritize family while pursuing their careers. 'She was a very elegant lady, very classy, with a lot of grace and integrity and she set a standard of leadership,' said Rojas. As a mother, Hantman was described as loving but strict. 'She was never the mom that got you out of trouble in school,' said Michael Hantman. 'She gave us all a sense of fending for ourselves from a young age, not thinking we had some safety net,' he added. But as strict as she was, she still made things fun for her family, he said. When the family was on a trip in London, the hotel's room-service server came to the room. Hantman commented about his name tag and asked how to pronounce his unusual name. 'Is it 'Reecharee,'' she innocently asked. He responded: 'No, Ma'am. It's Richard.' The room erupted in laughter. From Havana to Miami Hantman was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, to Carlos and Gilda Tabares. Her father Carlos was an OBGYN and her mother was a homemaker. Her son says she was described by her father as 'very independent in her thinking,' and was always considered mature for her age. The family was well-to-do, and Hantman went to school in Havana, learning English, German, French and Italian. Her father had a limited vision of what women could accomplish in life, but Hantman could not be deterred. She started college at the University of Havana, but Hantman left Cuba on a freedom flight to Miami alongside her parents, her aunt and her two young children two years after Fidel Castro came to power. She spent a few years in Miami, then a few years in Mexico where she worked for the United States Embassy, and then came back to the United States. In Miami, she finished her education at Barry University. As a young professional, she served in the U.S. Foreign Service. Hantman got her start in public service in part because she lived across the golf course in Miami Lakes from former U.S. Senator Bob Graham. Hantman's children say that Graham saw how capable Hantman was and helped her get appointed to the Florida Board of Medicine, and later to the Florida Board of Regents, now known as the Board of Governors, the committee that oversees the state public university system. Later in her life as a school board member and chair of the school board, she was a huge proponent of bilingual education and also celebrated the Independence of Cuba on May 20. Every year, she would attend the celebration and performance at Milam K-8 Center in Hialeah, and the school would honor her. Until the end, Hantman was committed to living her life to its fullest. Just one week before her death, she got dressed up in one of her sharpest suits and left home to meet with her lawyers. 'She is the inspiration for the family, she's been very strong and a pillar of strength for everybody,' said her eldest daughter Alina Van Katwyk. 'We were so proud of her,' she added. Hantman is survived by her four children Alina Van Katwyk, Francis Baguer, Michael Hantman, and Claudia Arko, her eight grandchildren, and her six great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Miriam.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Florida alerts first measles case of year in public school as experts stress vaccination
A case of measles has been detected in Florida for the first time in 2025. One student at Palmetto Senior High School tested positive for the disease, according to local sources and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Superintendent Dr. Jose Dotres addressed the measles case in a news conference on Thursday, noting that the vaccine rate at the school is 99.7%. Watch Full Interview With Dr. Marc Siegel And Rfk Jr. On Fox Nation "Everything is very stable," he stated. "We have no other incident regarding the measles at this point." Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo also confirmed the measles case in a press conference in Tampa on Wednesday, noting that it's possible there "may be more of them." Read On The Fox News App "Obviously, we wish the best for everyone's health," he said. Amid remarks on a variety of topics, Ladapo acknowledged that measles is "extremely contagious." He said "it's one of the most contagious diseases around" — and confirmed that the Florida Department of Health has been in communication with the school about the case. "We've provided information about options that parents have," he said. New Mexico Adult Dies Of Measles A Week After Texas Child Died During Outbreak "One of those — it's very important — is communicating that their preferences and choices for their healthy kids are going to be respected," he said. He also said, "We also have measles vaccines available … for any parent who wants them. So that option is there also, and we provide education there." Texas, meanwhile, has reported the highest number of measles cases since January, marking 198 infected people as of Friday morning, including 23 hospitalized, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Most of the cases were detected in unvaccinated, school-aged children — which included one child who died from the disease. Vitamin A As Measles Treatment? Rfk Jr.'s Comments Spark Discussion Of Benefits And Risks New Mexico also reported its first measles death on Thursday in an unvaccinated adult, according to state officials. The DSHS in Texas has stated on its website that the best way to prevent sickness is to receive two doses of the vaccine against measles, "primarily administered" as the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization. Ladapo also mentioned using vitamin A as a treatment for measles for some people, as suggested recently by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which has proven effective in some research. While this option can work for people who are deficient in vitamin A, according to experts, vaccination is the only way to prevent measles, as vitamin A is not an alternative. Measles Vaccines Given Long Ago Could Be Less Effective Now, Doctors Say In a recent opinion piece for Fox News Digital, RFK Jr. noted, in part, "As healthcare providers, community leaders and policymakers, we have a shared responsibility to protect public health. This includes ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated. We must engage with communities to understand their concerns, provide culturally competent education, and make vaccines readily accessible for all those who want them." Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, told Fox News Digital that inappropriate dosing of vitamin A can result in toxicity and a condition known as hypervitaminosis. "Thus, people should not be administering generic vitamin A supplements purchased at a pharmacy or health food store to their children," he said. Neil Maniar, PhD, MPH, professor of public health practice at Northeastern University, stressed that the MMR vaccine is the "most powerful tool" in preventing and controlling outbreaks. For more Health articles, visit "It is vital that we work in partnership with communities to educate individuals and families about the importance of the MMR vaccine and ensure that this vaccine is available to all who need it," he told Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital reached out to Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Miami-Dade Public Schools, Palmetto Senior High School and the Florida Department of Health for further article source: Florida alerts first measles case of year in public school as experts stress vaccination
Fox News
07-03-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Florida alerts first measles case of year in public school as experts stress vaccination
A case of measles has been detected in Florida for the first time in 2025. One student at Palmetto Senior High School tested positive for the disease, according to local sources and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Superintendent Dr. Jose Dotres addressed the measles case in a news conference on Thursday, noting that the vaccine rate at the school is 99.7%. "Everything is very stable," he stated. "We have no other incident regarding the measles at this point." Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo also confirmed the measles case in a press conference in Tampa on Wednesday, noting that it's possible there "may be more of them." "Obviously, we wish the best for everyone's health," he said. Amid remarks on a variety of topics, Ladapo acknowledged that measles is "extremely contagious." He said "it's one of the most contagious diseases around" — and confirmed that the Florida Department of Health has been in communication with the school about the case. "We've provided information about options that parents have," he said. "One of those — it's very important — is communicating that their preferences and choices for their healthy kids are going to be respected," he said. He also said, "We also have measles vaccines available … for any parent who wants them. So that option is there also, and we provide education there." Texas, meanwhile, has reported the highest number of measles cases since January, marking nearly 160 infected people. Most of these cases were detected in unvaccinated, school-aged children, which included one child who died from the disease. New Mexico also reported its first measles death on Thursday in an unvaccinated adult, according to state officials. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has stated on its website that the best way to prevent sickness is to receive two doses of the vaccine against measles, "primarily administered" as the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization. Ladapo also mentioned using vitamin A as a treatment for measles for some people, as suggested recently by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which has proven effective in some research. While this option can work for people who are deficient in vitamin A, according to experts, vaccination is the only way to prevent measles, as vitamin A is not an alternative. In a recent opinion piece for Fox News Digital, RFK Jr. noted, in part, "As healthcare providers, community leaders and policymakers, we have a shared responsibility to protect public health. This includes ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated. We must engage with communities to understand their concerns, provide culturally competent education, and make vaccines readily accessible for all those who want them." Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, told Fox News Digital that inappropriate dosing of vitamin A can result in toxicity and a condition known as hypervitaminosis. "Thus, people should not be administering generic vitamin A supplements purchased at a pharmacy or health food store to their children," he said. Neil Maniar, PhD, MPH, professor of public health practice at Northeastern University, stressed that the MMR vaccine is the "most powerful tool" in preventing and controlling outbreaks. For more Health articles, visit "It is vital that we work in partnership with communities to educate individuals and families about the importance of the MMR vaccine and ensure that this vaccine is available to all who need it," he told Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital reached out to Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Miami-Dade Public Schools, Palmetto Senior High School and the Florida Department of Health for further comment.
Miami Herald
04-03-2025
- Miami Herald
Miami drivers frustrated by school bus camera program. Who is responsible for fixing it?
