 OUR EXPERIENCESWELCOME FROM PORTLAND PARENT UNION |  When You Ignore ParentsThey Will Get Angry. We tried and wanted to be patient and respectful. We wanted to build trusting relationships but we feel like the step children. We had hope PPS even though we have never trusted you or the system... |  Doing The Other Sides of the StoryThe stories of PPU and their parents presents a refreshing approach as well as an alternative to put in place of reforms that do little to address pervasive educational inequity. This report is compiled with the intention of raising awareness of the PPS system's failure to meet the needs of our black families- sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally. |  Audre LordeWhen we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak. Audre Lorde |
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 A Parent's LetterAnd I do not apologize for the anger that many will read into my words. I simply refuse to sit quietly and watch our children be cast aside; further neglected so that the trivial desires of the privileged are met. |  60 Yrs of ReformIn The Education System We are still fighting for equality |  Letter to Carol SmithSuperintendent we have asked you many times when are you coming to see us. You Promised but YOU DIDN'T MAKE IT! |  A Resignation LetterApril 28, 2015 First let me state that this statement is written with the intention of raising the level of awareness and is not meant to demean anyone nor demean skill set they bring to the teaching craft. I, an African American male, have resigned as a PPS employee because I feel that my experience at Harvey Scott has demonstrated the same pattern of blaming children for their behavior and lack of success. |
 Letter To P.A.T.PARENTS, TEACHERS AND UNIONS: Can’t We All Just Get Along? CTU is given credit for organizing parents. When talking with parents we learned the teachers were responders to the strong intentional GRASSROOTS organizing that parents were already doing around education marginalizations. The connection became easy. Both groups would be strongly impacted by school closures... |  Letter To The TeacherFrom "That Kid" You Can't Tolerate |  Open Letter to Black Parentswho have had their small children pushed out of school |  How Can You Love The KidsBut hate the Parents A Shadow from LAUSD. Our Parent Partners |
 Special Ed Teacher QuitsI just cannot justify making students cry anymore’ |  Letter To Carol and the BoardPPS Let Us Down Some of you weren't here when the promise was made! |  Letters to PPSFrom the families who believe you have forgotten them. |  Letter to Special EducationWe watch with tears-you had to be sanctioned to really support black boys. Disparities are worse than ever |
 Roots of Discriminate PolicingBegin as Early as Preschool: Study “Implicit biases do not begin with Black men and police. They begin with black preschoolers and their teacher," said a researcher from the study. PPU HAS ALWAYS SAID RACIAL PROFILING STARTS WHEN A CHILD STARTS SCHOOL |  Parent Power Roll CallParents have become so convinced that educators know what is best for their children that they forget that they themselves are really the experts. Marian Wright Edelman THIS IS PARENT POWER READ THE STORIES |  From Parent to ParentsI blamed myself, my past. And I would have continued to blame myself had I not taken the boys to a birthday party for one of JJ’s classmates. At the party, the mothers congregated to talk about everyday parenting things, including preschool. As we talked, I admitted that JJ had been suspended three times. All of the mothers were shocked at the news. |  Letter To the SystemThis is how you turn people against each other. If the system wasn't broken you would not have to do this kind of policing. Families want the best education for their child. Why don't you consider that. No ones going to come forward except the ones who don't want these families. What a good way to start a WITCH HUNT. |
 Why The ObstaclesUp Against Privileged Obstacles Gate keeping Cultural Essence When Are We Going To Get The Other Side Of The Stories |  Food For ThoughtAlways status quo always same results this warrants serious consideration. The quote expresses that. |  Teachers Union andSchool Board |  School Board andTeachers Union |
 Thank You forLooking at Our Report. |  PPS Equity 2019?and Social Justice Department. Totally shut down the equity department with many people of color and did this. The demise started in 2015 when this report was written... |
LETTERS
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Executive Summary
FINALE: CHILDREN
EXPECT LOVE
AND A SAFE ENVIRONMENT
DIGNITY =SCHOOL
CLIMATE AND
DISCIPLINE
The role of parents in leading efforts to improve their neighborhood schools is usually ignored in portrayals of school reform. PARENT POWER WILL dramatically demonstrate how grassroots organizing generates school improvement on a wide scale in Oregon's largest school district. Through the voices of local parents and community members and partners, the PPU REPORT CARD chronicles stages of ineffective parent support from PPS across PPU's MORATORIUM CAMPAIGN which tried to intentionally include all stakeholders to support a paradigm shift in the school discipline practices.
We offer written report containing an evaluation of PPS's behaviors, performances, history or accomplishments as adjudged by others. In 2013 when the Moratorium idea was first introduced; Discipline Disparity results were presented in data form from PPS's Student Services Dept. along with a testimony from PPU and CEP, impacted organizations who have pushed back on PPS for many years. Results were presented to the School Board and the Superintendent. Progress [or the lack thereof] was monitored and tracked over time partly in response to the growing concern of the quality of PPS's educational support to black males in their system. As a result of the implementation of promoting a request for a discipline moratorium a movement began. The board at the time was on board and PPS claimed to be ready to work with us.
FREEDOM FROM DISCRIMINATION
DATA, MONITORING
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ACCOUNTABILITY
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EDUCATION AND PARTICIPATION
Model Code Summary
Current Campaigns
BEGINNINGS
The stories of PPU and their parents presents a refreshing approach as well as an alternative to put in place of reforms that do little to address pervasive educational inequity. This report is compiled with the intention of raising awareness of the PPS system's failure to meet the needs of our black families- sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally.
