We tabled a motion on if were going to figure out if a rainbow sign is political or not, because people didnt have enough time to review the packet that they had for four or five days, Penner said. Shannon introduced in July the explicit ban in the classroom of political signs and flags, such as those with Pride and BLM symbols. The policy was denounced by the boards three liberal members, who accused the conservative majority of passing a measure that the community does not want. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The ban is complaint-based. For months, the Newberg School District has been making headlines, while its school board mulls a. A staff member at Mabel Rush Elementary School, identified as Lauren Pefferle, showed up to work this month dressed as Rosa Parks with her face darkened with dye to protest a vaccination mandate for all public school employees in Oregon. After hearing from a fraction of community members who have opinions on the subject, the Newberg Public Schools board voted 4-3 to keep any sort of political signage out of schools. That means the board cant enforce the policy against Shotts or, for that matter, anyone else. Both the school principal and Morelock dismissed the complaint, saying the sign and its message are not political, quasi-political, or controversial. Mailing Address for the Board Board of Directors Newberg School District 29J 714 East 6th St Newberg, Oregon 97132 Cherice Boch (left) and her son Espen at a Newberg protest on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. The Newberg School District has faced a school year full of controversy after the board's conservative majority took action last year to ban employees from displaying "political" or. They cant discipline her or them for putting up a poster in violation of the policy.. [3][4], In the 2009 school year, the district had 156 students classified as homeless by the Department of Education, or 3.0% of students in the district. We are supposed to be here for all children and to make all children feel safe and welcome, and by lifting one group or several groups over another, thats not welcoming and safe.. Board vacancies are filled through appointments made by a majority vote of the remaining board members, according to district policy. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). Other lawsuits It's a huge hit to our school district," she said. Pefferle was fired over the blackface incident, according to the Newberg Graphic. Find Your . Morelock determined it was a slogan for George Fox University and not a political symbol. Man shot by Salem police officer was person of interest in police car shootings, 'I am sorry': Shemia Fagan ends consulting side job with cannabis company, Portland temperatures soaring after weeks of near-record rainfall, Newberg teachers union sues over 'political images' ban in schools, Newberg school board votes to ban teachers from displaying BLM, Pride symbols in classrooms, Dozens in Newberg rally against hate amid ban on political signs. The settlement, according to a release from the Newberg Education Association, accomplished three things, primarily that the school board will not appeal the lower courts ruling that the ban be lifted; that the board will either add language to GBG recognizing the lower courts ruling or rescind the amendment entirely, which the board did at its Jan. 10 meeting; and that the board reimburse the union for a significant portion of the legal fees incurred from fighting this illegal amendment, the release said. In a 4-3 vote, the Newberg school board decided to terminate the district's superintendent, Joe Morelock, during a meeting . 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. NEWBERG Two members of the Newberg School Board announced their resignations at a meeting earlier this week, citing controversial board decisions in the past year. The quality of some of the stories that we heard should count more than just the number of emails that we received, said Pea, who was wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt and rainbow headband during the virtual meeting. This is my senior year, and this ban will change everything.Jozie Donaghey, I came out tonight because I dont agree with the school board decision in banning our flags because I dont think theyre controversial. In a first, House Democrats elected a Black leader. Those wishing to speak at the regular session will need to complete the Newberg School Board Public Comment form and submit it to the board secretary prior to the start of the meeting. 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Penner pointed out the juxtaposition in the board majority pushing to make a decision on Morelock while putting off a decision on the rainbow sign. These symbols arent hurting anyone and I dont see why banning them is necessary., Siblings Charlie (left) and Sophia Gates attended to protest because as Black students they say their voices are being silenced. At Tuesdays meeting, Penner indicated she is disgusted over a vote that she suggested had already been decided weeks earlier by the conservative majority. Directors say they need more information before choosing; next round of interviews set for May 5. The main office is located at 714 E. Sixth Street in Newberg. For Black boys, this isnt A Black man was dismembered. My child is LGBTQ and so I came out here to support their rights and their voice., I would say to take the politics out of it. Zone Name Term Ends 1 Trevor DeHart 2025 2 Shelley Kolb 2023 3 Ron Rilee 2023 4 Raquel Peregrino de . [7] This ban ended in 2023. If you were in my position and someone took your love and support and identity away how would you feel? The four conservative members of the board voted, 4-3, to fire Superintendent Joe Morelock at the end of Tuesday night's school board meeting. Defendants and their agents acted under color or authority of state law, the lawsuit continued. The school boards vote to terminate their superintendent Tuesday night comes after months of local and national attention on their effort to ban what proponents deemed political symbols, as well as several racist incidents involving staff and students. Shannon and Smith, the lawyer, both interjected to remind Brown that he could not deny the motion to wait, but then the motion failed anyway. My daughter wears rainbow pajamas all the time, Shannon said. I continue to stand with parents, students of color, LGBTQ students, and all members of the community who have courageously continued to speak out against the school boards unacceptable actions.. Board vice chair Brian Shannon, who created the initial wording of the political symbols