A local teacher is giving a failing grade to a regulation meant to promote safety at schools. She was cited for speeding in a school zone — but says the time on the ticket doesn’t add up. Here’s Heather Walker with this 7Investigates.
For Kenny Nodal – school safety isn’t just a concern – it’s her job. She’s a middle school math teacher at Doral Academy.
Kenny Nodal: “It’s something that I enjoy doing.”
Kenny has been teaching for nearly 20 years. Which is why she was shocked when this letter arrived from Miami-Dade Police.
Kenny Nodal, teacher: “I got the warning last week. I received the notice in the mail.”
It is a warning for a school zone speed violation – complete with a photo of her car and license plate. But something didn’t add up for this math teacher.
Kenny Nodal: “What caught my attention initially was the time that was stamped on the picture that was taken of the license plate.”
The time stamp says 7:52 am.
Kenny Nodal: “I’m at work at that time, so I thought that maybe it had been given on a weekend. So when I looked at the calendar, it was a day of the week, it was on a Thursday, so then I thought, ‘Am I confused? Did I have the day off?'”
But she was working that day.
Kenny Nodal: “It turns out I was sending an email from my desk at work two minutes prior to the camera taking the picture. So I was already at work, I was not in the area at 7:52 in the morning.”
To make matters worse…
Kenny Nodal: “I realized that the sign posted is 8 a.m.”
What people don’t know is that the reduced speed limit of 15 miles per hour actually takes effect 30 minutes before the start of school in Miami-Dade County. According to the sheriff’s office, the slower speed starts earlier than the posted time of 8 a.m.
Kenny Nodal: “It’s an injustice.”
This was just a warning, but Kenny worries about what could happen next time. She also wonders how many drivers received tickets with the wrong time and paid them without realizing.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office runs the school zone cameras.
A spokesperson tells us the time on the camera was correct, and the department does not have an explanation for how Kenny’s car was on the road at that time. The sheriff’s office also says it has put in a request to correct the sign.
Kenny Nodal: “What I do is advocate for people, whether it’s my students or my community.”
Kenny says she always teaches her students to double-check the numbers. Now, she hopes the sheriff’s office is doing the same.
Heather Walker, 7News.
CONTACT 7 INVESTIGATES:
305-627-CLUE
954-921-CLUE
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox Email address Submit
