Dallas Independent School District
09/28/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/28/2021 13:11
Dallas ISD News: Hispanic Heritage Profile: Enrique Rodríguez
DALLAS -
Enrique Rodriguez came to the U.S. from Cuba with his mother at the young age of 12. But life in his home country had already made a lasting impression on him.
Spanish story:
Enrique Rodriguez came to the U.S. from Cuba with his mother at the young age of 12. But life in his home country had already made a lasting impression on him.
"If you were to walk the streets of Havana, you'd see racial harmony. To be black is to be Cuban. To be brown is to be Cuban. To be white is to be Cuban. We have a strong sense of community, a common background and culture that unites us regardless of whether we're in Cuba itself or any diaspora around the world."
To this day, as he leads C.A. Tatum Elementary School as its principal, Rodriguez says, "This interracial heterogeneity gives me a heightened awareness of the importance of being both diverse and inclusive and shapes the way I serve my staff, my students, and the community of Dallas ISD."
Rodriguez is in his fourth year as principal at Tatum. He's been with the district for 11 years, his whole career. Before becoming a principal, he was a teacher at Urban Park Elementary School and then assistant principal at Ebby Halliday Elementary School.
Although his family is originally from Tenerife, Spain, the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands, Rodriguez's great-great-grandfathers and great-great-grandmothers emigrated to Cuba in their early 20s.
Being born and raised in Cuba significantly informed his philosophy and perspective on equity and excellence, Rodriguez says. "With a literacy rate of 99% in an ethnic and racially diverse populace that prioritizes free education Pre-K through college, Cuba and its education system helped shape my views on what is possible for all students."
"My upbringing and my experiences in Cuban schools underpin my belief that all students are capable of success when given the right conditions and supports. Socioeconomic status and skin color should never be predictors of a child's success, and growing up in Cuba made that readily apparent."
"As a principal, I work to ensure that all students, regardless of the labels society has placed on them, make progress in their learning. I set high expectations for my staff and students to make sure that Tatum is a place where all kids grow, all kids learn, and all kids develop agency."
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Principal Rodriguez applauds diversity and bilingualism in the district: "Bilingualism opens the world to include more conversations with more people. Speaking a common language, whether English or Spanish, helps break down barriers and increases the connections we're able to make with others."
Spanish story:
DALLAS - Enrique Rodríguez llegó a los Estados Unidos desde Cuba con su madre cuando tenía apenas 12 años, pero su país ya le había dejado una huella.
"En las calles de La Habana, se ve armonía entre las razas. Ser negro es ser cubano. Ser moreno es ser cubano. Ser blanco es ser cubano. Tenemos un sentido de comunidad sólido, un origen en común y una cultura que nos une, estemos en Cuba o seamos parte de la diáspora cubana en el exterior".
Hasta el día de hoy, Rodríguez, director de C. A. Tatum Elementary School, dice: "La heterogeneidad racial me permite tener una mayor conciencia de lo importante que es ser diverso e inclusivo, y forma la manera en como apoyo a mi personal, a los estudiantes y a la comunidad de Dallas ISD".
Rodríguez lleva toda su carrera de 11 años en Dallas ISD. Fue maestro en Urban Park Elementary School, luego subdirector en Ebby Halliday Elementary School y ahora está completando su cuarto año como director en Tatum Elementary School.
Su familia es oriunda de Tenerife, la isla más grande y más poblada de las Canarias, y los tatarabuelos de Rodríguez emigraron a Cuba cuando tenían aproximadamente veinte años.
Crecer en Cuba formó su filosofía y perspectiva sobre la equidad y la excelencia, dice Rodríguez. "Con una tasa de alfabetización de 99% en una población diversa étnica y racialmente que prioriza la educación gratuita desde prekínder hasta la universidad, Cuba y su sistema educativo me ayudaron a formar mi perspectiva sobre lo que es posible para todo estudiante.
"La manera en como me educaron y mis experiencias en las escuelas de Cuba formaron la base de mi creencia de que todos los estudiantes pueden lograr el éxito si se les dan las condiciones y el apoyo necesarios. El estado socioeconómico y el color de la piel no deben determinar si tendrá éxito o no un niño, lo cual aprendí creciendo en Cuba.
"Como director, trabajo para asegurar que todos los estudiantes, sin importar las etiquetas que les puso la sociedad, avancen en sus estudios. Les tengo altas expectativas a ellos y a mi personal para que Tatum sea un lugar donde los niños crezcan, aprendan y se vuelvan independientes".
En este Mes de la Herencia Hispana, el director Rodríguez celebra la diversidad y el bilingüismo en el distrito: "El bilingüismo abre las puertas al mundo para poder comunicarse con más personas. Hablar un idioma en común, sea inglés o español, ayuda a derribar barreras y conocernos mejor".