Knopp, fellow Oregon Senate Republican Caucus members sign ‘Education Freedom Pledge’
SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Senate Republican Caucus said it "came together in unison to fight for Oregon’s students and parents" on Friday by signing the Education Freedom Pledge.
"The pledge, put together by the non-partisan American Federation for Children, promotes policies that support educational opportunities and parental rights in education, including having their voices heard at school board meetings," according to a news release from the caucus.
The pledge states: “I pledge to support policies that promote parental rights in education and educational freedom. This includes the right of parents to voice their opinions at school board meetings and to take their children's taxpayer-funded education dollars to the education providers of their choosing - whether it be a public, private, charter, or home school.”
“Senate Republicans are unified in our support of parents and students in education,” said Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R-Bend). “Education is about them and their needs – not the government. All students, regardless of ZIP code, should have access to a learning environment that works for them.
"Parents should have a say in how their children are taught," he added. "That is not controversial, and as a caucus, we won’t shy away from advocating for bold, real education reform in Oregon.”
Senate Republicans said they were the first legislators in Oregon to publicly sign the pledge. As a caucus, they said they "have consistently introduced legislation to prioritize students over a failing education system in Oregon."
Last session, Senate Republicans introduced legislation to increase the number of students who legally could attend virtual charter schools, in addition to a suite of other school choice measures. They also voted to abolish school district boundaries, which they said "would allow children to choose any public school in the state that best meets their needs."
A Senate Democrats representative had not responded to NewsChannel 21's request for a comment, but Hannah Kurowski, spokesperson for the House Democrats, offered this statement:
"If Republicans really wanted bold education reform, I’d ask why they all voted against the Student Success Act (SSA), a historic investment that overturned decades of underfunding. Through the SSA, Oregon schools and students receive $1 billion in funding annually for improved services for children and families. This includes instructional time, broadening curricular options, mental and behavioral health services, and support for historically underserved communities."
