As much as I’ve been trying to keep my nose out of North Miami politics, it’s not as easy as I had hoped. Besides, if you remember, I did reserve the right to change my mind!
The Miami Herald just posted an article that North Miami tentatively approves new budget. This would hardly have been comment-worthy until I got to the very end of the column, and of course, I just had to say something.
Mayor Lucie Tondreau stated that she wanted to double the budget for the city’s $50,000.00 scholarship program for adult education. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with helping North Miami’s adult residents to become better educated if the city has money to burn.
But, here’s the big “however.”
The article reported that Tondreau “suggested the city remove $20,000 from the $70,000 budgeted … for the city’s Police Athletic League and find the remaining balance elsewhere in the budget.”
For some reason that didn’t exactly sound too Kosher to me. So, of course, I just had to check out the National Police Athletic League’s website, where this organization’s motto is displayed prominently on the banner right under it’s name. It says:
Yep, that’s what it says! “It’s Better to Build Youth Than Mend Adults”
Maybe the mayor didn’t get the memo.
The National Police Athletic League’s Mission is even clearer:
PAL Mission Statement
The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues, Inc. (National PAL) and its member chapters work to prevent juvenile crime and violence by building the bond between cops and kids.
While educating adults is a noble cause, preventing our children from becoming criminals is infinitely more important.
Furthermore, in addition to the national PAL organization, North Miami’s Police Athletic League’s Mission states:
OUR MISSION
“The Police Athletic League of North Miami’s (PAL of North Miami) mission is to cultivate the partnership between parents, schools, the community, and the police department Developing Productive Active Leaders from our communities’ youth.”
The way I see it, anyone who survives childhood is sufficiently educated to begin with. I truly admire adults who want to further their education, especially if they never finished high school. But doing so is a privilege, not a right. It should also be their own responsibility, not “The Village’s.”
Children, on the other hand, are fully dependent on the adults in their lives to educate them and teach them to become responsible citizens. Unfortunately, far too many children are being raised by irresponsible parents who should never have spawned in the first place. (Parenthood should also be a privilege, not a right.)
Like it or not, folks, we are “The Village.” For these at-risk kids, the responsible adults in society (that would be you and me) have become their parent figures out of necessity. Without organizations like national and local Police Athletic Leagues, among others, many of those children are criminals waiting to happen.
Mayor Tondreau, I urge you to withdraw your request to fund adult education at the expense of North Miami’s Police Athletic League. Surely you can find the money elsewhere.
North Miami’s children are the future of your city. Or as your own PAL states, the future “Productive Active Leaders.” They deserve every chance they can get to fulfill their potential.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
Steph,
Here’s the story behind the story on these “adult education” course in N. Miami. To give your readers a clearer picture: North Miami’s “adult education” course are primarily nursing schools that are targeted at Haitian women. Schools that actually have more fraud going on than you can imagine and have been investigated by the state. Basically they have people take the test for students who could never have passed in the first place. These schools, which are run by Haitians have rules in place where a student enrolls and the school gets paid the tuition BUT if the student withdraws the tuition is forfeited. Get the picture? So let’s say you have a “friend” who runs these schools and organizes a nice scheme where a bazillion Haitian women enroll to become nurses even if they’re half wits who never pass the exam someone will ensure they get their certificate. Now lets also say that this school arranges for their neighbor, sister, cousin and every other they know named “Marie”, Jean Marie, Marie Jean and any other variation you can think of to enroll then withdraw with the promise of a small bonus fee to do it…well you get the picture.
North Miami’s Circle of Three don’t do anything that doesn’t benefit them, their homeland or their relatives and associates. It’s that simple. This “adult education” thing has been pushed for some time now. People need to do a little more digging into Msr. Leslie Prudent and his connection to these schools too. Just sayin.
You’ve got to be kidding! Thanks for reminding me why North Miami is toxic.
Stephanie,
Remember the Back to School Book Bag Giveaway that almost was? Sponsored by CM Pierre? Guess where the backpacks were supposed to come from? Yes, you got that right, from Azure College. Thankfully the city did it on their own merit. http://www.azure.edu/
Guest’s comments will come as no surprise to anyone who’s suffered the misfortune of being hospitalized in South Florida and “cared” for by a Haitian nurse.
So is one able to ask for an accounting of where/who received the existing adult Ed. Scholarship money? before they attempt to double it’s size? I’m alarmed at the scam the first commentator alludes to, but sadly not surprised.