A high school principal in Miami was removed because of short, civil comments he made on the website of a newspaper discussing the McKinney “pool party” video, after his comments became the focus of criticism from others, including a gay, Obama supporting ex-cop.
Alberto Iber had only been principal of the 99% minority North Miami Senior High School for about a year when his removal was announced Wednesday.
Earlier in the week, as people across the nation were discussing the viral video of Officer David Eric Casebolt in McKinney, Texas and debating whether the police officer had acted properly, Iber made a post in the comments section of a Miami Herald story about the incident. Referring to Casebolt, Iber said:
He did nothing wrong. He was afraid for his life. I commend him for his actions.
The comment outraged some, including another commenter named Ambrose Sims, a former Miami Beach Police Officer and gay rights activist, who donated $2,300 to the Obama campaign.
Sims attacked Iber online, saying: ““Such a comment reveals to me that you’re a serious part of the problem.”
Sims was a pioneer for South Florida gay rights, as a 1992 story from the Sun Sentinal makes clear:
Five weeks after being accused of protecting officers who harassed gays, the Miami Beach Police Department on Monday announced a new policy toward the gay and lesbian community.
Maj. Rocco De Leo and Ambrose Sims, an openly gay officer, will handle complaints of hate crimes and act as special representative to gays and lesbians.
Sims has a reputation for being critical of other police officers. In a story from 1994, Ambrose Sims was investigated and absolved for alleged rude behavior after he pulled over the wife of another police office.
“There are some cops that will not write other cops, or their relatives, tickets,” notes Sgt. Joan Donnelly, Sims’s supervisor. “It’s called professional courtesy. But Ambrose doesn’t give anybody a break. I don’t think Ambrose’s own mother would get a break.”
Principal Iber didn’t get a break. A social media campaign was thrown together, along with more attacks on Twitter:
Iber made a public statement on Tuesday:
I support law enforcement, and also the community and students that I serve as the proud principal of North Miami Senior High… The comment I posted was simply made as the result of a short video that I watched and my personal opinion.
Iber’s statement didn’t matter. Miami Dade County Public Schools issued a press statement Wednesday saying:
The Principal of North Miami Senior High School, Alberto Iber, has been removed from the school. Miami-Dade County Public Schools employees are held to a higher standard, and by School Board policy, are required to conduct themselves, both personally and professionally, in a manner that represents the school district’s core values.
“Judgment is the currency of honesty,” said Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho. “Insensitivity – intentional or perceived – is both unacceptable and inconsistent with our policies, but more importantly with our expectation of common sense behavior that elevates the dignity and humanity of all, beginning with children.”
A replacement will be named shortly.
It’s unclear how Mr. Iber’s personal opinion discussing a national news story violated “the expectation of of common sense.” Mr. Carvalho also failed to clarify what is meant by the phrase “judgment is the currency of honesty” in this context.
Ambrose Sims is thrilled with Iber’s removal. As he told the Miami New Times:
“I have nothing but praise for Superintendent Carvalho,” Sims says. “I have regard for the First Amendment, but it’s happened so often that people make comments online without any regard for the possible consequences. It’s a lesson for everyone in a public position. You should be prepared to get a reaction.”
Like many modern PC Democrats, Sims is in favor of “freedom of speech,” as long as you stick solely to the approved narrative. Be prepared: go off the left’s script the least bit in as little as three sentences on a newspaper’s comment section, and it can cost you your career.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.