PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Students are asking for more to be done when responding to incidents of hate speech and bias within Portland Public Schools.
Students, parents and PPS staff weighed in during the district’s Racial Equity and Social Justice Advisory Committee meeting Thursday night where experts outlined their approach to help address gaps still seen in student equity.
The presentation included updated data on disciplinary action, showing students of color receive higher rates of referrals, suspensions and other disciplinary actions.
“How many times does it have to happen for something to change?” said a PPS student.
“It happens every day,” added another student.
According to the data, Black students are disciplined at a rate of 3.5 times higher than their white counterparts. Native American students are disciplined 2.5 times more and Latinx students are disciplined 1.2 times more than white students.
“Here in Portland, our Black students make up about 8% of our student enrollment. And yet they’re accounting for over 24% of referrals and exclusionary discipline,” said Chandra Cooper, director of multi-tiered systems of support with PPS.
Anna Marquez, who is a parent and former teacher in the district, says while she’s discouraged by the data, she is encouraged by the new racial justice and equity committee and hopeful the work they are doing can make a difference.
“I’m looking at the data this year, and from a different perspective. I’m seeing the same thing I’ve always seen,” she said.
Armed with this new team and programs to help strengthen the district response, restorative justice coordinators, such as Martae, the Racial Justice Coordinator at Beaumont Middle School, says they are committed to changing the culture.
“Things are changing. You know, I mean, these students in these kids that we’re working with, they’re super bright. They’re super open. There’s, they’re aware about what’s going on and I think, why we have that momentum and why we have their attention,” he said. “Why not shift that also that mindset as well, to reflect and to restore all in one?”