CANDIDATE PROFILE: Belen Rodas | COMMENTARY: Hispanic Heritage Month and Modern Politics

September 21, 2023

Candidate Profile: Belen Rodas

Belen Rodas knows a thing or two about education. A professed professional student, she holds degrees from Amherst and Georgetown. She’s also a teacher who works with some of our public schools’ most challenging students. She’s running for School Board in Spotsylvania in the Chancellorsville district. She recently spent an hour with FXBG Advance to talk about herself and her run for office.

FXBG Advance: Tell our readers a bit about who you are.

Belen Rodas: We moved to Spotsylvania County in 2018, and we came here specifically because of my work as a dance therapist in the school system.

I was raised in Arlington, where I attended public schools. From there I went to Amherst. In 2004, we moved to Fauquier County

We found our way to Spotsylvania because I was earning my credential as a dance therapist. As a part of that process, I had to do an organizational analysis of how dance would help an organization. I chose Fauquier County Schools and created this dream job. What I didn’t know is that the job already existed in Spotsylvania.

Vickie Wilder opened the door to Spotsylvania by accepting me as an intern. She then retired, and I stepped into her job.

FXBG Advance: How was your experience teaching in Spotsylvania?

BR: I loved my students and colleagues. My experience was really great. The atmosphere has changed, however. The leadership has changed; but I still believe in the strengths of our division.

FXBG Advance: What is dance therapy?

BR: It’s often used in residential psychiatric units to help people who are struggling greatly.

In Spotsylvania, I use it with students who were mostly nonverbal and autistic. I was supporting their educational goals. They responded very well to dance, which allows them to connect via movement. It’s a powerful way to help nonverbal people.

My job as a dance therapist is super fun. We get the most-challenging kids. These kids are in self-contained with severe physical and mental issues. It’s both very challenging and very gratifying to make that connection with a student who doesn’t typically make strong connections.

The most important thing I do is to show up every day regardless of what happens. I’ve had my share of injuries over the years when our students get frustrated.

FXBG Advance: Why are you running for School Board? It sounds like you really enjoy the classroom.

BR: Like most people, I took for granted that I could ignore the school board for most of my life. I took it for granted that boards would have the best interests of the children in mind.

As I got plugged in during the pandemic, I started paying more attention.

My breakout moment came when I heard a board member supporting the burning and banning of books.

Once that happened, I asked who would run? I agreed to volunteer and to knock on every door in the district to help the right person get elected.

At the time, I was districted in the Courtland District (I’ve since been redistricted into Chancellor.) Last year on my anniversary, I heard my then-representative, Rahbi Abuismail, say that if anyone is curious about his votes he wanted people to ask him.

I took him at his word.

I sent Rahbi one very polite email with three questions. He did not respond. I sent that email a total of 22 times with the same three questions. I never got a response. I only dropped it after I was redistricted out of the Courtland District.

FXBG Advance: So now you’re in Chancellor, and you learn that Dawn Shelley is no longer running. Did you decide to run then?

BR: No. When I found out Dawn was not running, I again volunteered and asked to help whoever was running.

When it came time to collect signatures, no one was running. So I decided to do it.

I worked so hard that at one point, one of my children told me to take a break and rest. I said, “the only way I can sleep on Nov. 8 is if I do everything I can to save public education.”

It wasn’t my intention to seek office.

FXBG Advance: From your experience inside the schools, are things going in the wrong direction?

BR: I think so. Working with SPED students, I see how we have plenty of classes without certified teachers. I see the lack of speech therapy services, and I was aware at one time that some parents weren’t aware their kids weren’t receiving subpar services because of the lack of support. Instead, their kids were getting virtual speech therapy. That’s not the best way to deliver speech for someone who is nonverbal.

Further, I read in the Free Lance-Star about how 600 kids at Chancellor High school were taking math and English virtual classes because they lacked certified teachers in the classroom.

That is the challenge. And in the midst of this storm, we have a board leadership that has shut out three representatives from the process.

FXBG Advance: How will you handle things should you win but the extremists continue to hold the majority?

BR: I am willing to talk to, collaborate, work with, problem-solve with anyone working in the best interests of our children. If I don’t have a good-faith partner, that’s going to be a challenge.

If I work with people whom I disagree about policies, but we share a common goal like helping kids succeed, we’re good. That’s not what’s happening now.

FXBG Advance: And if you win and the extremists are out of power?

BR: The teacher shortage has to be highest priority should I win. That’s a need we must address.

I think the exodus of teachers we are seeing currently is about leadership.

You can pay teachers badly, or treat teachers badly. You can’t do both.

Spotsylvania has never paid well, but we had leadership that trusted us and treated us well. Now, our educators are getting attacked on both sides.

It shouldn’t be a radical notion that your schools support you. We’re Today, teachers are attacked and punished for speaking out.