ban, called it the grayest of gray areas. Is Wakanda Forever too woke for Marvels own good? Board of Directors It wasnt until the meeting started, more than a half hour past the original 7 p.m. start time, that board chair Dave Brown added an agenda item to discuss the superintendent. He looked in people's faces and knew what impact his decisions would have.". When I was there these symbols were allowed, so to see it come to this is really disappointing. They filed a lawsuit against the school district and the four board members who voted for the policy chair Dave Brown, vice chair Brian Shannon, Renee Powell and Trevor DeHart. This motion was not allowed to go to vote. He has been key in the transformation of a struggling district. State Rep. Ricki Ruiz said he was "disappointed by the actions taken from Newberg School Directors to ban pride and BLM flags from schools, and their attempts to roll back on anti-racist school policies such as the Every Student Belongs policy. The decision in suburban Portland follows a pair of recent racist incidents at Newberg Public Schools. Never mind that the Newberg School Board has made two significant decisions in the last month without involving many (or any?) Those in favor did not explain their decision. As pressure mounted, the four conservative members voted to hire a. Today we are here because the School Board has to right a wrongthey must repeal this bad policythey must do it tonight. These strong words were amplified through a bullhorn by Newberg Teachers Union president Jen Schnieder. On the day before Thanksgiving, as Newberg school district staff scrambled to fulfill other duties after the firing of superintendent Joe Morelock, Newberg School Board chair Dave Brown. Office hours: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday-Friday Building doors are locked at this time, please ring doorbell for entrance. There is no point in a federal judge striking down something that a state judge already had.. That does make me a defiant outlier in the face of this board. Penner then asked Brown to adjourn the meeting, despite there being more items on the agenda, saying, "I don't think anything constructive will happen with this board again.". Climate Conference in Glasgow, connecting Newberg with trouble and conflict facing school boards across the country. A conservative majority now exists on the Board, after the local group "Save our Schools . written and/or digital) that contains information relating to the conduct of the school districts business could be subject to a public records request without prior notice to sender. With that, the board turned to their actual conversation about Morelock. The Oregon Legislatures Black, Indigenous and People of Color caucus condemned the move and the American Civil Liberties Union told The Newberg Graphic the ban is likely unconstitutional. And I feel like thats not being heard. The Wednesday protest failed to prevent the Board from adopting a more general, legalese-styled ban, as it more broadly bans political, or controversial materials, rather than the BLM or Pride flags specifically. The initial board conversations about the policy centered around banning Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ Pride flags. Trevor DeHart Mailing Address for the Board The conservative majority on the school board in Newberg voted 4 to 3 to adopt a policy that has attracted national attention, criticism and protests in the weeks since it was introduced. Published: Jan. 18, 2022, 8:41 p.m. An initial attempt by the Newberg school board to ban Black Lives Matter and Pride imagery was met with widespread protests in the city. Dont wait. She made remarks to a group of sixty in opposition to the recent ban on controversial symbols and imagery. For the kids that cant say anything now, I wanted to be that voice for them.Jozie Donaghey, Amanda Boothby, Newberg High School graduate and protest organizer. Attempts to gain comment from the author of the board policy amendment, Shannon, for his thoughts on the settlement were unsuccessful by press time Saturday. Im an elected official and I support my neighbors. Group showed footage of fatal Breonna Taylor raid at restaurant event, dine BLM co-founders cousin dies after police repeatedly use Taser, video shows, Bidens marijuana policy may change attitudes toward immigrants. My mom, in the 50s and 60s, fought for Black rights. Board member Ines Pea also pointed out that students weren't given enough of a say in the decision, even though they and their parents have shared stories detailing discrimination and feeling unsafe. Studies, statistics, research and experts can prove 100 times over that removing those items is harmful and thats what were looking at: trying to be supportive of kids. Piros asked her colleagues to take more time before going forward with the major, unannounced decision. Morelock has been the superintendent of Newberg School District since July 2018. Their place is to teach the approved curriculum, and thats all this policy does, is ensure thats happening in our schools.. Elected in May 2021 - Term expires 6/30/25 "These symbols arent hurting anyone and I dont see why banning them is necessary," said Pea. The disputes in the Newberg School Board have come as schools nationwide have become rife with arguments over vaccine and mask mandates, how racism is addressed in teaching, instruction related to sexuality and gender-neutral bathrooms. By almost every metric, the assertion that the board currently supports all parents' rights is untrue. The appointee serves until June of the next election year, which in this case is 2023. Boothby says she organized the protest because when she attended Newberg High School she didnt always feel welcome as a gay student. The Newberg School Board is responsible for providing a quality educational program for about 5,000 District students. They were represented by Karen OCasey of the Portland law firm Hart Wanger. In the board packet for Tuesday's school board meeting, one agenda item was to address Morelock's response to a Newberg citizen's complaint about a sign in the window of a classroom at Dundee Elementary. VIDEO:School board fires Newberg School District superintendent. Families, staff, and community members marched in support of the LGBTQ+ community and Black Lives Matter ahead of a Newberg school board meeting Aug. 10, 2021. Newberg School District 29J About 100 people turned out to protest the Newberg school board's decision to ban Pride and Black Lives Matter symbols. Contacting a School Board Member This ban was the first big item on the newly conservative Boards agenda. The Newberg School District board has