The federal Centers for Disease Control has issued updated guidelines that permit vaccinated people to take off their masks in almost all settings. For months, science has shown that vaccinated people do not pose a threat to others by spreading the virus.

Yet, Oregon OSHA still requires masks in places of business for those who have been vaccinated.

“At nearly every turn, Oregon has moved the slowest to follow the science. On reopening our schools, our economy, and now masks. The science is clear that vaccinated people do not spread the virus and do not need masks. The Governor should immediately direct OSHA to update their permanent mask mandate to come in line with this guidance,” Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod (R-Lyons) said.

Neither the Oregon Health Authority nor Oregon OSHA have any response to the CDC announcement at the time this went to press.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-05-14 10:50:30

Last Update: 2021-05-14 09:38:38

Update: The Governor has announced that Oregon will conform to CDC guidelines

In light of the new Centers for Disease Control guidelines for mask wearing, Oregon House Republican Leader Christine Drazan has sent a very short, no-nonsense letter to Governor Brown requesting that Oregon conform to the new CDC guidelines.

Dear Governor Brown,

I am writing to request that Oregon officially conforms with new CDC guidance and direction from the White House that allows fully vaccinated people to stop wearing masks.

It's time to let Oregon move forward and take a step towards normalcy. Let's recognize the science from the CDC and the announcement from the White House. I urge you to use the powers of your office to incorporate this new development into Oregon's COVID-19 policies and OSHA's new rule.

As Oregon remains one of the most masked and locked-down states, Governor Brown will surely feel some pressure to make changes.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-05-14 10:09:49

Last Update: 2021-05-14 10:57:09

In response to a sports-related, mask incident, State Representative Vikki Breese Iverson (R-Prineville) has penned a letter to Governor Brown asking that policies be changed. In her letter, Representative Breese Iverson describes the incident:

The episode involves a 16-year old female student-athlete who collapsed during high school basketball tryouts. The student had trouble breathing with her face covering, suffered from a lack of oxygen, ultimately lost consciousness, and for a time stopped breathing. Agreat coach administered CPR, and the young athlete was transported to the local emergency room where, thankfully, she fully recovered. A detailed account of the incident is attached for your review. You can make sure this never happens again.

In light of the new guidance from the CDC regarding masks, it makes sense to review the state guidelines from top to bottom regarding masks. Indeed, many have regarded the requirement for student-athletes to wear masks during high-activity sports as being unnecessary and/or dangerous.

Representative Breese Iverson describes several models for youth competition, and then makes her request of the Governor.

You are in a difficult position as you try to weigh the right approach for balancing public health, economic impact, and personal freedoms related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the safety of Oregonians. I urge you to carefully consider our youth's ability to safely participate in sports.

It is time to make the appropriate changes and give communities, schools, and parents the ability to choose how best to keep their kids safe.

The letter was copied to Patrick Allen, Director of the Oregon Health Authority, Colt Gill, Director of the Oregon Department of Education and Peter Weber, Executive Director of the Oregon School Activities Association.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-05-14 09:39:34

Last Update: 2021-05-14 10:02:48

The federal Bureau of Reclamation has announced that no water is to be diverted from Upper Klamath Lake for irrigation this year to over 150,000 acres of productive farmland in Klamath County.

Instead, the water will be retained in the lake to support a failed environmental practice for fish species that has yet to prove its effectiveness. In previous, similar drought conditions BOR has delivered project farmers their full allocation of water. This year BOR is using unproven environmental opinions to claim all water must be retained in Upper Klamath Lake or released downstream to California.

“The Bureau of Reclamation exists for the farmers, yet this decision will decimate the livelihood of Oregonians trying to make it through this drought,” said Representative E. Werner Reschke (R-Klamath Falls.) “We know that holding this water back for these fish will not work, and we also know that these farmers need this water to survive. Federal decision-makers must change course to help these struggling communities make it through this drought.”




--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-05-14 01:59:34

Last Update: 2021-05-14 09:38:00

Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan will host Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott, advocates, and formerly incarcerated individuals on Friday, May 14 at noon for an hourlong discussion about voting rights in Oregon. In particular, Secretary Fagan and the panel participants, in the lead up to the special district election on Tuesday, May 18, will highlight the often confused ability of formerly incarcerated individuals and people who have received felony convictions to vote.

