Not So Fast, Please 2/3/03

Portland considers tax boost for schools 02/01/03
SCOTT LEARN
"Portland and Multnomah County leaders say they will temporarily increase business taxes to keep schools afloat next school year if the state Legislature or a potential regional tax fail to provide enough money."*

Before you folks decide to ratchet up taxes you need to have a serious talk with some public school principals and administrators about the role of tax-payers' rights to participate in the education of our young people.

On December 18, 2002, the Housing Authority of Portland's project manager for the Columbia Villa remodel project, Julie Livingston, told a group of architects, urban planners and other technical types that the Portland Public Schools had approached HAP and asked it to set aside a few acres for a 750 student elementary school in the middle of Columbia Villa. Two local schools, Clarendon and John Ball, would be closed. A few minutes later I addressed Julie directly and asked if what I had just written down in my notes about closing two schools and building a new one at the Villa was what she had actually said. Her response was, "Yes." When I told her that I could hardly wait to see the reaction of my neighbors when I told them about this proposal she almost went into shock. About two weeks later Julie's remarks were confirmed by documents enclosed in HAP's Hope VI grant revision of December 2002 section 15 School Options. At the same time HAP wrote about and showed drawings of the proposed school in their New Columbia News, Issue number Four page four.

Inquires made throughout the neighborhood confirmed the basis for Ms Livingston's fears. Nobody had heard anything about it. So I wrote a brief one page announcement** about the HAP/PPS proposal and asked the principals of five local schools, Clarendon, John Ball, Peninsula, Kenton and Portsmouth to include this strictly informational message in the students' weekly take home packet. Can you guess the results? Something approaching panic.

The principal of Peninsula school, Alan Barker, asked for 350 information sheets which have been provided to him. Velma Johnson - Portsmouth MS principal, Pamela Newsome - John Ball principal and Jackie Bidney - Kenton principal, ignored my request and did not show the professional courtesy of a response. When phoned they would not take my call and their staffs referred me to some PPS administrator.

The "best of show" was Allison Couch, principal of Clarendon School. In spite of the overwhelming evidence, she denied that their was any proposal to build a 750 student elementary school or close any school. She refused to tell parents that there was a serious proposal on the table and refused to explain her objections to my request in writing. But, her most reprehensible opinion was that I didn't have the same "rights" to participate in school affairs because I didn't have a child attending her school. These remarks were made two days before an election to restore school funding.

My Dear Allison Couch, School Board members, school administrators, teachers and elected officials throughout the state of Oregon:
My wife and I met teaching High School in 1969. Bonnie has been and is a life long educator. We have voted for every school measure that has appeared on the ballot since 1971. We both believe in education. Some of our best friends are teachers, school administrators and principals. We both own our own businesses. We do not have children. We are over 55 and we vote, contribute money and participate in the political process. Now pay very close attention. If you alienate people like us and take our money but do not let us participate in the education of Oregon's children then Oregon's school system is doomed.

* http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/front_page/104410454750330.xml
** http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/newschool.html