Portland teachers union files grievance against Portland Public Schools directive restricting political displays

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) — A new directive adopted by Portland Public Schools that restricts political or personal displays is the focus of criticism from a local teachers association.

The Portland Association of Teachers formally filed a grievance over the new move , which is currently under review, per the organization.

The school district adopted the new directive, which was first reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive , in August without much attention. It states that displays must be tied to approved curriculum or to district-approved events.

In a statement, Portland Association of Teachers President Angela Bonilla said in part, “it is unworkable, overly broad, and vague. Setting aside the logistical nightmare of the district reviewing and passing judgment on whether every item placed on a classroom wall or hallway is sufficiently tied to the adopted curriculum, the directive suggests numerous problematic scenarios.”

The move comes after there was a dust-up in the district in June about the Israeli/Palestinian war. Some teaching materials tied to the Portland Association of Teachers included heavily pro-Palestinian suggestions, which outraged some members of the local Jewish community .

The district said the new directive has been in the works since 2023, mostly to deal with art, and that some displays are still acceptable.

PPS’ statement said in part, “The rainbow flag and BLM poster are district-approved symbols of inclusion to often marginalized students. Posters advocating for specific positions on political positions are not student-centered in that they are not rooted in our educational mission.”

The union’s grievance with the policy, filed in August, said that it goes against the teachers’ contracts regarding academic freedom, the ability to post union-related materials in schools and teachers having the ability to introduce controversial topics relevant to coursework.

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