Jamaica Plain resident Miren Uriarte, a University of Massachusetts-Boston professor and active member of the Latino community, was appointed to the Boston School Committee earlier this month, according to a press release.
Uriarte replaces JP’s Claudio Martinez, who resigned in December from the School Committee and from the Hyde Square Task Force for personal reasons.
“Today, Latino students are the largest racial ethnic group enrolled in the Boston Public Schools, and a recent BPS study showed that the achievement gap, especially for young Latino males, persists in Boston,” said Mayor Walsh, according to the press release. “Ms. Uriarte has spent decades in Boston’s Latino community, and has the firsthand knowledge about what policies and investments can be made to make headway on this issue. I’m thrilled that the School Committee will have Ms. Uriarte’s breadth of expertise to inform the future of BPS.”
Uriarte, who was born in Cuba and came to the United States in 1961, has taught at UMass Boston since 1981 and is the founding director of the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy at the school. She has done research into the Latino immigrant experience in the region and has also done research on English Language Learners in the Boston Public Schools.
“I’m a mom with a son who graduated from BPS, a longtime member of Boston’s Latino community, and a researcher who has focused on issues faced by English language learners,” said Uriarte, according to the press release. “I believe in using data, and evidence to make informed decisions about policy development. I’m looking forward to bringing these experiences to the School Committee, and working with a great team.”
Jamaica Plain resident Miren Uriarte, a new member of the Boston School Committee. (Courtesy Photo)