“Too many people in Oregon think they don’t have the right to vote if they were previously convicted of a felony or who were formerly incarcerated,” Secretary Fagan said. “I have seen it as a candidate and during my time as Secretary of State - it’s just not true. Our upcoming election on May 18 features critical questions about the future of our communities. Everyone should know their rights and exercise their right to vote.”

Joining Secretary Fagan for the discussion, Mythbusters: Understanding Your Right to Vote with Oregon Justice Resource Center, will be:

• Bobbin Singh, executive director of the Oregon Justice Resource Center (OJRC).
• Tim Scott, Multnomah County Elections Director.
• Trevor Walraven, Administrative Coordinator and Outreach for the Youth Justice Project at OJRC.
• Zach Winston, Policy Director at OJRC.
• Jackie Whitt, a tradeswoman, who uses her experience as a formerly incarcerated individual to give power and voice to those who cannot access theirs yet.
• Joshua Cain who is a recently released youth lifer who is using his life experience to advocate for reducing criminal behavior and recidivism, while encouraging criminal justice reform.

Some have criticized Secretary Fagan for spending too much time enhancing voting opportunities for felons, while paying too little attention to removing ineligible voters from the voter rolls.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-05-14 01:35:18

Last Update: 2021-05-14 09:39:10

Randi Weingarten, the president of one of the largest teachers unions in the country, finally came around to calling on schools to be open for "five days a week" of in-person learning next academic year.

According to recent data, only 12.5% of Oregon schools are fully reopened for in-person instruction, one of the poorest reopening progress in the country.

"Given current circumstances, nothing should stand in the way of fully reopening our public schools this fall and keeping them open,” Weingarten said in a speech. "The United States will not be fully back until we are fully back in school. And my union is all in," she continued.

Senator Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City) is introducing SB 867 today that would get Oregon students back in the classroom full time in the fall. The legislation is a carbon copy of bipartisan HB 3399 introduced in the Oregon House by Representative Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville).

“Kids should have returned to school months ago. Other states have been giving their kids the education they deserve, while Oregon ignores the science that schools are safe. By reopening schools, parents can get back into the labor force, kids can begin to catch up on a year of lost learning, and reconnect with friends and peers,” Senator Anderson said.

“Republicans have been beating this drum for months. Now with the Democrat’s union on board, there is no excuse for them to sit back and allow the Governor to dictate if our kids will get a proper education next year. We need to give kids and parents assurance that they will return to the classroom,” Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod (R-Lyons) said.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-05-14 01:24:07

Last Update: 2021-05-14 09:39:34

Editor's note: This article first appeared as a blog post on the Oregonians for Liberty in Education website.

February 2020 may seem like forever ago, but it was then, in an “Education Update,” that Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill first publicly praised the New York Times “1619 Project.” “Systemic racism in the United States dates back long before the American Revolution. If you haven’t yet read the 1619 Project by the New York Times, I can’t recommend it highly enough.”

Since then, the “1619 Project” and “systemic racism” narratives have spread faster than a virulent COVID-19 variant, infecting those most vulnerable to it: Oregon’s schoolchildren.

Fast forward to May 2021, when ODE sponsored “An Evening With Nikole Hannah-Jones,” and invited Oregon’s teachers statewide. The 90 minute webinar is worth a listen. Not to learn more about the “1619 Project.” The event, billed as “1619: Centering Black History and Black Futures in Oregon,” had surprisingly little to do with actual history, or even the “1619 Project” itself.

But the webinar does reveal quite a bit about ODE and the elite panelists driving the narrative, what they believe are the problems, and what they propose as the solutions. The bottom line: the purpose of the “1619 Project” is less about “correcting” America’s history and more about controlling America’s future.

Let’s address ODE first. Director Gill introduced the webinar explaining that “the experience of black students and families can and must be centered in our state, including the fullness of black histories and black futures.” A bit of background: the Department’s five-year-old African American/Black Student Success Plan hasn’t budged graduation rates, test scores, or disciplinary incidents. (Perhaps prioritizing activism over achievement isn’t the answer.) Now ODE’s new tack: jump on the “1619” and “systemic racism” narratives bandwagon to shift blame for the gap.

