newberg school board decision

Related: Newberg school board officially approves policy banning political symbols. Those in favor did not explain their decision. 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. Sign up to get important news and culture from around the Northwest, delivered to your inbox six days a week. "My child is LGBTQ and so now I'm out here fighting for their rights and their voice. Pender said she doesn't know how the school district will handle the financial ramifications of the firing. I dont serve Black people, an attendant told her. (If you do NOT receive a confirmation receipt for your public comment request, please reach out to Tabitha directly at 503.554.5041). Penner said the decision will set the district back several years. The board's main job is to establish District policy. The school boards symbols policy also drew sharp comments from the Oregon State Board of Education, Oregon House Democrats, and the Oregon School Boards Association. 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. 1:09. I wanna ask why? I always tell people you can pretend to care but you cant pretend to show up, said Herrera. Board member Brandy Penner said she had endured an abusive and disrespectful work environment on the board, and said the board had violated public meeting laws. The ACLU of Oregon and law firm Davis Wright Tremaine argued that the ban violates the Oregon Constitution. Sept. 23, 2022 9:50 a.m. Late Tuesday night, the Newberg Education Association released a statement on the firing of Morelock: During tonights school board meeting, the 4 board majority fired Superintendent Joe Morelock for no cause. Zone Name Term Ends 1 Trevor DeHart 2025 2 Shelley Kolb 2023 3 Ron Rilee 2023 4 Raquel Peregrino de . The district will likely need an interim superintendent as the school year continues. "I feel like this is the nail in the coffin as far as her desire to stay and keep making change here," she said. For Black boys, this isnt A Black man was dismembered. Board members Brandy Penner and Rebecca Piros, both in the boards three-member minority, said the sign was not political, especially coming from George Fox, a private Christian university in Newberg. We are supposed to be here for all children and to make all children feel safe and welcome, and by lifting one group or several groups over another, thats not welcoming and safe.. The Board hires the superintendent, who is responsible to carry out Board policies, provide educational leadership and manage the District's budget and staff. Mailing Address for the Board Board of Directors Newberg School District 29J 714 East 6th St Newberg, Oregon 97132 Newberg school board officially approves policy banning political symbols, Newberg teachers sue district, school board members over political image ban in schools, Newberg school employee goes to work in blackface, is put on leave. ", "Oregon school board drops ban on LGBTQ pride, Black Lives Matter and other symbols", "Oregon school worker suspended for showing up in blackface in apparent protest of vaccine mandate", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Newberg_School_District&oldid=1134844881, This page was last edited on 21 January 2023, at 00:40. Numerous school and district administrators also have resigned from the district. Morelock had been superintendent for two years and was under contract through June. ", "This feels so draconian this feels so anti-everything," Penner said. The case, filed by the ACLU of Oregon on behalf of Newberg school employee Chelsea Shotts in December 2021, challenges a policy approved by the school board last year. Newberg School District 29J VIDEO:School board fires Newberg School District superintendent. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 971-385-2880, Tabitha Renne Yale honors Black girl who was reported to police as she sprayed lanternfli Tyre Nichols videos join patchwork of violent police footage. Pride flags can literally save someones life, and youre just going to take that away?, Proud Boys supporter pleads guilty to threatening Sen. Rafael Warnock: Dead men cant pass laws, N.C. hospital system fires about 175 workers in one of the largest-ever mass terminations due to a vaccine mandate, Essential reporting from around the world, Oregon school board bans Pride and Black Lives Matter symbols in the classroom, Ukraine live briefing: Kyiv targeted by missiles; explosions in Russia derail train, damage power line, Philippine presidents White House visit reflects sharp upturn in ties, Eyeing China, Biden official floats a new Washington consensus, The deadly world of white-supremacist prison gangs. I dont believe this is political, its about human beings. My daughter wears rainbow pajamas all the time, Shannon said. For the kids that cant say anything now, I wanted to be that voice for them. ", Penner said the move to fire Morelock would have "rippling effects for months and years to come. 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. The school board and district are already the target of a lawsuit filed earlier this month by the Newberg Education Association. The Newberg School Board has rescinded a controversial policy that banned staff from putting up political signs or displays in schools. The ACLU celebrated the ruling in a tweet Thursday, saying they await the courts final order. About 100 people turned out to protest the Newberg school board's decision to ban Pride and Black Lives Matter symbols. Gunn then appealed Morelock's decision to the school board. Is Wakanda Forever too woke for Marvels own good? Under new business, we are discussing the superintendent, said board chair Dave Brown. The Newberg School Board usually meets at 7:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. 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 . U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, a Democrat whose district includes Newberg, weighed in with an emailed statement from the U.N. Kate Brown (D) announced last month that all teachers, staff and volunteers in the states public schools had to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18. The sign featured a rainbow, a heart, and the words "Be Known." We wish you well, were so sorry, she said. A conservative majority now exists on the Board, after the local group Save our Schools backed two successful bids for spots on the Board. 