WHEN ADULTS DO BETTER CHILDREN DO BETTER
Remember these!
TO THE DAY GUARDIANS OF PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS' STUDENTS
The PPU REPORT CARD PROJECT (from Summary) articulates positive and not so positive experiences in trying to ensure a fundamental right to education based on the best practices, research and experiences of Portland Parent Union, along with the moratorium work. We are proposing a human rights framework for Portland Public schools who claim to be grounded in principles of equity, dignity and community participation. Our report is a culmination of several years of advocacy, dialogue, support, pushing back along with students, parents, educators. We envision a school system that supports all children and young people in reaching their full potential. We can't seem to get there! WHY? In this section we provide a "real report card." How would you grade PPS?
review Grids only
We are responsible for actions performed in response to circumstances for which we are not responsible. Allan Massie
Elephant In The Room: PPU Responses, Experiences, Substantiated Articles, Solidifying our stories
Black male Teachers
What do you want to foreshadow? What conversation is relevant to changing hearts and minds in your community, online or in person? How do you imagine #the4thbox?
ZERO TOLERANCE A “Zero-Indifference” response to name-calling means that members of the school community take collective action to not tolerate name-calling and bullying. Although there is no one right way to intervene, consistent intervention is key to establishing a school environment where all students feel safe and respected. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WITH THIS STUDENT.....
Youth's personal and social identities affect how our young people see themselves, how they are perceived by educators and school peers, how they engage with schooling, and how they produce knowledge about everyday experiences. Social exclusion based on shared identities disproportionately affects youth whose “otherness” is most apparent. If we are to equip all learners with the tools to function in contemporary society, we must bring a critical understanding to youth marginality and resistance
VIOLATION Despite this progress, what has remained unchanged is the pervasive racial injustice in the United States' public educational systems. This injustice manifests in a number of ways: continued racial isolation in American schools; the massive inequity in resources between majority-minority schools and majority White schools; and the unequal treatment of racial minority students within schools, regardless of degree of desegregation. Taken together, these factors function to undermine.
THE LAW we witness all the time the not so consistent prior notices for meetings. Especially the IEP meeting
TO COMPETE FOR THINGS THEY ALREADY/ACTUALLY HAVE RIGHTS TO
Kids have suffered from headaches, asthma, fatigue as well as drinking water that is not safe. We have challenged this for years. Polluted environments are another cause of emotional reactions along with physical.
background checks
MONSTER PPS YOU TURN US INTO ANGRY PARENTS BY NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH OR MAKING US PROMISES THAT ARE LIES!
COPS OUT OF SCHOOLS
20 Reasons Why (Some) Teachers Are What’s Wrong With Education
who teach our students
MALE PLAN???
CHANGES WILL IMPACT THOSE MOST VULNERABLE
You Are The Ones who threw PPU under the bus when we asked for your support at a meeting: Black Mens' Coalition leader told us could not help us because you were helping the mayor. You told me you will not support because you did not know what it was about Mr. Leary? Mr. Jackson told us he had conflicts. Mr. Poe you not only allowed these men to disrespect me in that meeting but insulted us even more by not including us in this board meeting. We are doing the work! video 4:57,8:30,57:07
CONSISTENT for black boys
Teachers' Unions Throw Students Under the Bus By Diana Furchtgott-Roth and Jared Meyer | May 7, 2015 | 12:53 PM EDT In many cities with abysmal school systems, teacher firings are exceedingly rare, due to powerful teachers' unions. In New York City and Chicago, barely 1 in 1,000 teachers loses his job for poor performance. In Los Angeles, fewer than 2 percent of teachers are denied tenure-and only a quarter of a percent of teachers who received tenure were fired over the course of a decade. Me
FROM TEACHERS INSIDE SOURCES HAVE WATCHED TEACHERS INTENTIONALLY AGGRAVATE THE BLACK BOYS TO GET THEM OUT
It might be a lack of knowledge of the full breadth of work under way. In 2001, PPS created an Office of Equity, staffed by 7.6 full-time equivalent employees. Led by Chief Equity Officer Lolenzo Poe, they’ve been working to raise racial consciousness on three levels: with administrators, teachers and parents.
QUICK TO LABEL CHILDREN
New Federal Data Shows Racial Disparities Continue
TEAM BULLYING OFTEN WE SHOW UP TO AN IEP MEETING BY OURSELVES- ONE OR TWO OF US- FACING A WHOLE ROOM OF SCHOOL PEOPLE. INTIMIDATING! HERE IS SOME ADVICE TO BE PREPARED. PPU RECOMMENDS NEVER GO BY YOURSELF. FORM YOUR OWN TEAM......
parents of color typically find themselves disempowered
COMMUNICATIONS PARENTS OFTEN COMPLAIN THEY ARE CONFUSED BY WHAT KIND OF MEETING THEY ARE GOING TO. ITS A BIG DEAL BECAUSE SCHOOLS OFTEN EXPECT FAMILIES TO BE IN THE KNOW AND OFTEN BLAME THEM IF THEY AREN'T.
ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
TEACHER IS THE BULLY BULLYING AND INTIMIDATION ALSO COMES FROM EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS.
LISTENINGDIALOGUE WITH TEACHERS AND PARENTS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY FACILITATORS. WAS A GREAT START THE CURRENT PRESIDENT NEVER BOUGHT INTO IT. WE HAVE TRIED ALL THESE YEARS TO CONTINUE
Does the PPS School System Work Any Better Than The NYC System
COMMUNICATIONS PPS Purposes/Programs are confusing and usually not agreed upon with those who will be the most impacted.