MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – As the November elections approach, two of the nine seats on the Miami-Dade School Board will be contested, creating an opportunity for significant change in the district.
One of those seats opened when Lucia Baez-Geller announced her decision to leave the board to run for Congress.
Joseph “Joe” Geller — no relation — is a prominent figure in the race.
An attorney by profession, he served eight years as a state representative, concluding his term in 2022. Geller represented eastern Broward and northeast Miami-Dade and was a member of the education committee, where he served as the ranking Democrat on the K-8 Subcommittee.
In a recent debate on ”This Week in South Florida” with his opponent, Geller made his views on educational issues clear. He stated, “We need to stop book banning. We need to teach real history. We need to have vulnerable populations of kids protected.”
During the debate, Geller addressed the impact of right-wing agendas on the school board by criticizing the state’s private school voucher program, which he believes has contributed to a decline in public school enrollment.
“I think public money is for public schools, not private schools. I think it’s hurting our school system because of the declining enrollment that it’s leading to, and that’s a problem,” he said.
Geller also voiced his concerns about Florida’s “abstinence-focused” approach to sex education.
“I think it’s the wrong approach and I think we should go with more modern, more progressive approaches, and the idea of falling back on abstinence-only, studies show just doesn’t work.”
He also shared disappointment with the Miami-Dade School Board’s recent decision not to recognize LGBTQ+ History Month, emphasizing, “I supported that issue (and) I think it’s the right thing to do. It’s not in violation of the law at all because it’s not any kind of curricular or instructional materials.”
His opponent, Martin Karp, takes a different stance.
When asked about whether he would have voted in favor of recognizing LGBTQ+ History Month, Karp replied, “That item had no action no change to curriculum no change instructional material so you have to ask yourself. What is the purpose of having that item? What is it that you’re trying to accomplish?”
Karp has a long history in education, having served as a dean at Talmudic University Schools and spent 16 years on the Miami-Dade School Board until 2020. Before that, he worked as a classroom teacher for 13 years. Reflecting on his time in education, he stated, “I really missed the opportunity to help a lot of people.”
When it comes to sex education, Karp advocates for parental rights, saying, “I think that that has been an effective approach for many years, where parents that want to avail themselves for their children to be able to get that education, then they get it. And for those who feel that that’s not something that they feel comfortable with their kids getting in a public school setting, well they have the opportunity to opt out of that.”
Karp believes the solution to declining enrollment lies in enhancing public school offerings and focusing on the recruitment and retention of talented teachers.
“That’s how you can combat things like that. By just offering the very best and then marketing and ensuring the people in the community know we’ve got a great product to offer,” he said.
However, Karp’s past has not been without controversy. In November 2019, the Inspector General for Miami-Dade Public Schools attributed blame to Karp’s office for helping an after-school religious program circumvent rules and regulations.
Karp stands by his actions, stating, “The report has numerous flaws in it, and simply as a board member, I was very, very grateful to help a lot of people.”
Although the race for the school board is officially nonpartisan, it’s clear that both candidates have garnered support from different political factions.
Geller is receiving backing from the Democratic Party, while records indicate that Karp is receiving support from conservative groups.
Geller remarked during the debate, “Well we’re responding, by the way, it’s not my flyers, it’s their flyers,” when questioned about the funding for his campaign materials.