On this Monday, Jan. 27, episode of Sundial:
News Update
Miami police captain Javier Ortiz was recently suspended with pay after telling city commissioners that he was not Hispanic, but a black male. Ortiz has been accused of making racially insensitive remarks in the past. The Miami Herald’s Chuck Rabin has been following the story and joined Sundial for an update.
Also, Rabin discusses DNA tests that have matched Robert Koehler, the so-called “Pillowcase Rapist” suspect, to at least two dozen Miami-Dade County sexual assaults from the 1980s. Koehler was arrested last week.
2020 Legislative Session With ACLU
One of the ACLU of Florida’s key priorities during the 2020 legislative session is Amendment 4, a law that passed in Florida in 2018 promising to restore voting rights for over a million Floridians with felony convictions.
The state of Florida is requiring people with past felony convictions to pay all associated fines and fees before regaining that right. Last year, the ACLU of Florida filed a federal lawsuit challenging the state law for creating hurdles to voting like asking those individuals to pay back fines and fees. Micah Kubic, Executive Director of the organization joined Sundial to discuss Amendment 4 and other bills they’re looking at this legislative session.
Holocaust Remembrance Day
Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services is working to help Holocaust survivors who live at or below the poverty line with services including food and financial assistance, senior services, counseling, and mental health assistance.
On the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Sundial is joined by Danielle Hartman is the Executive Director and Samuel Ron is a Polish survivor who volunteers with the organization.
Also on the program, we look at how the Holocaust is taught in Florida schools. Linda Medvin, director of Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education, works closely with Florida teachers on how to teach the curriculum developed by the Center. She joined Sundial to talk about where she sees blindspots in the current education system.