As we’ve shared stories about the current state of Newberg schools, we have consistently asserted that this month’s school board election is not about partisan politics, but about the need to return competence, transparency, and accountability to the Newberg-Dundee School Board.
With a little over one week until voting in the May 16 election ends, we remain convinced that Newberg schools need new leaders, and that the board will be stronger if its members have ideological diversity. The five candidates we’re supporting have also been persistent in this messaging, affirming that a board is stronger in its diverse perspectives, and that the election has little to do with political positions, and everything to do with assuring our children have the best education possible.
For the incumbents who insisted they were getting back to basics, and taking politics out of schools, though, the last few weeks have shown that the election is less about children and schools, and more about using fear-mongering rhetoric to convince voters that only the “Save Our Schools” candidates can save children from indoctrination, having abortions, gender reassignment surgeries, and fentanyl use.
Oh, and also, only the incumbents can save our schools from the devil him and herself, according to the material being sent to voters.
Republican voters in the district have been bombarded with propaganda over the last several weeks, a flurry of postcards advocating for Save Our Schools candidates. Calling it “propaganda” might seem too harsh, certainly, but given the fear-mongering, that word fits. Several Facebook accounts included photos upon photos of these cards, all with specious and unsupported claims meant to scare voters.
Having seen some of this disinformation, we have questions:
- Where are the metrics showing that the current board has brought academic excellence to the district? (The reality: by most metrics, the academic success of our students has actually declined)
- Where are the metrics for superintendent excellence, transparency, and accountability? (The reality: there has been no transparency in how much the superintendent is paid, nor how he was evaluated, nor whether he has met board goals, which have not been made public.)
- Can the current board provide one instance where educators indoctrinated students into changing their gender, choosing to be queer, renouncing their parents? (The reality: the board has never provided a specific example, only using this as a scare tactic to goad voters.)
- Where is the financial accountability touted in these flyers? (The reality: lawsuits have cost the district thousands upon thousands. The district did not receive state funding for several months because they were out of compliance. They still have not released a budget for next year.
We could say more, but you get the idea.
Who is paying for this propaganda and what investment do these actors have in our district? Why are out-of-district political organizations flooding money into this district? What do they hope to gain by scaring voters?
One would hope that the Yamhill Advocate flyer might be a bridge too far, given its baldly immature graphics literally demonizing members of our community by photoshopping devils’ horns on their heads. But no, instead of renouncing a person who has caused so much strife in our community, someone decided the dehumanization of several nonpartisan candidates was just fine, and threw money at the Yamhill Advocate to have the problematic flyer printed and mailed.
If the incumbent candidates want to get politics out of school, they might start by calling out the harmful rhetoric of the Yamhill Advocate. And then, perhaps, actually start telling the truth, rather than offering up disinformation and calling it good.
Newberg Neighbors for a Better Community 
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