503-476-2636, Shelley Kolb 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. Director Zone 2 Pender said when Morelock was hired, she felt like there was hope for the first time that the school district was headed in a better direction. 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. Contacting a School Board Member 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. 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. There has been insufficient public comments, input, notification, and it is 10:30 at night on a school night, Penner said. 971-409-5792, Dave Brown With their continued attack on symbols of support for Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ pride, the school board is on a dangerous and harmful path. Piros seemed to allude to Morelocks lack of enforcement of the political symbols ban as a possible cause for his no-cause termination. 30 minutes have been allotted for public comments, with a two-minute limit per person. After hearing from a fraction of community members who have opinions on the subject, the Newberg Public Schools board voted 4-3 to keep any sort of political signage out of schools. By banning these symbols theyre saying were not accepted here.Jozie Donaghey, I came out tonight because I didnt agree with the school boards decision and didnt think they listened to enough student voices, so Im here exercising my right to protest for representation we deserve., You know, they mentioned a lot that putting these flags in classrooms would make people uncomfortable, but I think they should look at the other side of that tooby banning the flags, theyre saying were not accepted here. 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. 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. Time is set aside at the business meeting for public comment. Be a part of it! Our human rights arent political, period. 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. The Wednesday protest failed to prevent the Board from adopting a more general, legalese-styled ban, as it more broadly bans political, or controversial materials, rather than the BLM or Pride flags specifically. The students are not being heard., The board was also expected to work on "replacement language" for the district's anti-racism policy and consider re-examining the Oregon Department of Education's "Every Student Belongs" policy, which, in part, "prohibits hate symbols, specifically three of the most recognizable symbols of hate in the U.S. the swastika, the Confederate flag, and the noose.". If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The decision in suburban Portland follows a pair of recent racist incidents at Newberg Public Schools. The board is also expected to discuss challenging the state's mask mandate at their next meeting. ", "And I doubt that all four of you will even be here when the rebuilding really starts to happen," she said. 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. 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"These symbols arent hurting anyone and I dont see why banning them is necessary," said Pea. An Oregon school board on Tuesday voted to ban educators from displaying Pride flags, Black Lives Matter symbols or other emblems in the classroom that are considered political, quasi-political or controversial, despite pushback from teachers, lawmakers and residents. Because they're cowards and they know they're going to get sued. Opponents of the ban, who have said the language specifically targeting groups of people was illegal, say the policy has helped embolden racists. Newberg School Board voted 4 to 3 on November 9 to remove Dr. Joe Morelock as superintendent without cause. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The policy bans employees from displaying controversial or political signs or symbols. Comments will be read in the order they are received. But Brown added two new items, including one about Morelock. It wasnt until the meeting started, more than a half hour past the original 7 p.m. start time, that board chair Dave Brown added an agenda item to discuss the superintendent. In a statement shared Thursday, the Oregon legislatures Black, Indigenous, People of Color Caucus said the boards decisions threaten Newbergs economic vitality. The group also said it will take action in the next legislative session. Think about the lives it will really affect. 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. The reasoning behind the Boards decision is that the imagery is political in nature, and distracts from the already challenging task of preparing our youth with a quality education. NEWBERG, Ore. (AP) Two members of the a school board in Oregon have announced their resignations at a board meeting this week, citing controversial board decisions in the past year. 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. I feel like this has been on your agenda since Day 1, since the two new board members were voted on. The apparel rule would only apply to staff while they are working. 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. Director Zone 5 NEWBERG SCHOOL DISTRICT|714 E. 6TH ST. NEWBERG, OREGON 97132|(503) 554-5000. The decision comes a few months after a judge sided. Tue, January 18th 2022, 2:18 PM PST. Find Your . He has been key in the transformation of a struggling district. 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 . 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. Oregon school worker suspended for showing up in blackface in apparent protest of vaccine mandate. Just stop the hate. NEWBERG, Ore. A Yamhill County Circuit Court judge has ruled that the Newberg School District's ban on some symbols, including Pride and Black Lives Matter flags, is unconstitutional, the. [1], It is mostly in Yamhill County, where it serves the cities of Newberg and Dundee. 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.". One of the board members, Renee Powell, said in an email to OPB that she was not aware of hearing and had nothing to report at this time. No one else from the board had gotten back to OPB by the time of publication. The Newberg School District and four of its board members face a lawsuit over a policy banning political and quasi-political symbols. This ban was the first big item on the newly conservative Boards agenda. 