Morelock had been superintendent for two years and was under contract through June. The dissenting board members said the move to fire Morelock, coupled with litigation over the controversial political symbols ban, could have a grave financial impact on the district. The Newberg School Board has rescinded a controversial policy that banned staff from putting up political signs or displays in schools. Director Zone 5 written and/or digital) that contains information relating to the conduct of the school districts business could be subject to a public records request without prior notice to sender. Protesters gathered at the city flagpole on South River Street in Newberg to speak out against the school boards decision, which passed after the board heard less than half of public comments during the virtual session. It wasnt until the meeting started, more than a half hour past the original 7 p.m. start time, that board chair Dave Brown added an agenda item to discuss the superintendent. In May, the board named as its next superintendent, Stephen Phillips, who was put on leave amid an investigation in his most recent Oregon superintendent role and who resigned from another superintendent position after retweeting an offensive remark about people who enter the country illegally. I wanna ask why? Group showed footage of fatal Breonna Taylor raid at restaurant event, dine BLM co-founders cousin dies after police repeatedly use Taser, video shows, Bidens marijuana policy may change attitudes toward immigrants. Since the school board approved the policy in September 2021, tension and conflict has continued among school board members, district employees and those in the Newberg community. The Newberg School Board voted to terminate the contract of Superintendent Joe Morelock late Tuesday night, in a process that board director Brandy Penner, who voted against the firing,. NEWBERG Two members of the Newberg School Board announced their resignations at a meeting earlier this week, citing controversial board decisions in the past year. Under new business, we are discussing the superintendent, said board chair Dave Brown. The lawsuit requested a jury trial, sought an injunction stopping enforcement of the boards directive and asked for a declaratory judgement from the bench admonishing the board for their actions. Board . The conditions of his hiring are the basis of a lawsuit against the school board, according to the Newberg Graphic. I wont be able to enforce it as it is until weve gone through a bunch of legal review, he said. "This is going to set our district back decades. This is an after-party of four members, so I say lets just vote get it over with. She added, Its going to be our community, staff and students who are left to fight this.. The Oregonian cited Morelock's contract, which the newspaper obtained through a public records request. At Tuesdays meeting, Penner indicated she is disgusted over a vote that she suggested had already been decided weeks earlier by the conservative majority. The ACLU celebrated the ruling in a tweet Thursday, saying they await the courts final order. Board member Brian Shannon urged the board to vote instead for the newly-revised ban described above, and move on from the controversy. Board Member Penner chastised Shannon for his disregard of the importance of this issue: Thats a ridiculous attempt at trying to pretend that this is nothing. A sign depicting a rainbow flag with a heart superimposed, along with the words Be Known, in Shotts classroom window at Dundee Elementary was the subject of the first complaint under the policy. All meetings are open to the public, except for executive sessions as authorized by law. Newberg school board officially approves policy banning political symbols, Newberg teachers sue district, school board members over political image ban in schools, Newberg school employee goes to work in blackface, is put on leave. A conservative majority now exists on the Board, after the local group Save our Schools backed two successful bids for spots on the Board. Pender said she doesn't know how the school district will handle the financial ramifications of the firing. Oregon school worker suspended for showing up in blackface in apparent protest of vaccine mandate. Board vice chair Brian Shannon, who created the initial wording of the political symbols ban, called it the grayest of gray areas. Joe Morelock last November, two board members faced recall elections in January, and since last year, dozens of staff members have resigned from the district, including several district administrators and principals from six of the districts 10 schools. I dont believe this is political, its about human beings. Public comments are scheduled for regular session board meetings only. ", "This feels so draconian this feels so anti-everything," Penner said. In a 4-3 vote, the Newberg school board decided to terminate the district's superintendent, Joe Morelock, during a meeting . As pressure mounted, the four conservative members voted to hire a. Attempts to gain comment from the author of the board policy amendment, Shannon, for his thoughts on the settlement were unsuccessful by press time Saturday. This is a tough one, Im not going to lie.. If you looked at the agenda for Tuesdays Newberg school board meeting, youd have