Oregon GOP lawmakers urge Gov. Brown to reopen all schools now; unions differ
(Update: Teachers unions say spring timeline is working well)
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – Oregon’s Republican state lawmakers sent a joint letter Thursday to Democratic Gov. Kate Brown, urging her to use her executive powers to “take decisive action and reopen all Oregon schools for full in-person instruction immediately.”
But the state's teachers unions took a different stand in a joint statement Friday.
State Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, and Reps. Vikki Breese Iverson, R-Prineville, and Jack Zika, R-Bend, were among the 32 GOP legislators who signed the letter, saying they “are deeply concerned about the detrimental impacts school closures are having on Oregon students.”
While the state has loosened restrictions and allowed many schools to reopen, with COVID-19 guidelines, the legislators said all need to return due to “the academic, social and emotional consequences” of not having been in a classroom for nearly a year.
They noted issues such as a survey that found over half of 11- to 17-year-olds reported having suicidal thoughts regularly, and that more than 3 million women have dropped out of the workforce.
The lawmakers said a recent $499 million federal allocation to the state should be sufficient to reopen schools, “especially when an ever-increasing body of evidence supports that it is safe – even without the vaccination of teachers.”
Here's a joint statement issued by the Oregon Education Association and individual district associations on Friday:
Joint Statement: OEA and Local Education Associations Support Spring Timeline for Expanding In-Person Instruction
From the beginning of this pandemic, Oregon educators have made it clear that they support getting students back into the classroom once it can be done safely. To that end, educators throughout the state have worked tirelessly with local school districts to create in-person instruction plans that will meet the unique needs of their communities while keeping students, families and educators safe.
In fact, many schools have already resumed in person instruction and many school districts have already reached, or are very close to reaching, agreements that will bring additional students back to physical classrooms by late March or early April.
We hear, understand, and share the frustration expressed by many in our communities about the uncertainty this pandemic has caused for our public education system, and the long-standing educational disparities that continue to be exacerbated by reopening plans that fail to truly center student equity. We urge our local school districts to continue to work in good faith with local educators to craft plans that will truly serve all of our students, and we are committed to expanding in-person instruction at our schools this spring.
Signed,
John Larson, President, Oregon Education Association
Melissa Grothe, President, Astoria Education Association
Toni Myers, President, Baker Education Association
Sara Schmitt, President, Beaverton Education Association
Sarah Barclay, President, Bend Education Association
Marilyn Bounds, Co-President, Bethel ACE
Maureen Clark, Co-President, Bethel ACE
Jenn Legat, President, Brookings-Harbor Education Association
Stefanie Agar, President, Canby Education Association
Alicia Brown, President, Centennial Education Association
Benjamin Gorman, President, Central Education Association
Deborah Branson, President, Central Linn Education Association
Mauree Donahue Revier, President, Columbia Gorge ESD Education Association
Becky Crane, President, Coos Bay Education Association
Peg Cornell, President, Corvallis Education Association
Charlotte Riester, President, Dallas Education Association
Julie Talley, President, David Douglas Education Association
Amanda O'Sullivan, President, Eagle Point Education Association
Heather Treanor, President, Estacada Education Association
Sabrina Gordon, President, Eugene Education Association
Serena Fitz, Co-President, Forest Grove Education Association
Sara Ogle, Co-President, Forest Grove Education Association
Kevin Zerzan, Co-President, Gladstone Teacher’s Association
Kris Schuberg, Co-President, Gladstone Teacher’s Association
Helen Jacobs, President, Greater Albany ACE
Lindsay Jansen-Hostetler, President, Greater Albany Education Association
Laurel Woodward, President, Hermiston Association of Teachers
Jill Golay, President, Hillsboro Education Association
Kate Gillow-Wiles, President, Junction City Education Association
Mark Nevala, President, Klamath County Education Association
Bonita Randklev, President, Lebanon Education Association
Dalton Sheets, President, La Grande Education Association
Peter Lohonyay, President, Lincoln County Education Association
Adam Gray, President, McMinnville Education Association
Christina Geierman, President, North Bend Education Association
Brenda Roland, President, Oregon City Education Association
Zach Melzer, President, Parkrose Faculty Association
Elizabeth Thiel, President, Portland Association of Teachers
Adam Mclain, President, Riverdale Teachers Association
Mindy Merritt, President, Salem Keizer Education Association
Charles Albright, President, Seaside Education Association
Kyler Pace, Co-President, Sherwood Education Association
Nanci Stauffer, Co-President, Sherwood Education Association
Michelle Stadeli, President, Silver Falls Education Association
Cindi Ramsey, President, Siuslaw Education Association
Dawn Stetina-Ferren, Co-President, South Lane Education Association
Jonathan Gault, President, Springfield Education Association
Keith Meeuwsen, President, St. Helens Education Association
Elizabeth Hunt, President, Sweet Home Education Association
Taunya Daniel, President, Umatilla Education Association
Juliet Safier, President, Veronia Education Association
Jennifer Cerasin, President, West-Linn Wilsonville Education Association
Kathy Kuftin, President, Woodburn Education Association
Grants Pass Education Association Executive Committee
Tigard Tualatin Education Association Executive Committee
