PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The shooting that took place about a block from Franklin High School in Southeast Portland Thursday afternoon is the most recent of four shootings at or near Portland high schools.
The principal sent out a letter to families after the shooting occurred, but several parents told KOIN 6 that they did not receive a message from the school – phone call, text, email or otherwise. Many of these parents are frustrated with Portland Public School’s communications.
A PPS spokesperson told KOIN 6 the school delayed letting students out for the day.
Although police report they did not find anyone injured from the shooting, school staff say they heard the shots from Franklin High School.
In January, there was another shooting outside the same school during a basketball game where people fled the stands, injuring someone.
There have also been two other shootings near PPS schools: one outside Cleveland High School and one near Jefferson High school.
Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero has created a student safety task force in response to these incidents of gun violence. In December, he pointed to Portland’s rising levels of gun violence – which has concerned many in the area.
“What’s happening out in the city is really collapsing in on our schools and not just at Franklin, but at other schools across the district as well,” said PPS education board member Julia Brim-Edwards.
A public meeting between student councilors and four school board members was meant to take place Friday, but then PPS canceled the meeting because a board member got sick – citing a lack of a quorum. The meeting went on anyway.
Franklin students wanted to speak, but only two referenced the recent gun violence. They instead asked about mental health resources and school resource officers.
Byronie McMahon, a student representative on the student safety task force, said the task force is having conversations and recommendations will be made soon.
As for gun violence near schools, McMahon said communication is one of the things that needs to improve.
“A lot of issues are with communications right? A lot of students don’t know, obviously for safety reasons, what is going on so our communications policies are something we are evaluating,” McMahon said.
Meanwhile, Portland Police said that officers will do increased patrols near schools when staffing allows.