Res No 169-14-14263RESOLUTION NO.169-14-14263
A Resolution instructing the City Attorney to continue to
investigate the racial disparity at Somerset Academy Charter
School in South Miami.
WHEREAS,60yearshavepassedsincetheUnitedStatesSupremeCourt
foundthat separate butequalschoolsfor different races violated theUnitedStates
Constitution in Brown v.(Topeka,Kansas)Board of Education andordered
schoolsto integrate "withalldeliberatespeed."
WHEREAS,the Honorable Federal JudgeC.Clyde Atkins,in Pate v.Dade
CountySchoolBoardruledthattheBoard of PublicInstruction of DadeCounty,
Florida,is permanently enjoined from operating adualsystem of public education
segregatedbyrace,andshallhenceforthoperateaunitarysystem;and
WHEREAS,federal judicial oversight has ceased;and
WHEREAS,there arelessthan1.2 percent African-American children
enrolledatSomerset Academy's charterschoolinSouthMiami;and
WHEREAS,thecurrent census appears toshowthat Miami-Dade Countyis
made upof 15.2 percent white residents (not including Hispanic),65.6 percent
Hispanic residents,19percent African-American and 1.7 percent Asian;and
WHEREAS,the current Miami-Dade County school population forthe
County is made upof 7.7 percent white residents (not including Hispanic),67.5
percent Hispanic residents,23.0 percentAfrican-American and 1.8 percent all
other groups;and
WHEREAS,the current Miami-Dade County school population for South
Miami's District is made up of 10.7 percent white residents (not including
Hispanic),79.9 percent Hispanic residents,7.8percentAfrican-American and
1.5 percentforallotherracialgroups;and
WHEREAS,the racial makeup of the charter school is,according to Miami-
Dade County School Board,11.2 percent white students and 86.9 percent Hispanic
students,1.1 percentAfrican-American students and 0.8 percent Asian students.
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Res.No.169-14-14263
NOW THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND
CITY COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI,FLORIDA:
Section 1.The City Attorney is instructed to continue to investigate the
reason forthe racial disparity inthe student population at Somerset Academy.
Section 2.Severability.If anysection,clause,sentence,or phrase of this
resolutionisforanyreasonheldinvalidorunconstitutionalbyacourt of competent
jurisdiction,theholdingshallnotaffectthevalidity of theremainingportions of
this resolution.
Section 3.Effective Date.This resolution shall become effective
immediatelyuponadoptionbyvote of theCityCommission.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 1<£day ofAugust 2014.
ATTEST:
ClTY CLERK
READ AND APPROVED ASJO FORM,
LANGUAQe^LEGALi:
EXEGOTI0N THEREC
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APPROVED:
MAYOR
COMMISSION VOTE:5-0
Mayor Stoddard:Yea
Vice Mayor Harris:Yea
Commissioner Edmond:Yea
Commissioner Liebman:Yea
Commissioner Welsh:Yea