Read how police officer who arrested Juana would conduct himself as Metro Nashville school board member; is Nashville screwed up or what?

As the NashvillePost reported earlier today, the Berry Hill police officer who arrested Juana Villegas (DeLaPaz) and started the torture of this woman three days from delivery of her fourth child is a candidate for a seat on the Metro Nashville school board.

Yes, Sgt. Tim Coleman is running for the District 3 school board seat, which will place him in authority over children in Metro Nashville public schools. Coleman's police chief keeps telling the local news media that this officer followed proper procedure.

But what if the proper procedure stinks, particularly when it comes to arresting women three days from delivering a child for operating a vehicle without a driver's license and supposed careless driving?

Juana and her attorney contend that she had enough identification not to be arrested by state law -- not procedure -- for traffic offenses. She had a Matricula card photo ID and car registration, they say.

The explanation of following "proper procedure" is akin the the excuse of "following orders" at the Nuremberg trials. We always claim "never again" when it comes to inhumanity, yet then we allow it to creep back into our society.

No, Juana's arrest and torture is in no way comparable to the Holocaust and loss of six million innocents. But her arrest and the abuse of her newborn -- by separating mother and son early after his birth -- are indicative of the kind of inhumanity that ultimately leads to worse.

Some Hispanic advocates fear that the anti-immigrant crowd will now rally around Coleman and put him on the school board. Remember, he just needs to win his district, not the whole of Nashville. Tennessean columnist and radio talk show host Phil Valentine probably will become one of Coleman's big backers.

Consider these answers Coleman gave to The Tennessean's survey of school board candidates, published on July 9. His comments would almost be comical if not for Juana's torture and the abuse of her newborn son. I'm only running excerpts to keep readers from falling asleep.

DISTRICT 3

Tim Coleman

Age: 39

Hometown: Nashville

Education: Some college

Employment: Investigator with Berry Hill Police Department

Political experience: None

Top issue: Increasing graduation rates

Question: Why are you running?

Answer: I feel I have a lot to offer to the community. I have been interested in the Metro School Board for many years. ... I want to have input and guide the school system.

Q. Why are you qualified?

A. I feel my qualifications to be a member of the Metropolitan Nashville School Board are wide ranging. My work experiences have taught me to be focused, open minded and direct. I believe that I have the necessary people skills to perform the responsibilities for the common good of the children, community and school system.

Q. What's the biggest issue the Metro school district faces in the next four years and how, if elected, would you address it?

A. This question is challenging. Nashville has been evolving rapidly in cultural diversity. This has placed an emphasis on being able to keep focused and be in a position to meet the demands and strains of this ever-changing landscape. We have got to right the ship and getting the graduation rates up dramatically.

Q. What should the board of education look for in a new school director?

A. I would like to see three things ... to consider when looking for a new director, they are accountability, credibility and common sense. ...


And there you have it. The sad thing about Coleman and Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall is that they give a bad name to all local law enforcement, including the Metro Nashville Police Department. But its chief and its officers have acted reasonably and honorably under the burden of the inhumane 287g program.

Now the stain of this inhumanity may well spread to the public school board which is supposed to look out for the welfare of all children, including Hispanic ones. Its record is not good of late. It just voted to desert most African-American children with its decision to resegregate public schools here under the cause of neighborhood rezoning. And the incumbent who Coleman is running against chaired the task force that proposed the rezoned segregation to the board.

So is Nashville screwed up or what? Omigosh, I sound like that guy on WKRN Channel 2!

That's why it is best for the rest of Tennessee and America to avoid Nashville and Davidson County. If you are people of conscience, spend your money elsewhere until Mayor Karl Dean and Congressman Jim Cooper finally address the torture of Juana and her newborn son. They should call for an immediate end to the 287 deportation program and stop Nashville's rapid slide into the abyss of inhumanity and intolerance.