Other goals for the webinar (according to pre-event advertising):

1. How to use “1619” as a “supplemental instructional resource supporting the 2021 Oregon social science standards that include newly adopted K-12 ethnic studies standards.”
2. How the “inclusion of 1619 historical events into our educational system will further Oregon’s efforts at breaking down systems of oppression.”

Gill concluded his opening remarks: “We look forward to engaging this afternoon and learning more to help guide us forward.”

So now on to the panelists “guiding” Oregon’s teachers on “supplemental instructional resources” and “breaking down systems of oppression.” Nikole Hannah-Jones was the feature. She was joined by Portland State University professor Dr. Ethan Johnson and Oregon Alliance of Black School Educators president Kevin Bacon. KOIN news anchor Ken Boddie moderated. Hannah-Jones’s views on education: “In a country built on racial caste, we must confront the fact that our schools are not broken. They are operating as designed.” Hannah-Jones mentioned that she takes a personal interest in Portland, as she lived in the city from 2006-2012, owned a house in the Woodlawn neighborhood, and worked at the Oregonian. She is the author of the lead “1619” piece, “The Idea of America.” Hannah-Jones explained that “the ‘1619 Project’ seeks to set out slavery as a foundational American institution...and one whose legacy we still see in modern society.” “...it is an origin story told through a very particular lens.”

Johnson, Chair of the Black Studies Department in the School of Gender, Race and Nations at PSU, objected to the term “legacy,” stating:

One of the things I think is really important is to not frame slavery as a legacy but as it’s still here. Legacy suggests that it’s over...no, slavery is right here...If we go from slavery, and we go through Jim Crow, and we go through the criminal justice system...which is kinda the dominate way that black people are controlled today...gratuitous violence is something we experience...I can be killed, murdered, psychically traumaed you know at any time for no reason...just because I’m black. And today our kids are taken away from us regularly...either through CPS, Child Protective Services, or through the criminal justice system, for no reason other than we’re black. They say we did a crime. But the primary reason is because we’re black...I think what needs to be rethought is like that idea, we are in slavery, and that slavery hasn’t ended.

Is this really what Gill thinks will “help guide us forward?”

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

And here’s Hannah-Jones’ response to the question: “Where do you see the legacy of slavery today?”:

When we look at the insurrection on the Capitol January 6th and the belief by a white minority that people of color are not citizens whose votes should count equal to theirs, that’s a legacy of 1619, not the legacy of 1776. When we look at the election of Donald Trump, a fairly open white nationalist, that is a legacy of slavery. When we look at George Floyd and a police officer who believed that he could kneel on a man’s neck for two minutes after he was dead, while he was being filmed, that is a legacy of slavery. When we look at the fact that black Americans are at the bottom of every indicator of well-being in this country and black people have one cent of wealth to the dollar of wealth that white Americans have, when we look at a place like Portland of gentrification and housing segregation and school segregation. All of these are legacies of slavery.

$25,000 per webinar. Endowed chair. Pulitzer Prize. Possibly the legacies of the land of opportunity?

Over the course of the webinar, the panelists connected slavery to current-day problems in Oregon and the U.S. They criticized capitalism, wealth, criminal justice, healthcare, traffic, voting, and cultural appropriation. Framing America’s way of life as problematic is of course the actual purpose of “1619.” The project is a compilation of 18 essays addressing these topics and more in a compelling 100 page New York Times Magazine special issue, published August, 2019. Some of the images and descriptions in the issue are heart-wrenching, and cover important topics. But the publication is primarily propaganda packaged as history. It contains proven factual inaccuracies: it is an artistic and literary piece, not a historical work.

As the webinar continued, it became clear that the “1619” and “systemic racism” narratives of America as primarily a land of oppression rather than a land of hope and opportunity have a purpose. They can be used in Oregon’s classrooms to politicize history and gain youth support for proposed “solutions” discussed by the panelists: wealth redistribution, land reparations, defunding the police, universal healthcare, and progressive changes to urban design, transportation, and education.

“Correcting” America’s history, or controlling America’s future?

