Michelle Obama's visit to Miami called 'outrageous' by school board members

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NBC Miami – As is customary with presidential-level campaign events, protesters are never out of the question.

But before Michelle Obama even steps foot in the door of Barbara Goleman Senior High School in Miami Lakes Tuesday morning, some Miami-Dade County Public Schools board members are coming out in protest.

“I think it’s outrageous. I believe that our public schools are places for learning, not places for politicking,” board member Renier Diaz de la Portilla said.

Mrs. Obama is expected to address grassroots supporters and volunteers, as well as recruit voters to reelect her husband.

De la Portilla says there’s no room for that in public schools. He is a Republican running for the Florida House of Representatives, but says this is not a partisan issue.

“We have welcomed elected officials in our public schools for years. But never, that I can recall in recent memory, have we used it to host a political rally to recruit volunteers for a campaign that’s in November,” said de la Portilla, who represents District 5.

Board member Carlos Curbelo of District 7 is with de la Portilla. He sent an letter to the school board attorney asking the district to immediately reconsider allowing public schools to be used by campaigns.

“Going forward we should turn away any candidate or campaign that wishes to use our facilities – paid for and maintained by the public – for personal and political gain,” Curbelo wrote.

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