Two allies of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis were to the Miami-Dade County School Board on Tuesday. Roberto Alonso and Monica Colucci are among the local school board members who backed DeSantis鈥� agenda and won his endorsement 鈥� after pledging to prioritize parental rights and oppose what they claim is the 鈥渋ndoctrination鈥� of students.
The school board auditorium was packed with supporters and local elected officials on Tuesday to watch the new board members take the oath of office. As they placed their hands on a Bible and pledged to fulfill their duties, it was Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nu帽ez who administered the oath.
Before the new members were sworn in, Father Julio De Jesus, a priest at in Hialeah, gave a blessing 鈥� urging the audience to trust in God and his 鈥減rophets.鈥�
鈥淵ou created man and woman in your own image and entrusted to us the care of the whole world. But because of disobedience and sin, we got separated from you. But because of your mercy, you sent us prophets to say 鈥榥o, you can come back to me and order will come back to you鈥�,鈥� De Jesus said.
鈥淲e ask you, Almighty Father, to protect and guide all government officials, to protect and guide all police officers, but in particular to protect and guide the school board,鈥� he prayed. 鈥淵ou [God] come first, and the rest will follow.鈥�
According to district staff, the new board members requested that De Jesus give an invocation for the ceremony, which is not uncommon for faith leaders to do. When new MDCPS school board members were sworn in after the 2020 elections, Rev. Kay Williams Dawson of the Cathedral of Praise gave an .
But the religious tenor of Tuesday鈥檚 ceremony is notable at a time when is as a in Florida. DeSantis, who has been significantly expanding his influence over local education policy, has framed his clashes with political opponents as a . DeSantis recently released a that depicts him as a 鈥渇ighter鈥� ordained by God.
Nu帽ez dismissed the notion that her presence at the swearing-in on Tuesday is an indication of a Republican stronghold over the school board 鈥� which is ostensibly nonpartisan.
鈥淎bsolutely not. I鈥檓 here to celebrate the election of two board members that were duly elected by their voters in their respective districts. I was asked to swear in both, and I鈥檓 very proud to do that, and I think they鈥檙e proud to have me here,鈥� Nu帽ez said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no signal being sent other than the fact that it鈥檚 a great day for them.鈥�
In their speeches on Tuesday, both of the new members thanked God, their families and their supporters for helping them on the path to elected office.
Alonso is a vice president for the commercial real estate company Costa Realtors, a father of two school-age sons and a product of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. In 2020, he was by DeSantis to serve as a of Miami Dade College.
On Tuesday, Alonso said his family fled Cuba as a part of Operation Pedro Pan 鈥� a search for freedom that he says shaped his upbringing.
鈥淚've been blessed to grow up in a family which has always made faith, hard work, freedom and education our top priorities,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y grandparents and parents were exiles who came to this great nation with nothing, fleeing oppression and repression, searching for a better life where freedom and opportunity were the rule and not the exception.鈥�
Colucci is a career educator in the district and spent 26 years as an elementary school teacher. Her daughter is a student at the University of Miami.
Colucci is also a personal friend of Lt. Gov. Nu帽ez and worked in her administration from Feb. 2019 to Aug. 2020 as a special assistant.
鈥淲hen it comes to children, you have my pledge to never compromise 鈥� I will never settle for being politically correct 鈥� but rather morally correct,鈥� Colucci said as the crowd applauded. 鈥淲hen it comes to children, I pledge to protect their minds, hearts and spirits 鈥� and in turn protect their innocence, which all children have a right to.鈥�
Later, Colucci told 港澳天下彩that she鈥檒l lean on her faith as a board member and believes that religion should play a larger role in public education.
鈥淚 think that there鈥檚 always a greater role for faith in schools,鈥� she said. 鈥淥bviously respecting the faith of each individual family, because I have a profound respect for all faiths 鈥� but yes, I do.鈥�
The newly-elected board members are scheduled to formally take office on Nov. 22.
