The union that represents teachers in Portland Public Schools says educators and students are at a breaking point. They want the district to suspend in-person high school classes on Fridays for the rest of the school year and cut instructional time for younger students as well. The union says these measures are necessary to avoid more fights and disruptive behavior in schools, as well as burnout among teachers. The district is pushing back, saying students can’t afford to lose more class time.
We hear a variety of perspectives from Jonathan Garcia, chief of staff to the superintendent for PPS; Cleveland High School senior Jackson Weinberg, who serves as the student representative on the PPS board; and Steve Lancaster, a social studies teacher at Lincoln High School who is also the Portland Association of Teachers bargaining chairperson.