A few years ago when the Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High School was being constructed in North Miami Beach, there were several community meetings about what to name the school. Some people felt that the name of the school should be historically significant, such as Rosa Parks Senior High, or that it should reflect something reflective of our community, such as Oleta River Senior High. Almost everyone agreed that schools should never be named after living people. The line of thinking was that if the person for whom the school was named should screw up somehow, the school would forever be tainted. Here in South Florida especially, the odds of someone screwing up, and royally at that, are so high that there’s probably someone betting on it in Vegas as we speak.
Considering that South Florida is the psycho magnet of the country, and that we’re pretty much overloaded with wealthy celebrities and sports personalities flocking to South Beach willing to spend their fortune on any number of the hedonistic pleasures available to the rich, famous and self-indulgent, naming a school after one of the local hot shots is always a big risk.
Despite protests from the community, Miami-Dade County School Board District 3 Representative Dr. Martin Karp insisted on naming the new high school after now retired Miami Heat Super Star/Philanthropist Alonzo Mourning and his lovely wife, Tracy. Hence, the name Alonzo and Tracy Mourning, fondly referred to as “ATM.” Talk about the ultimate pandering for votes!
In one of those Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Moment times, Dr. Karp may be rethinking his brilliant suggestion. The lovely Tracy has now found herself in a pickle. And what a pickle it is!
As reported by NBC Miami, Mrs. Mourning was arrested yesterday morning for driving under the influence.
Ho hum. Just another South Florida celebrity doing her thing.
The signs of trouble started long before this latest Mourning screw up, though. According to Alonzo Mourning’s Wikipedia page, “In July 2011 Mourning was sued by Miami, Florida lawyer Spencer Aronfeld on behalf of Alberto Candoleria for crashing his car into another car and then leaving the scene of the accident. The Florida Highway Patrol later charged Mourning with leaving the scene of a car accident. The accident allegedly occurred after he left Chris Bosh‘s wedding in Miami Beach after 3:00 A.M. Candoleria had just been in an accident when Mourning struck his car. He did not know if he was in his car when Mourning hit him as he claimed to have amnesia.”
Ho hum. Just another South Florida celebrity doing his thing.
Yeah, I’m thinking maybe the name Rosa Parks Senior High School would have been a much better choice. At least her legacy will forever remain untainted.
Unlike Dr. Martin Karp’s legacy, thanks to his not so brilliant idea.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