The same day the Miami Herald and The Tributary published its investigation into the Miami-Dade school district's school bus safety program, superintendent Jose Dotres issued a memo addressing criticism of the program. In his memo released Friday, he instructed Ivan Silva, the chief of Miami-Dade Schools Police to work with the county sheriff's office to fix the citation review process. The Miami Herald/Tributary investigation revealed not only that drivers were being issued bogus tickets that many were unable to challenge, but also that the contract with BusPatrol, the company that administers the program, was signed in a hasty manner by the school district, without a bidding process. The contract, which generates revenue for the district, was signed just 12 days after the board asked staff to do a 'feasibility study' on the program. The program is a partnership between the school district, BusPatrol and the Miami-Dade sheriff's office. And while most of the parties to the partnership agree that the program needs fixing, there's no consensus as to how that will get done. So far, none of the school board members have made strong statements regarding the district's role in ensuring that the school bus safety program functions efficiently. Five of the nine board members ignored requests for comments from a reporter. None of the board members responded to how exactly they plan to address the problems drivers are experiencing with the program or if they feel like the partnership has overburdened the court system or the sheriff's department. As of Dec. 19, a staggering 120,000 drivers had received violation notices in Miami-Dade County for illegally passing extended school bus 'stop arms.' The courts have received over 1,000 notices from people who tried to contest their citation, but so far no drivers have been given a chance to make their case in front of a judge. The district never put out a bid to consider other companies, since the contract is 'revenue generating,' giving the district legal leeway to bypass the normal bidding process. At least 16 drivers who spoke to reporters said they have been issued violation notices for passing a school bus 'illegally,' when in fact they were obeying the law. The Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office, says that a staff of 25 officers reviews videos of drivers passing school buses each week, averaging 50-100 reviews an hour. But according to Detective AC Colome at the sheriff's office, the delays in scheduling hearings for drivers who want to contest the tickets were due to the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal 'not having the necessary mechanism for BusPatrol to process contestations, causing a delay in the process.' At the time of publication, the Miami Herald did not receive a response to a question about when the portal will be functioning properly. The Miami-Dade sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz, who was elected in November, the first elected sheriff in decades, put a statement on social media on Saturday saying the BusPatrol program was 'causing understandable frustration in our community' and that they are working on addressing the issues, while also shifting responsibility away from herself, emphasizing the program was approved before she became sheriff. The deal is a 'good one' Jose Bueno, the chief of staff for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, said that the Herald's investigation raised eyebrows for the district, and that they will continue to 'monitor and evaluate the performance and impact.' Bueno also said that the district considered the deal with BusPatrol a 'good one,' because the district also got cameras installed inside the buses and the whole deal is at no cost to the district. 'This is costing taxpayers zero dollars for the school system, it is costing individuals breaking the law money, and at the end of the day it is saving lives,' said Bueno. But Bueno did agree that all drivers should be entitled to their day in court, and said that he will be reaching out to Silva to have schools police bring it to the attention of the Miami-Dade sheriff. 'We will have conversations with BusPatrol and the sheriff to be sure [the contract] is carried out,' he added. One of the drivers who got a BusPatrol violation in the mail is District 1 school board member Steve Gallon, who at the Feb. 12 school board meeting raised questions about the program and how the district is spending the revenue it has generated. He joked that he paid his ticket, contributing to said revenue. So far, the program has made $19.5 million, with the district taking home 30 percent, and BusPatrol keeping 70 percent. School board member Roberto Alonso also spoke at the February meeting and aligned himself with Gallon, asking the school district to provide a memo related to how BusPatrol revenue is being spent. In a text to a reporter, Alonso said he is working with the district since it is the district that procured the contract and they are responsible for managing it. He did not respond to a question about whether he feels a responsibility for the issues drivers face in contesting tickets. Gallon provided a statement saying that there are 'additional questions that I have about the district's role and responsibility in the program's implementation and impact on community stakeholders.' The chair of the school board Mari Tere Rojas of District 6 sent a statement which said the contract procurement process was proper. Rojas also shifted the blame away from the school district, saying they do not 'handle the issuance of violation notices or the appeals process for alleged violations.' Her statement also added that the 'external parties designated by the contract have stated that they are currently reviewing these processes.' Board member Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall did not address a reporter's question regarding the contract procurement process. Instead, the board member responded with an explanation about how the program is supposed to work within the law. During the February board meeting, Ron Steiger, the chief financial officer for the district, said that much of the revenue has been used to increase pay for bus drivers as well as implement GPS technology on school buses which allows parents to track the drop-off and pick-up timing of school buses. A document attached to the memo that Dotres issued Friday confirms that, and states that the district has earned over $6 million dollars so far from the program. Nandhini Srinivasan, an investigative fellow for The Tributary, contributed to this report.
