Portland’s Board of Education wants to hear from the public about three proposed resolutions that express support for the school department’s Muslim community and their families.
Board member Jenna Vendil brought the resolutions forward after an alleged hate crime against black high school students was investigated in late January by Portland police.
The public hearing is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers of City Hall and will be followed by the board’s business meeting.
One resolution would condemn violence and hate speech affecting Muslim and minority students while another would reiterate the board’s position that the city’s public schools are a safe haven for all students and families, regardless of their immigration status.
A third resolution affirms the free speech rights of school district employees, recognizing the importance of their voices being heard on local, state, and national issues. Resolutions express the board’s opinions but do not have the force of policy or regulations.
“These resolutions are incredibly important,” Superintendent Xavier Botana said in a statement. “They not only reaffirm the Portland Public Schools commitment to providing students, families and employees with a safe physical and emotional environment that fosters academic achievement, but they also create meaningful opportunities to engage around the issues the resolutions address.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
