Portland public schools must now consider students' gender identity and race before disciplining them as part of a new collective bargaining agreement that ended a month-long strike.
The Portland Association of Teachers union has halted industrial action after securing a 13.75 percent pay increase for teachers for the next three years last week.
However, the agreement has caused a stir in the fine print, as it appears that race and gender identity will now be taken into account when punishing students.
Officials “must consider the impact of issues related to the student's trauma, race, gender identity/presentation, sexual orientation, disability, social-emotional learning and restorative justice, as appropriate for the student,” the agreement said .
Also, the superintendent of schools must now annually review “disciplinary disparities that emerge based on race, gender, LGBTQ, plus ID and special education status.”
Portland public schools must now consider students' gender identity and race before disciplining them as part of a new collective bargaining agreement that ended a month-long strike
Rebeccah Heinrichs, a mother of five, denounced the policy Fox news.
“I mean, you don't tell a kid that because of the color of his or her skin, he or she is going to get a lesser punishment because there's something that's pushing him or her to leave school or something,” she said.
“It really takes away the child's dignity and choice in autonomy.”
The deal, which amounts to an increase of between $6,900 and $13,400 per teacher, the “largest wage increase in three years” that school staff has ever seen Oregon's largest city.
Students returned to class on Nov. 26 with a two-hour delay after missing more than three weeks, or 11 school days.
Teachers in the region were paid between $50,020 and $97,333 before the pay increase was agreed to. Portland Public Schoolsmeaning the massive increase will cost a conservative minimum of $28 million.
It comes after strike action by more than 4,000 teachers affected 45,000 students in 81 institutions in one of the largest school districts in the Pacific Northwest.
The deal, which amounts to an increase of between $6,900 and $13,400 per teacher, is the “largest wage increase in three years” that school workers in Oregon's largest city have ever seen.
However, the agreement has caused a stir in the fine print, as it appears that race and gender identity will now be taken into account when punishing students.
The Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) union has called off their pickets after securing what it described as the “largest three-year cost-of-living wage increase” ever seen by teachers in Oregon's largest city. (Pictured: teachers demonstrating on the first day of strike, November 1)
The strike action by more than 4,000 teachers last month has affected 45,000 students at 81 schools in one of the largest school districts in the Pacific Northwest
Striking teachers marched across the Burnside Bridge in Portland, Oregon on Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Teachers marched out of the classrooms On November 1, a 23 percent increase was requested over the next three years, with the district responding with a 10.9 percent increase instead.
The targeted increase of 13.75 percent will be implemented over the next three years, with teachers receiving a 6.25 percent increase in the first year, followed by increases of 4.5 percent and 3 percent in subsequent years.
The union also provided additional benefits, such as a $1,500 stipend for bilingual teachers and a handful of days a year for lesson planning.
The Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) described the deal as a “watershed moment” and “major victory” for teachers and students.
“Together with Portland families and our community, we have been able to achieve big wins on the key issues that matter most to students, educators and our schools,” the group said.
Educators marched out of classrooms on November 1, asking for a 23 percent raise over the next three years, while the district responded with a 10.9 percent increase instead. They secured 13.75 percent over three years in a deal that was completed on Sunday
The Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) described the new deal as a “watershed moment” and “major victory” for teachers and students
“This contract is a turning point for students, families and educators in Portland. Teachers have delivered improvements on all our key issues.
“These changes will make a huge difference on priorities such as mental health support for students, easing teacher workloads, and safe and welcoming school environments.
“Educators walked the picket lines alongside families, students and allies – and as a result, our schools are getting the additional investment they need.”