The school division is a bad boss right now. Changing that piece – communicating to your staff that you support them – will slow down that exodus. It’s the only way we’re going to get enough teachers in our classroom.

FXBG Advance: And what about Mark Taylor?

BR: I was against the hiring of Mark Taylor. Once he was hired, however, I hoped that he would be successful.

I worked in the schools, I have kids in this school system. I was ready to help him. He has shown, however, that he is not up to the task, that he wasn’t the best choice for this position.

That said, the way that school board fired Dr. Baker with no plan for what to do, that was not a decision that was good. They didn’t make a decision in the best interest of our schools. There was no plan, no transparency.

Mark Taylor’s record merits looking at and asking if he is the right man for the job. Whatever decision is reached, it must be a decision that serves our schools. We can’t just fire him because we can, just to make a show of power.

FXBG Advance: What sets you apart from your candidate?

BR: My experience in the schools. I’ve been in a lot of classrooms, and I have a much better understanding of the challenges facing teachers. I have a master’s degree in public policy and education policy. I’m qualified to look at data and research and understand it and use it to make good decisions for our schools.

My biggest strength, however, is that I can have a conversation with anybody.

All most people want is to be heard so that someone understands where they are coming from.

Hispanic Heritage Month and Modern Politics

By Daniel P. Cortez

Hispanic Heritage Month has arrived, and Virginia’s Latinos have a lot to celebrate. 

Roughly a million strong in the Old Dominion, they make up 10.6% of the commonwealth’s population and played a key role in the elections of Governor Glenn Youngkin, Congresswomen Abigail Spangberger, and Jen Kiggans. 

Other prominent Latino citizens hold high offices in Virginia, such as Attorney General Jason Miyares, the first Hispanic to hold statewide elected office in Virginia history, and 22-year Navy veteran Carlos Del Toro, serving as the 78th Secretary of Navy. 

Democrats and Republicans understandably work to find Latino candidates, or at the very least, candidates who are sensitive to Latino concerns. 

In Stafford, Paul Milde is doing himself no favors in his run for the House seat in District 64. Running against Bishop Leonard Lacy, a former Virginia State Trooper and a chaplain with the Stafford County Sherriff’s office, Milde seeks to represent the growing Hispanic community in the HD 64.  

In 2016, as chairman of the Stafford Board of Supervisors, Milde failed to issue a proclamation honoring Hispanic Heritage month. He admitted this was an oversight on his part. 

So wouldn’t the responsible thing to do be to apologize and make a proper proclamation to demonstrate outreach? Yes, but instead Milde refused to apologize or even address the issue personally at the following meeting.  

Instead, at the following Board of Supervisors’ meeting, Milde sat silently during the entire discussion about the Hispanic History Month faux pas, allowing vice chair Meg Bohmke to take over the meeting. She issued an apology and ensured the proclamation was made and read officially.  

Milde’s actions in 2016 may help explain the sparce reception at the recent Hispanic heritage event in Fredericksburg, where Governor Glenn Youngkin made an appearance with Delegate Tara Durant, who is running for the Senate in District 27. Milde was also present at the event. 

This is far from Milde’s only problem. He served time as a drug addicted felon in the Prince William County Jail, and when he asked for support during his initial run for Aquia supervisor in 2005, he conveniently failed to inform voters of his past.  

There have been other issues for Milde during his time as a supervisor, such as failing to pay county taxes.

Locally, Spotsylvania’s Matt Strickland, the sandwich shop owner who was soundly beaten in the primary by Delegate Tara Durant in the race for the 27th District senate seat, is not likely to appeal to that county’s growing Latino population. 

Strickland, who would not concede defeat, continues to make wild allegations attacking Durant, Youngkin, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earl-Sears and Attorney General Jason Miyares.

While he served a few years honorably in the Army, Strickland saw zero combat while in military service, but attempts to portray himself as a modern day Audie Murphy.  He’s not. He did serve as a mercenary with Blackwater in the Middle East. 

Like many of the soldiers of fortune I served with in Vietnam, most mercenaries are focused on “profit,” unlike like the patriots who serve in the active duty forces.

He has called Governor Youngkin “an American in name only” and a globalist.  His in-your-face political cynicism and rhetoric is certainly not conducive to civil outreach. 

Recently on the John Fredricks Show,  Strickland called Durant a RINO and an establishment pawn, indicating he would not be supporting her and was an active write in candidate. 

In a further act of political desperation and slander Strickland stated, “I’m trying to keep a communist like Tara Durant from winning a seat in the state senate and I don’t give a damn what anybody in the public thinks about me.”

It’s head-scratching that Durant, an educator and devoted Catholic married to a genuine Marine combat veteran, could be construed as a communist. 

Candidates like Milde and Strickland demonstrate their unworthiness of not just Hispanic support, but the support of any community. 

Daniel P. Cortez is a long time political writer and broadcaster, a presidential appointee and serves as the volunteer co-chairman of the Latinos for Youngkin Coalition

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