Despite the PPS board's best efforts to thwart citizen participation by making those who signed up to testify wait THREE HOURS for their three minutes I finally got to speak. Here's what I learned while patiently waiting my turn listening to schoolspeak.

Students at reorganized high schools will all have equal access to the same core studies - except those that don't. Students at reorganized high schools will all have equal access to the same electives - except those that don't. Students at reorganized high schools will all have to attend their local high schools with no transfer option -except those that don't. There are plans for dance, theater, choir and music classes but the words "visual arts" were nowhere to been seen nor heard. No effort will be made to balance the income inequities between 77% qualified students for the free lunch program at the Roosevelt school cluster and 9% at the Lincoln school cluster which is primarily caused by deliberately overloading North Portland with public housing clients. No one ever said that more students will graduate within four years because of this massive, systemwide reorganization. So, despite the shouting and recriminations that are sure to come when the final decisions are made, it still looks pretty much like reorganizing the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Testimony Before The Portland Public Schools Board 1/25/10

My name is Richard Ellmyer. I am a candidate for the North Portland House seat in the May Democratic Primary. On January 11 I sent you a request for Public School Statistical Data related to low-income enrollment diversity which I mentioned was intended to be used as a basis for discussion with voters during my campaign for public office. Despite my admonition that time was of the essence for 14 days of my campaign you have not provided me or the voters with the report I requested.

It is encouraging to see that the PPS support enrollment diversity with regard to low-income students. I have been fighting for similar criteria, "Equitable Distribution of Public Housing" in a larger context. The two are related. You will most certainly find that a concentration of certain populations of Public Housing Clients will yield a concentration of students qualifying for free and reduced-price lunches.

Since government is responsible for the LOCATION of its Public Housing Clients, government can alter it's current policy of UNLIMITED neighborhood concentration of Public Housing to help the PPS in its goal of enrollment diversity with regard to low-income students.

In order for the PPS board to discuss policy options regarding its goal of enrollment diversity with regard to low-income students, PPS must ask the Housing Authority of Portland and the Portland Bureau of Housing for Public Housing Statistical Data.

To date none of you have tried to correct the imbalance between 77% qualified students for the free lunch program at the Roosevelt school cluster and 9% at the Lincoln school cluster which is primarily caused by deliberately overloading North Portland with public housing clients.

None of you have requested nor do you have an interest in statistical data that would inform you about the total number and the neighborhood location of every public housing client in the PPS district.

All of you support mayor Adams’ policy of UNLIMITED neighborhood concentration of public housing.

All of you oppose a cap of 15% on the number of public housing clients per neighborhood.

PPS sold the John Ball School to Portland in order to keep the property in PUBLIC use. When the city council gave the site to a private developer for a NON Public use not a single member of the PPS board objected by demanding that the terms of a preemptive sale required continued public use of public property.

During the last School Board election campaign, NONE of the elected candidates would answer the ONLY question important to ALL taxpayers, including 80% of taxpayers that do NOT have children attending Portland public schools, namely, what is your plan to change policy and spending priorities to INCREASE the number of four year high school graduates?

Only 6% to 9% of the taxpayers in the PPS district elected each of you to the PPS board.

If any of these statements of fact are incorrect for individual members then please let me know in writing via email by January 31st.