January 30,2013 ^ n rtia n h © bseruer This page Sponsored by: IN S ID E Page 3 Fred Meyer What's on your list today?. M ETRO 4 A * photo by C ari H achmann /T he P ortland O bservfr A packed crowd o f community residents fill the cafeteria at Jefferson High School Saturday to P'° , et ann gs Ve *° P'anS tO C'0Se m° re elementary schools in the cluster o f schools that traditionally have fed into Jefferson. Voices against Closures Neighbors rally for Woodlawn, Vernon schools B y C ari H achmann T he P ortland O bserver A crowd o f some 200 residents gathered for a protest and meeting at Jefferson High School Saturday to give feedback to a plan to close and m erge several elem entary schools in order to boost instruc tional offerings in remaining schools that feed into Jefferson. Opposition was loud against the proposals that could see Vernon or W oodlawn elem entary schools shuttered, as well as the possible reconfiguration of Ockley Green into a middle school after a one-year closure and possible merger of King and Chief Joseph schools. Last year, the Portland School D istrict closed H um boldt and Tubman in the Jefferson cluster. “We think that’s the wrong ap school gets closed,” he said. proach to fixing our school sys Sanchez listed aloud the high tem,” said Mary Van Zandt and Mike percentages of minority populations Homer, who live in the neighbor at Vernon, Woodlawn and Ockley hood, but do not have kids that Green, all among options for clo attend the schools slated for clo sure. “Portland Public Schools has sure. closed more schools in the Jefferson Both were part of a crowd of Cluster than all other school dis frustrated, but non-violent protest tricts combined,” he said, “We are ors rallying outside before the meet here to ask why?” ing. Words like minority, institu Lauren Andronici, mother of an tional racism, segregation, unequal interracial family, said she moved to system and gentrification opened northeast Portland so that her chil the conversation to deeper lying dren could go to a school close to issues the north and northeast Port home. land community has expressed for Now, a resident o f four years, decades. she w atches m iddle-class neigh “Stop racist school closures,” bors move in and instead o f send signs read. “We want equity,” read ing their kids to local, neighbor others. “Don’t close our schools.” hood schools, they send them o ff Adam Sanchez, a former Jefferson to m ore affluent schools, while High School and current Madison her k id s’ schools are left behind High school teacher who is also an with low enrollm ent and fewer re activist for social justice in educa sources. “The m oney follows the tion, also spoke, “If you’re a poor, students,” she said. student of color you get singled- continued ’W ' on page 15 out, targeted, punished and your Mayor Cuts Summer Youth Program C alendar page 16 Mayor Charlie Hales has cut $395,000 for summer youth intern ships in an effort to help balance a $25 million city budget shortfall. Hales earlier reduced his own office’s budget, cutting his staff from 25 to 14 em ployees, saving $600,000 to help soften the blow. The latest cuts go to non-profit, Worksystems, Inc., eliminating sup port for a summer work experience program that served a large percent age of minority and disadvantaged students through subsidized place ments in the private and govern ment sectors. Parkrose High School senior Tria Mcferson said without the enrich ing and constructive work experi en ce she g ain ed th rough Worksystems’ Summer Youth Con nect; her life would have been dif ferent. She credits the program for her success, including an opportu nity earlier this month to travel to W ashington D.C. and sit next to President Barack Obam a at his inauguration. The M ayor’s chief of staff, Gail Shibley, said Hales knows the value of summer internships and has great respect for Worksystems, Inc. “These budget decisions simply reflect the tough fiscal reality we face, and the mayor is committed to leading by example as the council begins crafting next year’s budget,” she said.