Most Americans believe these are radical positions. But the webinar participants represent print media, broadcast media, K-12 education, and higher ed. Seems like a powerful push to teach these views to Oregon’s schoolchildren. Bacon and Johnson both said they mentor K-12 educators. As part of the “1619 Project In Schools” effort, Hannah-Jones said that she’s met with thousands of teachers.

Hannah-Jones explained that “1619” is a continuing effort. Two new books, eight new essays, documentaries, and films are forthcoming. The next batch of essays will address topics such as African diaspora, settler colonialism, and the “excavation of racism” in Philadelphia.

What to do? Parents, teachers, and education-policy makers have a responsibility to ensure that schools educate, rather than indoctrinate. Ironically, perhaps the panelists themselves give us a clue. During the discussion, Hannah-Jones cited the Constitution; Johnson condemned progressive policies. Maybe there’s hope: is it possible common sense could (eventually) prevail?

In the meantime, stop the spread. Vaccinate your kids against the “1619” and “systemic racism” narratives. ODE seems committed to importing radical activism from the New York Times into Oregon’s classrooms. Hannah-Jones will be back on May 13 to deliver another ODE-sponsored webinar, this time speaking directly to Oregon’s schoolchildren.


--Mary Miller, Oregonians for Liberty in Education

Post Date: 2021-05-13 08:47:39

Last Update: 2021-05-13 10:46:15

Oregon House Republicans announce support for a public hearing of SB 649 -- “Bailey’s Bill” -- that closes a loophole in Oregon law that lets teachers off the hook with lighter consequences than coaches for sexual abuse against students.

Today members of the House Judiciary Committee issued a joint letter to force a public hearing for the bill.

Under the proposal, teachers would be held to the same standard as coaches. Representative Bobby Levy (R-Echo) and Senator Bill Hansell (R-Athena) and Senator Kathleen Taylor (D-Milwaukie) co-sponsored the bill named after Bailey Munck from Athena, Oregon who was sexually abused by her English teacher. After pleading guilty, her abuser spent only two days in jail and received five years probation. He did not have to register as a sex offender. If he had been her coach rather than teacher, he would have received up to five years in prison.

The bipartisan bill passed with unanimous support in the Senate, and currently has bipartisan sponsors in the House. However, it has yet to receive a public hearing in the House Judiciary Committee.

“It’s shocking that we don’t already have this protection for our children in schools,” said House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby.) “Bailey’s courage to testify on this horrific event is remarkable and will lead to safer schools for students.”

Bailey testified in support of SB 649 during a Senate committee public hearing.

“What is the significant difference between a teacher and a coach? Do coaches somehow carry more authority than a teacher might?” Bailey Munck asked senators during the hearing. “Coaches and teachers should be prosecuted equally as they both have responsibility for students’ safety and they both have positions of authority and power over their students and players.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-05-12 16:27:39

Last Update: 2021-05-12 18:16:29

Voter rolls in many states need attention. Research commissioned by the Pew Center on the States highlights the extent of the challenge:

• Approximately 24 million—one of every eight—voter registrations in the United States are no longer valid or are significantly inaccurate.
• More than 1.8 million deceased individuals are listed as voters.
• Approximately 2.75 million people have registrations in more than one state.”

Many Oregonians complain about getting extra ballots for people who do not live at their address. But if Rep Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis) proposed bill HB 2681 is passed by the 2021 Legislature we will see our voter rolls continue to bloat over the decades to come in unprecedented numbers. HB 2681 allows voters to stay on the voter rolls even if they don’t vote or update their address for any time period.

One of the foundational practices of a good election is clean voter rolls. It is an accurate refection of who may vote in that election. Voters information must be defined and accurate.

According to the Vote by Mail Manual pages 55 There is a form that can be used to challenge a voter. You can report the ballot as having a wrong address. People should assist the county clerks to know that the person no longer lives at the address. This is one way we can all help clean up the voter rolls. We would have fewer ballots sent out to wrong addresses. These extra ballots cost us money to produce and to mail.

We all want every eligible voter to be able to vote. At the same time, every voter needs to take on the responsibility of keeping their own data correct so they can vote. Don’t just throw those extra ballots away that arrive at your home. Return them to your county clerk and tell them that voter does not live at your house.


