Whereas Marly Métayer— in a much-anticipated Nov. 3 contest— fell wanting profitable the Coral Springs Metropolis Fee seat as soon as held by her late daughter, Vice Mayor Nancy Métayer, who was slain earlier this yr, three different girls made historical past as the primary Haitian Individuals to win college board seats throughout South Florida.
Cynthia Alcéus Dominique, Christina Romélus and Linda Cothière gained seats on public college boards in Haitian-heavy Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Seaside counties.
“It could have been nice if all candidates from our communities had gained,” Dieudonne Joisil, a public college trainer in Broward County’s Fort Lauderdale for almost 40 years, advised The Haitian Instances.
“However in politics, you win some and lose some,” she mentioned. “It’s nonetheless great to be represented on the area’s three main college boards for the primary time in historical past. We have to be proud of what we’ve obtained whereas we construct on that basis to attain extra.”
In Broward County
Dominique, 41, gained the School Board District 7 seat outright within the Aug. 18 main, receiving about 60% of the vote. A registered nurse, Military Reserve veteran and educator, Dominique brings expertise in well being care, navy service and guardian and group involvement within the college system.
A Broward County native, Dominique was raised by a Haitian immigrant mom who by no means attended college. But, regardless of her lack of formal schooling, she pushed her daughter to succeed. She is an Superior Follow Registered Nurse (APRN) with a Grasp’s of Nursing from the College of Miami. She is an adjunct school member at Nova Southeastern College.
Dominique just isn’t new to the varsity district. For almost a decade, she served as a volunteer and chief in numerous associations and advisory councils, together with the Dad and mom and Lecturers Affiliation (PTA), College Advisory Councils (SAC), North Space Advisory Council (NAAC) and District Advisory Council (DAC).
On the varsity board, she’s going to signify the realm that features Coconut Creek, Deerfield Seaside, Hillsboro Seaside, Lighthouse Level, Margate, Pompano Seaside and Tribal Land.
As in most South Florida college boards, the race got here at a time when Broward County Public Schools confronted college closures, declining enrollment and a $90 million budget deficit, prompting the board to approve cuts that affected 1,000 positions. The district misplaced almost 5% of its college students between the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 college years.
In Palm Seaside County
Not like Dominique, who gained her Broward seat while not having to go to a runoff, Romélus gained the District 4 school board within the Nov. 3 elections with about 62% of the vote.
Born in Port-au-Prince, Romélus, 38, beforehand served as a Boynton Beach metropolis commissioner and vice mayor. Her skilled background contains nursing, school instruction and authorities affairs consulting.
First elected in 2016 at 27, she served six years in workplace. Past her political profession, she has a various decade-long background as a nurse and has labored as an anatomy and physiology professor at Palm Seaside State Faculty.
Married and the mom of two youngsters, Romélus based and leads PolitiCALM, a authorities affairs, coverage consulting and management coaching agency.
She holds a Bachelor’s diploma in Biology/Chemistry from the College of Miami and a Grasp’s diploma in Biomedical Sciences from Barry College.
On the varsity board, she’s going to signify an space spanning coastal Palm Seaside County from West Palm Seaside to Boca Raton.
In Miami-Dade County
The third victory, final however not least, was in Miami-Dade County, the place Cothière additionally defeated her opponent and have become the primary Haitian American member of the varsity board.
She defeated fellow educator Katrina Wilson within the Nov. 3 runoff for the county’s District 1 seat, receiving 51.6% of the vote to Wilson’s 48.4%. Cothière, a local of Cap-Haïtien who immigrated to the U.S. at 15, has greater than three many years of educating in Miami-Dade Public Faculties.
She is going to signify communities together with Miami Gardens, North Miami, North Miami Seaside and Opa-locka.
Collectively, the victories place Haitian American girls at school board management throughout three of South Florida’s largest counties, the place public schooling choices have an effect on a whole bunch of hundreds of scholars and households.
“It is a very thrilling time and a breath of contemporary air for the Haitian group in South Florida,” mentioned Waltere G. Bien-Aimé, a resident of Coconut Creek. “It’s vital for the group to know that there are individuals on college boards who perceive our tradition and youngsters’s academic wants.”
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