Tensions are high at Coral Park Elementary following accusations made by parents against a cafeteria monitor for alleged verbal and emotional abuse during lunchtime. According to NBC Miami, over a dozen families have been vocal about the negative atmosphere they claim the recently hired employee has created, detailing instances where she's purportedly thrown away students' food and used whistles inappropriately in close proximity to their ears.
As NBC Miami detailed, one of the concerned parents, Jorge Del Rio, has actively taken to discuss these issues, stating, "They're treating the children like if this was a correctional facility, a military school," and questioning such punitive measures during children's essential social time. These claims have culminated in a suspension for the cafeteria worker as the Miami-Dade Schools Police undertakes an investigation, as per the school district's confirmation.
Moreover, a group of parents with special needs children have raised an additional complaint about the school's allocation of time for Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) with their children. State Senator Ileana Garcia indicated this might be reflective of a broader statewide concern, perhaps calling for more uniform legislation. "Yes, definitely, why not, I think everything’s a work in progress especially with the amount of new children that have come in, the amount of immigrants that are now in Miami-Dade County that have special needs that might not have been diagnosed in their countries," Garcia said in an interview with NBC Miami.
Meanwhile, Del Rio, who filed a formal complaint with Miami-Dade County Schools Police, has accused the cafeteria monitor of crossing lines by not only separating students but also denying them bathroom breaks and discarding their meals prematurely. This has sparked further frustration within the parent community, as some parents reported their children being in tears and fearing not being believed because they were "yelled at constantly," according to messages shared in a WhatsApp group and seen by Local 10 News. This issue escalated to include Principal Susana Suarez, with some parents perceiving a lack of urgency on her part to address their concerns, potentially due to her role in hiring the cafeteria monitor.
As the situation attracted media attention, the district stated that the employee's suspension was part of a thorough investigation process and that any disciplinary actions concerning students were consistent with the established student code of conduct. Del Rio's decision to publicly address the issue and file a formal police report prompted significant action, leading the school district to confirm the removal of the cafeteria worker. Senator Garcia expressed dissatisfaction with the duration of the investigation, stating to Local 10 that a month was sufficient time to investigate the cafeteria employee.