--Janice Dysinger

Post Date: 2021-05-12 10:11:03

Oregon House Republicans have announced their support for $9.6 billion to fully fund schools. This amount was requested by the state’s education leaders to support the 2021-2022 school year and will contribute to fully reopening Oregon schools for in-person learning by the fall.

“We have to get our kids back in the classroom for full in-person learning. Fully funding their education is part of making that happen,” said House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby.) “They have suffered enough mental health setbacks and learning losses with virtual and hybrid school. We made a commitment last week that will let families and students choose full in-person learning by the fall, and this week we’re committing to fully funding our schools so we can accomplish that goal.”

Teachers from around the state have asked their legislators to fully fund schools next year, including Elaine Poole from Canby: “Our students are dependent on your support to make sure that they can return to schools that have the resources that give them an opportunity moving forward.”

Submitted testimonies on SB 5514 from school administrators, the statewide teachers union and other education supporters say that anything less than a $9.6 billion state school fund will force school districts to make layoffs and other cuts.

The push from House Republicans comes a week after announcing HB 3399, a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would reopen Oregon’s schools to give parents the option of 100 percent in-person learning by the 2021-2022 school year.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-05-12 09:53:03

Last Update: 2021-05-12 16:27:39

Unelected bureaucrats employed with Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration have decided to make face masks permanent indefinitely.

Sen. Dennis Linthicum (R-Klamath Falls) issued a statement:

“Bureaucrats have no authority to create laws, yet Gov. Brown is using OSHA to infringe on Oregonians’ constitutional rights through its Orwellian-style permanent mask rule for employers. In pursuit of political power, the regulatory tyrants at OSHA have abused their rightful duty and have harmed free enterprise, business opportunity, and social flourishing within our communities.

“The rule forces employers to require masks until OSHA says otherwise, even as other states across the nation are ditching masks all together. This is nothing but willful misconduct by Gov. Brown.

“Gov. Brown’s administration falsely believes that Oregon will continue to grow despite the absurdity of a permanent mask rule and the costs associated with Oregon’s ever-expanding bureaucratic bloat. It is obvious she hopes to ‘buy off’ Oregonians with the $2.6 billion coming hot off the Biden administration’s monetary printing presses. Yet, this long-term debt-fueled, command-and-control Ponzi scheme will fail Americans with distortions in pricing, massive malinvestment, government inefficiency, and monumental economic waste. The government and the wealthy will walk away unscathed while hard-working Oregonians will be forced to abdicate their freedom for government control.

“Unquestioned until now, both common sense and the courts have upheld that human life contains an ‘assumption of risk,’ a fact that OSHA cannot override and ignore, regardless of the unlimited power it has been given by Gov. Brown.

“We assume risk every time we get behind the wheel of a car, cross the street, or go out in public. Unfortunately, we live in a time where many Americans are willingly giving away their freedom, and with it the ability to make risk assessments in everyday tasks, in favor of a false sense of security from the government.

“Voluntary behavior is always better than what we are witnessing today, where an unelected and unaccountable regime is punishing every violation and pursuing minor public health violations as larger opportunities to illicit fines and close businesses.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-05-12 09:40:11

After 25 years in the Legislature, Senator Ginny Burdick (D-Portland) is now an expert on federal energy policy. Burdick was recently nominated by Governor Brown to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.

While serving a three-year term, she will make a comfortable $142,848/year. After one term, taxpayers will quintuple her PERS benefits and pay her over $66,000 per year in retirement.

Today, Senator Burdick cast the deciding vote for her own nomination in the Senate Rules Committee. After Republicans asked to vote on Senator Burdick and one other appointee separately to avoid voting against a bevy of qualified individuals, Democrats continued with an en bloc vote, which is a singular vote for nearly 100 nominations.

The nomination will now move to the Senate floor where Republican Leader Fred Girod (R-Lyons) will vote against her nomination again. He released the following statement:

“I have not voted for these kinds of golden parachutes in the past, and I won’t start now. These kinds of political favors destroy faith in our democracy and expose the corruption in our politics. I will enthusiastically vote against her nomination on the Senate floor.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-05-11 16:23:00