How Many Books Has Mike Lindell Sold, Articles N

NEWBERG SCHOOL DISTRICT | 714 E. 6TH ST. NEWBERG, OREGON 97132 | (503) 554-5000. He was hired as the permanent Superintendent beginning with the 2019-2020 school year. By almost every metric, the assertion that the board currently supports all parents' rights is untrue. Prior to the public meeting, the board met in executive session, away from the public. To get in touch with any Director, you may contact them directly or contact School Board Secretary at 503-554-5000 The entire Board can be reached at boardmembers@newberg.k12.or.us. Piros said she had to file public records requests just to access all of the information Smith was sharing with other board members in the conservative majority. "I feel like this is the nail in the coffin as far as her desire to stay and keep making change here," she said. Elected in May 2021 - Term expires 6/30/25 Controversy in Newberg persists after the recent Newberg School Board decision to ban both Black Lives Matter (BLM) flags, and Pride flags. If you could say something to the school board members making these decisions, what would you say? ", Oregon school district parent: Students of color 'are under attack' at Newberg schools, the Newberg Public Schools board voted 4-3 to keep any sort of political signage out of schools. The three board members who did not vote for the policy banning controversial or political symbols resigned over the course of the last year, alleging harassment. Board . Schneider and other members who oppose the ban believe the flags provide a source of safety and security to underrepresented and vulnerable students. One is expected soon. 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. Heres what that means. The main office is located at 714 E. Sixth Street in Newberg. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. I dont believe this is political, its about human beings. Unfortunately a few school board members are forcing through these inappropriate, and possibly illegal, changes, which will have long-lasting consequences and threaten student safety. In a statement sent after the meeting, the Superintendent Cabinet of Newberg Public Schools said it is "shocked and dismayed that the Board would take this disruptive action in the middle of the school year.". The sequence of events documented in the lawsuit matches the sequence outlined in an agenda summary ahead of the board's Nov. 9 meeting, in which the board was scheduled to hold a public hearing to consider whether to overturn Morelock's decision. Facing an ending fund balance of less than $500,000 on a $51 million General Fund Budget, Dr. Morelocks fiscal responsibility and his work to rebuild trust steadied the district. 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. Newberg is a town of 23,000 situated 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of Portland. Piros asked her colleagues to take more time before going forward with the major, unannounced decision. Board member Brandy Penner countered that the top five performing schools in the state had diversity coordinators and diversity statements, while the districts that were struggling educationally have a "lack of anything to do with equity. 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. 714 East 6th St In a first, House Democrats elected a Black leader. The decision comes a few months after a judge sided. Love is love, everybody has the right to choose. Were going to move forward.. Regular business meetings are currently scheduled for the second Tuesday with work sessions being held on the fourth Tuesday. Newberg School Board Public Comment Sheet- Intent to Speak, May 2nd, 2023 @ 6:00 pm - Budget Committee Mtg. The remaining board members have been involved in multiple lawsuits. The lawsuit further argued that prohibiting teachers from displaying signs in their classrooms was a violation of their rights of free speech and free association guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. I believe we should be able to express how we feel about certain topics without judgement from the school district. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Support the news and programs youll rely on in 2023 and beyond! Before the resolution was brought forward, Penner, Piros and Pena attempted to stop it and adjourn the meeting. 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. The ACLU of Oregon and law firm Davis Wright Tremaine argued that the ban violates the Oregon Constitution. Director Zone 3 "I have no idea, financially, how our school district will recover from this. "Dr. Morelock, we know you and we trust you and this pains us terribly," she said. Under the Public Records laws any record (e.g. The Newberg School District and four of its board members face a lawsuit over a policy banning political and quasi-political symbols. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. In a statement released Tuesday night, district administrators at Newberg Public Schools lauded Morelock for his successes: A bilingual English and Spanish speaker, Dr. Morelock became Interim Superintendent for the 2018-2019 school year, with the district in significant financial difficulty after having to lay off staff. It argued that the boards ban introduced as an amendment to board policy GBG in July 2021 by vice-chairman Brian Shannon and approved by chairman Dave Brown and directors Renee Powell and Trevor DeHart was so vague and overbroad it could impact teachers abilities to work in the district. It's done, Rebecca," he said. Is Wakanda Forever too woke for Marvels own good? The apparel rule would only apply to staff while they are working. 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. The lawsuit was filed in August 2021 on behalf of four teachers and counselors: Jennifer Schneider, Andrew Gallagher, Katherine Villalobos and Sara Linnertz. But Brown added two new items, including one about Morelock. abruptly firing former Newberg superintendent Joe Morelock without cause, he board named as its next superintendent, Stephen Phillips. After the vote to remove Morelock, Penner and Piros spoke emotionally about his impact on the district, and the board majoritys lack of reasoning given for firing Morelock. The board also voted Tuesday on whether to retain lawyer Tyler Smith, an outside attorney they initially hired at the end of August. (If you do NOT receive a confirmation receipt for your public comment request, please reach out to Tabitha directly at 503.554.5041). Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The ban on displaying such symbols in the classroom has been condemned by the Newberg City Council and Oregon Democrats, and the Oregon State Board of Education has called on the school board to reverse course. Never mind that the Newberg School Board has made two significant decisions in the last month without involving many (or any?) On Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, who is the Chair of the Education and Labor Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services, released the following statement about the firing of Morelock: The action of the Newberg School Board in firing Superintendent Joe Morelock is wrong for students, wrong for educators, and wrong for the Newberg community. When the conservative majority of the Newberg school board voted in early November to oust the district's superintendent, board chairman Dave Brown advocated for an accelerated process to name Joe Morelock's successor by January. The board voted to adjourn the meeting, but not before Piros addressed Morelock. "It's over. [7] This ban ended in 2023. Removing Superintendent Morelock from his post is part of a troubling national trend of extremist school boards ousting experienced, valuable school leaders, which is detrimental to the students they are supposed to serve. case filed last year by a Newberg teacher, initial board conversations about the policy, celebrated the ruling in a tweet Thursday, the school board voted to fire Supt. Easterday also granted the school districts and board members argument that the policy is not necessarily discriminatory under Article 1, Section 20 of the state constitution. They will be losing resources out of their classrooms. 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. Four members of the school board voted to fire Supt. This was the argument voiced by those who arrived on Oct. 1 not associated with Newberg Rejects White Supremacy Rally. 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. Related: Newberg school board officially approves policy banning political symbols. About 100 people turned out to protest the Newberg school board's decision to ban Pride and Black Lives Matter symbols. The Newberg School Board is responsible for providing a quality educational program for about 5,000 District students. If you were in my position and someone took your love and support and identity away how would you feel? Shannon introduced in July the explicit ban in the classroom of political signs and flags, such as those with Pride and BLM symbols. It makes me feel unsafe in my district and like Im not being heard., I would ask them how can you do that to your kids, your community? Our educators are united in their goal to create classrooms where students can walk in and feel like they belong.. This sentiment has been expressed by students who have recently given public comment in School Board meetings, one even stating that the Pride flag could mean life or death for some, given an estimate that at least one transgender minor attempts suicide every 45 seconds. It protects marginalized populations in our student and staff bodies. Morelock has been the superintendent of Newberg School District since July 2018. 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. This is my senior year, and this ban would change everything, how I feel about being there. On Wednesday morning, KGW spoke to Heidi Pender, whose daughter is a freshman at Newberg High School. This motion was not allowed to go to vote. Robert Till, who is gay and a sophomore at Newberg High School, told the Associated Press that he is embarrassed to live in the city because of the ban. 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. Symbols of hate and symbols of love do not go together, and they never shouldve been lumped together in the first place., Ashley Pea, a Newberg student, said she came to the protest because the school board didnt listen to enough students before making their decision on Aug. 10. 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. As a mentor, I always tell folks to put yourself in the others position and then see what you think, I dont know what happened to empathy, but its taken a hit the last few years. How could you do that to someone else? Cherice Boch (left) and her son Espen at a Newberg protest on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. The community blowback led the Newberg School Board to alter the language of the ban on Sept. 1, removing the specific mentions of Pride and BLM. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 503-476-2636, Shelley Kolb All meetings are open to the public, except for executive sessions as authorized by law. The school board initially voted on Aug. 10 to ban those specific symbols in the classroom. Joe Morelock last November, two board members faced recall elections in January, and since last year, dozens of staff members have resigned from the district, including several district administrators and principals from six of the districts 10 schools. Shotts, a special education teacher in a Newberg elementary school, filed the lawsuit with the aid of the American Civil Liberties Union and a Portland law firm in late 2021, challenging the boards policy restricting political, quasi-political or controversial displays, including Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ flags. 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. [5], There are seven school board members, each serving four-year terms. Pefferle was fired over the blackface incident, according to the Newberg Graphic. The Yamhill County Circuit Court has made a decision in a case filed last year by a Newberg teacher against the school district and four members of the school. I will do everything in my power to create an environment that makes all students feel safe and supported so they can learn and thrive, Shotts said. Two of those board members were elected . 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.". Meetings and Agendas Policies Programs and Services Student Success Act School Board Internal Staff Directory Strategic Plan Superintendent; Schools Welcome to our schools. Directors say they need more information before choosing; next round of interviews set for May 5. Those in favor did not explain their decision. 503-554-5041 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. Under new business, we are discussing the superintendent, said board chair Dave Brown. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Trevor DeHart 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. 