no idea the board was planning to fire Superintendent Joe Morelock. Aruna Masih, the attorney from Portland law firm Bennett Hartman who was representing the NEA and the four teachers/counselors, said she couldnt comment on the particulars of the case, but speaking in general terms said that once two parties reach an agreement on resolution of a case, called a stipulated notice of dismissal, the court typically accepts the notice and dismisses the case. On the day before Thanksgiving, as Newberg school district staff scrambled to fulfill other duties after the firing of superintendent Joe Morelock, Newberg School Board chair Dave Brown. (KATU) NEWBERG, Ore. Voters in the Newberg Schools community are turning out in big numbers for the hotly debated recall of two school board members. The policy bans employees from displaying controversial or political signs or symbols. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Superintendents for Greater Albany Public Schools, Adrian School District School, and Woodburn have all been removed this year, for varying reasons. The ban on displaying such symbols in the classroom has been condemned by the Newberg City Council and Oregon Democrats, and the Oregon State Board of Education has called on the school board to reverse course. The lawsuit named the school district as well as Brown, Shannon, Powell and DeHart as defendants. Ashley Pea, a Newberg student, said she came to the protest because the school board didn't listen to enough students before making their decision on Aug. 10. Neither the school board nor Newberg Public Schools Superintendent Joe Morelock immediately responded to requests for comment early Wednesday. With their continued attack on symbols of support for Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ pride, the school board is on a dangerous and harmful path. I continue to stand with parents, students of color, LGBTQ students, and all members of the community who have courageously continued to speak out against the school boards unacceptable actions.. 503-501-6035, Renee Powell Pamplin Media Group is a KOIN 6 News media partner. Boothby says she organized the protest because when she attended Newberg High School she didnt always feel welcome as a gay student. Its just such a bold statement to make. Those are my kids' classrooms that you are taking money from.". U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, a Democrat whose district includes Newberg, weighed in with an emailed statement from the U.N. I move that we table this and adjourn the meeting, I feel its too important to push this through, she said. Oregon's Newberg School Board bans Pride, Black Lives Matter symbols in Why did you organize it? It's done, Rebecca," he said. The conservative majority on the school board in Newberg voted 4 to 3 to adopt a policy that has attracted national attention, criticism and protests in the weeks since it was introduced. There has been insufficient public comments, input, notification, and it is 10:30 at night on a school night, Penner said. The Newberg School Board's choice to ban BLM and Pride flags came following a shift in the Board's composition. The school board voted to ban Black Lives Matter and pride flags. The new dynamic has allowed the conservative board members to pass motions that the previous board neither permitted nor passed. The decision in suburban Portland follows a pair of recent racist incidents at Newberg Public Schools. Late Tuesday night, the Newberg Education Association released a statement on the firing of Morelock: During tonights school board meeting, the 4 board majority fired Superintendent Joe Morelock for no cause. The ban is complaint-based. But the motion to adjourn the meeting was voted down, 4-3, with Brown, Shannon, Powell and DeHart voting to move forward. An Oregon school district voted Tuesday to ban Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ and other "political" signs, flags and articles of clothing from their campuses. We wish you well, were so sorry, she said. They will be losing resources out of their classrooms. The lawsuit was filed in August 2021 on behalf of four teachers and counselors: Jennifer Schneider, Andrew Gallagher, Katherine Villalobos and Sara Linnertz. parents, moving secondary school schedules to trimesters, and changing start times to earlier for all ages. Im an elected official and I support my neighbors. Shannon introduced in July the explicit ban in the classroom of political signs and flags, such as those with Pride and BLM symbols. My daughter wears rainbow pajamas all the time, Shannon said. [1], It is mostly in Yamhill County, where it serves the cities of Newberg and Dundee. On behalf of Dr. Morelock and the work he has begun, we will continue to fight for safe, stable learning environments for our students. The Newberg Education Association argues the policy violates multiple sections of the Oregon and U.S. constitutions. She pointed at the opposition: We dont have a problem with them here, but they dont even let us get near them. As a family with BLM and Pride signs passed by the small contingent of conservatives, a Black father shouted, Black Lives Matter doesnt represent me. He and his son brought out a banner that read, #All Lives Matter..
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