Coalition of Immigrant & Refugee Community Organizations and Allies Opposes Elimination of Portland Public Schools Family Engagement Staff

Coalition of Immigrant & Refugee Community Organizations and Allies Opposes Elimination of Portland Public Schools Family Engagement Staff

As laid out by Superintendent Carole Smith, the proposed budget eliminates 4 bilingual-bicultural family engagement staff which operate as liaisons to Spanish-speaking, Russian-speaking, Somali, and Vietnamese communities, a 100% reduction in the district’s family engagement staff for immigrants and refugees. These staff members have strong connections within communities of color and immigrant & refugee communities, and are integral to the district's efforts to build a culturally competent and diverse workforce.

DATE: Monday, April 9, 2012
TIME: 4:30 PM
PLACE: Cleveland High School
3400 SE 26th Ave
Portland, OR 97202

A coalition of advocates and community-based organizations will host a press conference to discuss the impact of Portland Public Schools' proposed budget on immigrant, refugees, and communities of color.
As a community, we need PPS to be focused on closing the achievement gap for our students; cutting its bilingual, bicultural staff is exactly the wrong way to do that. The district should commit to furthering its institutional connections to these communities. The first step is maintaining these family engagement staff positions.

Coalition members include the Center for Intercultural Organizing, Bhutanese Community of Oregon, Better Life USA, Iraqi Society of Oregon, Causa Immigrant Rights Coalition, Student Alliance Project, Latino Network, Cesar E Chavez Leadership Conference (CECLC), the Oregon Somali Family Education Center, East European Coalition, Portland Russian Media Center, Russian Oregon Social Services (ROSS), NW Russian American Community Center, the Annual Russian Speaking Youth Leadership Conference, AM-RU International Association, the Russian Sports-Cultural Center "ATL-ANTI", the Salem-Keizer Coalition for Equality, and the Somali Youth of Oregon.

Contacts:
Kayse Jama, Executive Director
kayse@interculturalorganizing.org
(503) 287-4117, ext. 107
(503) 913-5154

Anya Valsamakis
(503) 415-1383

Read more here: http://www.interculturalorganizing.org/new/coalition-of-immigrant-refugee-community-organizations-and-allies-opposes-elimination-of-portland-public-schools-family-engagement-staff/

Posted in: Family Engagement Staff,Oregon,Portland Public School,school cuts