Governor Kate Brown released a proposal that attacks educator salaries. At a time when lawmakers are finally making real strides toward investing in our schools, Governor Brown has decided to ask educators take a personal financial loss.
This is an unbelievable betrayal of the values all Oregonians hold - strong public schools with educators who can afford to live and retire with dignity. Governor Brown’s plan is damaging to students and schools and cannot move forward. Time and time again, attacks on educator benefits have been overturned in Oregon’s highest courts. This proposal will almost inevitably be challenged as well. We can’t balance school budgets on the back of the very people who serve our students. Email your legislators today and demand they stop these cuts.
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Teachers and education advocates are expected to fill Pioneer Courthouse Square Wednesday to push the Oregon Legislature fully fund our schools. Check out the story at the Oregonian HERE.
KEZI ran the following article on March 14. Click here to see the story.
OREGON TEACHERS PLAN FOR WALKOUT IF BUDGET DEAL ISN'T REACHED If a compromise cannot be reached the walkout will happen May 8. Posted: Mar. 14, 2019 6:02 PM Updated: Mar. 15, 2019 11:17 AM Posted By: Emma Jerome OREGON -- After years of negotiations and disappointment with the Oregon State Legislature's proposed budgets, Oregon educators are saying enough is enough. And if a deal can't be reached soon, teachers say they plan to hold a walkout. Tad Shannon, who has been president of the Eugene Education Association for seven years, said they've kept steady pressure on lawmakers to get the resources teachers need to best serve students. In a letter sent out to teachers, Shannon wrote: "No one can do this for us. The time is now. We can't wait any longer." The letter claims Oregon has one of the lowest graduation rates in the nation as well as the third highest class size. Now, teachers are speaking out about the importance of smaller class sizes. “I believe education is about relationships, and in general when we have these mega class sizes -- when you’re seeing 34 students come in in a 45-minute class period and then another 34 to 35 -- you just don’t have time to build those relationships,” said Paul Neiffer, a teacher in the Ione School District in Morrow County. "We can't continually cut education and expect the results to continually improve," Shannon said. Administrators and teachers alike said students thrive in smaller classrooms and in larger ones they suffer. Diana Wallace, a learning consultant, said larger classrooms have the ability to create learning gaps. "From the kid's perspective, it's difficult because they don't get the one-on-one time that they need, and so if they have a learning gap, they're not getting the interventions maybe that they should receive because the teacher can't differentiate for that many kids," Wallace said. If legislators and educators cannot reach a compromise, the walkout will happen May 8. Correction: An earlier version of this story reported that local educators are upset with Gov. Kate Brown's budget proposal. In fact, the concern is with a proposal by leaders in the state Legislature. |
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