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. During the meeting, staff members visibly shook their heads and teared up. The board voted to table that item during Tuesday's meeting. She tried to get gas. 503-501-6035, Renee Powell 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. Newberg School District board member Rebecca Piros said she can no longer work with people who she feels do not have the best interests of every student and every staff member at heart, KGW-TV reported . Yale honors Black girl who was reported to police as she sprayed lanternfli Tyre Nichols videos join patchwork of violent police footage. [6], The Newberg School District made news headlines for voting to ban "political" symbols from school grounds, including Pride and Black Lives Matter imagery. "He had a very personal approach and didn't just sit in his office and make decisions arbitrarily. ", "Policies such as ESB are in place to ensure students feel welcome and safe while learning," he said. Morelock had been superintendent for two years and was under contract through June. "You're a bigger man than I am," Piros said and started to cry, as Penner put her hand over her mouth. The firing is effective Nov. 19 and according to board member Brandy Penner, the district will continue to pay Morelock his salary and benefits for the next 12 months, in addition to paying the salary and benefits for the district's next superintendent. Director Zone 2 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. Tue, January 18th 2022, 2:18 PM PST. The Snapchat group sometimes specifically targets Black students. The school board voted to ban Black Lives Matter and pride flags. A conservative majority now exists on the Board, after the local group Save our Schools backed two successful bids for spots on the Board. The. Newberg school board votes to fire superintendent, no cause given. The appointee serves until June of the next election year, which in this case is 2023. Newberg educators support Dr. Morelock and the 3 board members who tried their best to stop this atrocity. Those are my kids' classrooms that you are taking money from.". Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. And Im just very disappointed in this decision., Thanks Rebecca, Morelock told her. This means ensuring school boards are held accountable; that there is access to training around educational equity and governance that is action-oriented for leaders; securing students a say and a voice at the policy-making table; and making sure superintendents jobs are protected when they are simply following the law, according to the statement. Board Member Piros, one of the dissenting members regarding the ban, offered an avenue to discuss the issue further by creating a team of six faculty and two staff members, as opposed to simply adopting more general language. At the end of the meeting, the resolution to fire Morelock passed, 4-3, with Brown, Shannon, Powell and DeHart voting in favor. 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. The Newberg School Board's choice to ban BLM and Pride flags came following a shift in the Boards composition. School board zone map and written descriptions are available online: https://bit.ly/3MULBka For questions contact Tabitha Renne at 503-554-5041. We asked a few of the attendees why they turned out. Electedin 2019 I move that we table this and adjourn the meeting, I feel its too important to push this through, she said. State and local leaders across Oregon have spoken out against the actions of the board majority over the last few months. In late September, the ban was amended following concerns about its legality after the ACLU threatened to sue the school board if it did not reconsider the policy. This Oregon school-related article is a stub. PORTLAND, Ore. (Pamplin Media Group) The union that represents the nearly 300 teachers in the Newberg School District is heralding a settlement in a lawsuit that claimed the school boards 2021 ban on BLM, Pride and other political symbols in classrooms was unconstitutional. 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. She announced her decision at a board meeting Tuesday night, citing a "toxic work environment." Every student belongs in school, every student deserves to learn in a welcoming, and safe environment.". What the district has done is unacceptable. Removing Superintendent Morelock from his post is part of a troubling national trend of extremist school boards ousting experienced, valuable school leaders, which is detrimental to the students they are supposed to serve, Bonamici wrote. The complainant appealed the decision. Find Your . "Just remember that from the darkest dark comes the brightest light. The move elicited suspicion by the three minority members of the . Board member. The school board and district are already the target of a lawsuit filed earlier this month by the Newberg Education Association. The protest countered a new school policy that bans Black Lives Matter and Pride flags across Newberg School District facilities.Jozie Donaghey. We will be losing a leader who has pulled us out of financial ruin, who has rebuilt community, who has rebuilt relationships, she said. Latino leaders could collaborate with Black communities. At the time the complaint was filed, Shotts said both she, as a queer staff member, and students should be safe and supported. Mailing Address for the Board Its just such a bold statement to make. They were represented by Karen OCasey of the Portland law firm Hart Wanger. One local grandmother noted that she had no problem with the opposition, her only concern was that she too wanted to be heard. Appointed in 2022 -Term expires 6/30/23 You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. If we want to have these symbols and speak our minds we should be able to, silencing us isnt OK., I would tell them to think before you create action. Brown, the board chair, seemed unaware of the details of the complaint, despite its inclusion in the board packet. Im so in awe at how many people are here because my experience wasnt the best so seeing everyone so gung-ho about it is heartwarming.. Navigating a global pandemic with immense challenges, Dr. Morelocks leadership has been demonstrated in the low turnover of building and district leadership, and the hiring of excellent new teachers and staff who more closely reflect our student body. The policy bans employees from displaying controversial or political signs or symbols. 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. In a 4-3 vote, the Newberg school board decided to terminate the district's superintendent, Joe Morelock, during a meeting . 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 school employees can display on campus, voted to fire Superintendent Joe Morelock near the conclusion of a late-night board meeting Tuesday. Penner said the decision will set the district back several years. This ban was the first big item on the newly conservative Boards agenda. [9], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}451735.56N 1225840.39W / 45.2932111N 122.9778861W / 45.2932111; -122.9778861 (Newberg School District office). The policy initially explicitly banned Pride and BLM symbols in all district buildings, but it was amended to broaden the language following a public outcry and concerns surrounding potential litigation. We cannot let this group of 4 impose their own political agenda, erode our rights, and strip our support of our students. What brought you out tonight to the protest? "This is going to set our district back decades. The sign featured a rainbow, a heart, and the words "Be Known."