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BOARD ITEM
INTRODUCED BY
DR. ROBERT B. INGRAM


An Item Endorsing April 11, 2000 as Stop Day-Enough Is Enough


March 10, 2000

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NO. 00-14 OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, ENDORSING APRIL 11, 2000, AS STOP DAY - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

During the 1994-95 school year, the United Teachers of Dade and Miami-Dade County Public Schools cosponsored STOP DAY. Through this effort, our students and staff dramatically proclaimed that violence and weapons would not be tolerated in our schools. Across the district, people came together to reflect upon the causes of violence and to devise ways to fight the problem.

The implementation of STOP DAY - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH has received wide publicity. People recognized that this was an innovative and promising approach to tackling the serious problem of juvenile violence. Presentations of M-DCPS' initiative were made to various organizations statewide by former School Board Member and STOP DAY founder, State Representative Frederica S. Wilson. Many groups endorsed the concept and requested that then Florida Commissioner of Education Frank T. Brogan pursue statewide implementation.

For the 2000 observance, a full minute of silence will be observed at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 11 by M-DCPS' students to reflect on the implications of violence in our schools and community.

STOP DAY is envisioned as a day to empower students to band together in a unified effort to rid their campuses of violence. This will be the sixth consecutive year of STOP DAY -ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and activities will include a student peace pledge, essay contest, periods of meditation, and other activities deemed appropriate by each school site.

This item does not appear on the published agenda. The good cause to vary from the agenda is that STOP DAY is scheduled one day prior to the Board's April meeting, and School Board support is necessary now to fully engage our students in this worthwhile endeavor.

ACTION PROPOSED BY DR. ROBERT B. INGRAM: That The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida, approve Resolution No. 00-14 of The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida, endorsing April 11, 2000, as STOP DAY -ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.


To contact Dr. Ingram, please call 305-995-1340 or e-mail ringram@dadeschools.net