At the Newberg School Board meeting on May 13, Director Brian Shannon used his comment time to push back against what he sees as a false narrative: that parents have left the district because of this particular board’s poor leadership. Shannon insists that a consistent trend of parents leaving the district has nothing to do with the board, and instead reflects a larger trend he asserts started in 2017.
We’ve heard this before. Ad nauseum, in fact. According to board directors, nothing is the board’s fault, and earlier leadership, from the board to the district office, can be blamed for the current state of Newberg schools.
Except we’ve shown time and again over the last few months how easily it is to disprove this narrative, with data, with the board’s own words and actions, with the stories of those directly impacted by the board’s poor decision making.
On the day before voting ends, we want to share one more story, from a parent whose children have been directly affected by the Newberg School Board’s decisions. If you aren’t yet convinced that something needs to change, perhaps this parent’s story will provide the conviction you need.
A note about this story: Over the past few months, as we’ve shared stories from the Newberg School District, we’ve been criticized for not sharing the identities of the writers. But people in Newberg are paying attention; they see what happens when someone critiques the current school board: a subset of board backers write defaming “exposés,” based on a whiff of a rumor. Or call employers, trying to get critics fired. Or take to social media to make spurious claims.
Why would anyone want to tell their story without anonymity in this kind of climate?
The story we’re sharing today is from someone who has seen too clearly what the current school board has done to Newberg schools. The writer has children in the district, and says “This has been the worst school year we have experienced in Newberg Schools and, despite what the School District wants to say, it is not because of the pandemic and this is not happening everywhere.”
We’ve met one-on-one with this person, and we’re convicted by their passion, their rage, and their sadness. Here is part of their story:
Before the current board: We used to feel proud to say that our children attended a specific Newberg School. We felt supported. They felt supported. In 2020, when the Newberg School District made the anti-racism stance, I felt even more proud. It opened up honest conversations in our home about being an ally, about why places have to proclaim their stance against racism still today, and why we need to continue the fight.
When you have to explain to your white appearing children that there are people who think their cousins are less-than. That there are grown-ups that see their cousins and automatically think a certain way. That their auntie has to talk to their cousins about safety things that white and white-appearing families do not even give a second thought to? Ringing a doorbell? Listening to music with headphones on? Sleeping? Getting pulled over?
And then to have that all trampled. “Why are people protesting mom, I thought Newberg Schools were an ally for Black people?”
About the stress teachers face:
I appreciate that Dr. Phillips is taking a stand with discipline now, but it’s too late for some of these kids. Some of them have actually been rewarded for their behavior. Do you parents know that there are 2nd graders on the playground talking about “horse p*rn”. What the actual f…. what about the frequency of derogatory name calling? The N Word anyone?
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been called when someone punches your kid, kicks them, asks them to “suck their —“? Sexual harassment? Nope. When asked, teachers have no idea because they have an immense amount of pressure on their shoulders. I cannot even imagine their stress. The principal has no idea and railroads over communication in avoidance. Phone calls with the counselor, pointless. When asked, “how are you helping children through this?” The answer is they’re not.
About the parents’ bill of rights:
[The current school board] all say that “the parents need a bill of rights!” “No one should parent our child but us!” *angry mob voice* But what are you doing right now? Right now, in this moment. Are you so wrapped up in the politics that you’re not even seeing what’s happening?
Don’t tell me that you got your 8 year old a phone and then in the same sentence say that some random people running for school board are inadvertently “grooming” your child. Stop it. Have you ever been on YouTube? Instagram? SnapChat? Have you ever looked at your child’s search history? How many of your kids heard “horse p*rn” on the playground and went home and searched it and didn’t talk to you about it first?
Some children do not have the luxury (because God forbid I say privilege) of a family that cares about them. Teachers are the first line of defense for some of these kids. Not the school board. Not the local child-less blogger/fear monger. Not Donald Trump. Not President Biden. Not the governor. Not the mayor. Not CPRD. Not your church. Teachers. Teachers are.
And they are not lining up to work here. They just aren’t. How come a school in the district still has 4th and 5th grades combined and 2 1/2 teachers between them? What even is that? Last week, the principal was the substitute teacher. She is wearing one million hats because her bosses are focused on a parents bill of rights? Gender affirming care? Election results? Campaigning? Stopping the abortions that are happening in the hallways of the kindergarten? Stop it. You have to sign a permission slip for the school to even administer an inhaler and you really think they’re handing out hormones like candy? No. Hard stop.
But this is all about the children right? Save the children! (but don’t feed them, teach them our country’s history, give them health care and mental health care, make sure they have clothes, make sure they feel loved, or dare I say even live…)
I apologize for the rant, but I cannot process what is happening in our community. The new discipline policy is not coming from the fact that our children are any worse than any other kids in any other generation.
But the hard fact is that it starts at home. Love your babies. Talk with them. Teach them. Talk to others around you. In the long run, every one of us have the same agenda.
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We appreciate that the parent took the time to provide perspective and to remind us what this election is all about: the children in our community. The writer’s pain is clearly evident in this story, because—like all of us—this person wants what is best for their children, and knows that the current board is not serving anyone or anything save for their own dogma.
Newberg Neighbors for a Better Community 
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