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. I think the point of this is to show that you are trying to sow division with extremist views and you have no interest in listening to the community, school board member Brandy Penner said in the meeting. Morelock determined it was a slogan for George Fox University and not a political symbol. Just remember that from the darkest dark, comes the brightest light. Im an elected official and I support my neighbors. Newberg Public Schools Board of Directors / YouTube. The Newberg School Board is responsible for providing a quality educational program for about 5,000 District students. 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. 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. The initial board conversations about the policy centered around banning Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ Pride flags. Before the resolution was brought forward, Penner, Piros and Pena attempted to stop it and adjourn the meeting. An Oregon school district voted Tuesday to ban Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ and other "political" signs, flags and articles of clothing from their campuses. Love is love, everybody has the right to choose. Following the vote, Piros spoke again, addressing the four board members who voted to fire Morelock. Morelock, who was silent up to that point during the discussion of the resolution, answered. In August the Newberg school board voted to ban pride and Black Lives Matter, and any broadly political signs, clothing, and other items. 503-887-6447, Raquel Peregrino de Brito [8], An elementary school employee of the district reported to work wearing blackface in "protest" of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. This is not a functioning business meeting, Penner said. The board will later decide what counts as "political," but Pride flags and BLM messages were repeatedly referenced during the meeting. [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 four conservative members of the board voted, 4-3, to fire Superintendent Joe Morelock at the end of Tuesday night's school board meeting. The Snapchat group sometimes specifically targets Black students. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. With that, the board turned to their actual conversation about Morelock. The ban was passed in early August, and garnered a great deal of opposition from other board members, community members, and the state at-large. Newberg is a town of 23,000 situated 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of Portland. If the school board had rescinded the policy back in August 2021, when we along with our Newberg community, spoke out publicly against the changes, and then again when we directly addressed the board on the matter warning them we would be forced to pursue legal action and finally when we served them with a tort claims notice, we could have saved hours of legal preparation and public funds, it said in the release. Since the school board approved the policy in September 2021, tension and conflict has continued among school board members, district employees and those in the Newberg community. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. Pefferle was fired over the blackface incident, according to the Newberg Graphic. The board voted to adjourn the meeting, but not before Piros addressed Morelock. "He had a very personal approach and didn't just sit in his office and make decisions arbitrarily. Business meetings and work sessions are held at the Newberg School District Office, 714 East 6th Street, Newberg, Oregon. Appointed in 2022 - Term expires 6/30/23 Under the Public Records laws any record (e.g. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. pic.twitter.com/XqAevRkRB7. One local grandmother noted that she had no problem with the opposition, her only concern was that she too wanted to be heard. And those are my kids. All rights reserved (About Us). Two board members resigned from the board this week citing this and other recent moves by the board.Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian. This was the argument voiced by those who arrived on Oct. 1 not associated with Newberg Rejects White Supremacy Rally. Board member. 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. "I have no idea, financially, how our school district will recover from this. The complainant appealed the decision. Elected in May 2021 - Term expires 6/30/25 Board . Support the news and programs youll rely on in 2023 and beyond! Controversy in Newberg persists after the recent Newberg School Board decision to ban both Black Lives Matter (BLM) flags, and Pride flags. No final order has been made. By almost every metric, the assertion that the board currently supports all parents' rights is untrue. Meetings and Agendas Policies Programs and Services Student Success Act School Board Internal Staff Directory Strategic Plan Superintendent; Schools Welcome to our schools. OPBs critical reporting and inspiring programs are made possible by the power of member support. Elected in May 2021 - Term expires 6/30/25 Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The quality of some of the stories that we heard should count more than just the number of emails that we received, said Pea, who was wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt and rainbow headband during the virtual meeting. OPBs critical reporting and inspiring programs are made possible by the power of member support. At a demonstration Sunday, BLM supporters protesting the school boards policy clashed with some members of the Proud Boys, a far-right group that has endorsed violence, according to the Portland Tribune. I wont be able to enforce it as it is until weve gone through a bunch of legal review, he said. 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. They expressed their support for Morelock, saying he guided the school district through a financial crisis and rebuilt relationships in the community. During the meeting, staff members visibly shook their heads and teared up. [2] Portions are in Clackamas County and Washington County. Climate Conference in Glasgow, connecting Newberg with trouble and conflict facing school boards across the country. "You're a bigger man than I am," Piros said and started to cry, as Penner put her hand over her mouth.

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