School trips to Cuba face ban

Posted on Thu, May. 04, 2006

FLORIDA LEGISLATURE
School trips to Cuba face ban
Legislation banning college and university students and professors from
traveling to 'terrorist nations' -- including Cuba -- is headed to the
governor.
By JENNIFER MOONEY PIEDRA
jmooney@MiamiHerald.com

TALLAHASSEE - A bill aimed at banning public and private universities
and community colleges from sponsoring trips to Cuba and other nations
labeled as ''terrorist'' by the U.S. State Department cleared both
chambers of the Legislature and is on its way to the governor.

The plan, which is the brainchild of Miami Republican Rep. David Rivera,
will block the schools from using state funds, private donations and
grants to ``implement, organize, direct, coordinate, or administer
activities related to or involving travel to a terrorist state.''

That's bad news for students like Brett Jestrow, who says he could not
have written his doctoral dissertation on plants native to Cuba without
doing research in the island nation.

The 27-year-old South Miami resident was able to go there in 2004, study
at the National Botanical Gardens in Havana, work with Cuban botanists
and drive around the country looking for different plants -- all
possible because of a $1,000 grant from the Cuban Research Institute at
Florida International University.

''Taxpayer money should not be used to support or subsidize terrorist
regimes -- period,'' Rivera said. ``Particularly when America is
fighting a war on terrorism.''

Under the plan, colleges and universities in Florida -- both public and
private -- would not be allowed to send students, professors or other
faculty members to Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria.

Rivera made no secret of the target of his legislation.

''Its practical impact in Florida will focus squarely on one country --
Cuba,'' he said. ``Cuba has been a sponsor of terrorism. The Castro
dictatorship is a force for evil.''

School administrations, Rivera said, would be responsible for enforcing
the law.

For the University of Miami, that is not a problem.

''There is no question the University of Miami would always be compliant
to any bill or law that is passed,'' said Margot Winick, a university
spokeswoman.

Even if the governor signs the bill into law, professors and students
still could travel to terrorist nations -- but they would have to pay
out of their own pocket.

Critics of the measure say it is ''political demagoguery'' and that
Rivera, a Cuban American, is trying to use anti-Castro legislation to
appeal to the emotions of voters.

''His record representing his district has been rather poor,'' said
Lisandro Pérez, a professor at Florida International University and
former director of FIU's Cuban Research Institute. ``It's reprehensible
that Rep. Rivera uses Cuba and this issue to further his political career.''

Perez, who regularly travels to Cuba for research using grant money,
said he will continue his studies, regardless of any changes to the law.

''My research is on Cuba and if I need to go, I will go,'' he said.
``I'm not going to change my behavior because of a ridiculous law.''

The push by Rivera was fueled by the January arrests of FIU professor
Carlos M. Alvarez and his wife, Elsa, an FIU counselor. The couple is
accused of being unregistered agents for Cuba.

Rivera tried passing a similar bill two years ago, but it was killed in
the Senate.

This session, the Senate bill won unanimous approval April 27 and the
House version also had unanimous support during its final vote Wednesday.

Despite the country's communist regime, students and professors who
conduct research in Cuba say they have a right to go.

''It would be a real drag, a real drawback if students couldn't go to
Cuba,'' said Jestrow, who spent a month conducting research on the
island as an FIU student. ``For some people, it's really important to go
there.''

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