“Vote No on Both Portland Public Schools Tax Levies”

I’ve made new placards for my campaign against the two Portland Public Schools (PPS) levies on the May ballot. I’m now on Portland streets with them. The one I usually carry says “Vote No on Both Portland Public Schools Tax Levies.” The other two placards are usually used together nearby. The one on top says “Do Not Fund an Outdated, Inadequate, and Inefficient School System.” The other, usually below it, says “Change It First!”

If  PPS would expand its Mandarin immersion programs and create a high school study abroad program, I’d be at home on the computer (creating more blog posts) where it is dry and warm and not out campaigning. But they have not, in spite of an over four year effort to get them to expand their Mandarin programs and an over two year effort, all through their high school redesign process, to get them to create a high school study abroad program. Along the way, I met with the legislative committee of the Portland Association of Teacher requesting their support for creating the high school study abroad program. They refused.

Without more Mandarin immersion and high school study abroad opportunities, PPS’s programs remain “outdated” and “inadequate.” They are simply not preparing our next generations for the world they will inhabit.

The “Inefficient School System” refers to my arguments for more online education, which can both reduce costs and expand learning opportunities. Within PPS and statewide, I’ve proposed that Mandarin online be available for all high school students. Little has been done. Oregon is far behind in online education and, thus, wasting money.