January 30,2013
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Fred Meyer
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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.