WCPO/November 6, 2013
Cincinnati school board welcomes its first Latino member among a diverse slate of newcomers
Bob Driehaus
CINCINNATI — Voters created perhaps the most diverse Cincinnati Public School board to date, with the election of its first-ever Latino member, the first alumna of Teach for America and business and union backed candidates.
It was also an affirmation of the path that the previous seven-member board had forged, with the lone incumbent, Melanie Bates, garnering the most votes by a large margin. The three newcomers – Ericka Copeland-Dansby, Elisa Hoffman and Daniel Minera – praised their predecessors for past improvements, though they each promised to improve schools during their tenure.
“I think the voters want to see a reflection of what’s happening in our city on their school board,” said Minera, a Guatemalan immigrant who is director of Hispanic Outreach at City Gospel Mission. “They want representatives for all students, and I believe that the city understands that Cincinnati Public Schools can be even greater than what it is.”…
Fixing the lowest performing schools, expanding preschool offerings and expanding and improving the district’s Community Learning Centers emerged as top issues