A school district committee in Oregon voted Tuesday to ban clothing, flags, and other content related to black life issues, LGBTQ and political parties on its campus.
Newberg Public School Board The content is banned with a vote of 4-3.
Brian Shannon, director and vice chairman of the school board, said: “The main goal of this is to remove political symbols and separatist symbols from the school so that we can focus on the core subject education of students. arduous task.”
Superintendent Joe Morlock said that the ban will not be final until he meets with the school district attorney.
Some members of the Newberg School District expressed their opposition to the new ban and signed a petition Prevent it from passing.
Brandy Penner, a member of the board of directors of the school district, said that the state’s top schools have diversity coordinators and diversity statements. School districts that do not do well “have nothing to do with fairness.”
Penner said: “It feels too harsh… It feels too anti-all, anti-freedom of speech, anti-free expression, anti-security.”
Board member Ines Pena, who wore a Black Lives Matter shirt and rainbow headband during the meeting, said that she did not think the students had enough say in the decision.
“When these students enter our school and see the symbols we use to express love, support, and affirmation, they don’t see propaganda, indoctrination, or any ideology,” said Joshua Reid, the Newberg School Counselor .
Legislative Black, Aboriginal, and Colored People (BIPOC) Caucus Issue a statement expressing support for school board directors who wish to postpone voting until public comment.
The statement said: “It is split and wrong to rush through these decisions to restrict the symbols that educators can display in the classroom a few weeks before the school year.”
The board of directors is expected to discuss new terms or “alternative language” of its anti-racism policy and its “Every student belongs to”’ policy will add a ban to its already banned hate symbols (swastika, Confederate flag, and noose) at a later meeting scheduled for August.
School board planning challenge National mask mission,same.
We are deeply concerned about the decision of the Newberg School District to restrict freedom of speech in terms of banning the “Black People’s Fate” and “Pride” banners. In the case where the community appeals to the contrary, this is harmful and further divides students and families. They will hear from us. https://t.co/JSlYIVt8ny
— ACLU in Oregon (@ACLU_OR) August 12, 2021