hired Stephen Phillips to serve as the district's next leader. Citizens are encouraged to express their ideas, concerns and judgments through communication with District staff and Board members. Board members Brandy Penner and Rebecca Piros, both in the boards three-member minority, said the sign was not political, especially coming from George Fox, a private Christian university in Newberg. The employee was terminated from her position. Maybe it's nothing to you as a white privileged male, but it's a really big deal to a lot of our community, a lot of our staff, and a lot of our students.. BREAKING: This morning, the Yamhill County Circuit Court concluded that Newberg School District's anti-display policy violates Article I, Section 8 of the Oregon Constitution. NEWBERG, Ore. A bitterly divided Newberg school board, which has been enveloped in controversy for the past few months over its decision to pass a policy limiting the kinds of images or signs . Under the Public Records laws any record (e.g. Newberg school board votes to fire superintendent, no cause given. Related: Newberg school board officially approves policy banning political symbols. Think about the lives it will really affect. Shotts asked the court to declare that the boards policy was unconstitutional and the court agreed, at least with respect to the free speech guarantee in Article I, Section 8, Crist said in an earlier story. During the meeting, staff members visibly shook their heads and teared up. Some board members seemed confused about what executive session business would become public. At least one student at Newberg High School has been linked to a Snapchat group called Slave Trade, the Graphic reported, where teenagers nationwide share racist, homophobic and violent messages. The superintendents cabinet of administrators issued a statement after the sudden vote saying it was shocked and dismayed. The group cited what they considered positive examples of Morelocks leadership, including his work turning the districts finances around, creating a safety net of over $9 million. OPBs critical reporting and inspiring programs are made possible by the power of member support. rennet@newberg.k12.or.us. I always tell people you can pretend to care but you cant pretend to show up, said Herrera. But the board voted, again 4 to 3, to keep paying the attorney. Just stop the hate. As an elected official you want to listen to understand their perspective and put yourself in the shoes of a gay person or trans person. The Newberg School Board usually meets at 7:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. "We will be paying for two superintendents," Penner said during the meeting. Individual leaders who have voiced concerns with this policy include the Mayor of Newberg and the President of George Fox University; both of these leaders issued a harsh rebuke of those who classify school as an inappropriate place for discussing contentious issues. This was the argument voiced by those who arrived on Oct. 1 not associated with Newberg Rejects White Supremacy Rally. These counter-protesters noted they simply wanted to voice their support for the ban. This has been the shadiest, shadiest process ever and unfortunately, it is our children who will have to pay for this. Gov. The Newberg Education Association, a union representing 280 educators and staff in the district, wrote in a statement that it is extremely disappointed over the decision from the conservative majority. The students are not being heard., The board was also expected to work on "replacement language" for the district's anti-racism policy and consider re-examining the Oregon Department of Education's "Every Student Belongs" policy, which, in part, "prohibits hate symbols, specifically three of the most recognizable symbols of hate in the U.S. the swastika, the Confederate flag, and the noose.". The lawsuit was filed in August 2021 on behalf of four teachers and counselors: Jennifer Schneider, Andrew Gallagher, Katherine Villalobos and Sara Linnertz. School board zone map and written descriptions are available online: For questions contact Tabitha Renne at 503-554-5041. It protects marginalized populations in our student and staff bodies. Newberg school board officially approves policy banning political symbols, Newberg teachers sue district, school board members over political image ban in schools, Newberg school employee goes to work in blackface, is put on leave. Brown, Shannon, Powell and DeHart, the school board members who voted for the policy, were named in a lawsuit on Nov. 3 levied against the Newberg School District and the four board members by the Newberg Education Association. [8], An elementary school employee of the district reported to work wearing blackface in "protest" of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. And those are my kids. Newberg School District (29J) is a public school district headquartered in Newberg in the U.S. state of Oregon. In Newberg, four of the seven board members voted to fire Morelock, who was under contract through June 2024. Following the vote, Piros spoke again, addressing the four board members who voted to fire Morelock. The ban was passed in early August, and garnered a great deal of opposition from other board members, community members, and the state at-large. Why would you remove something that wasnt harmful but is going to cause harm?, Roland Herrera, a Keizer City Council member, says he attended the Newberg protest against the political ban in the school district to support his neighbors. Elected in May 2021 - Term expires 6/30/25 To understand what theyre going through right now is so important, said Hetrick.Jozie Donaghey, Holly Hetrick, parent and childrens counselor, This is a no-brainer. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. At the end of the meeting, the resolution to fire Morelock passed, 4-3, with Brown, Shannon, Powell and DeHart voting in favor. Whether heading on a camping trip, putting up guests or creating more sleeping space for a kids slumber party, air mattresses are useful to have. "I protest that none of you had anything to say about why you wanted to do this, that the public is ," Piros said before she was interrupted by Brown. Board members said they did not receive the documents until the executive session that evening. She said her daughter, who is Black, asks almost every day about other options for her education. [2] Portions are in Clackamas County and Washington County. The board will later decide what counts as "political," but Pride flags and BLM messages were repeatedly referenced during the meeting. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site.
