When it comes to public education in Oregon, the Oregon Education Association (OEA) makes a bold promise: “to provide the basic right of great public education to every student.” The union’s direct involvement in school closures and watering down basic graduation requirements, however, indicates the opposite. In truth, the OEA has played an essential role in the deterioration of Oregon’s public schools.
COVID School Shutdowns
In response to the COVID pandemic, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, whom OEA endorsed, ordered the statewide closure of schools for over a year. During the first six weeks of Brown’s shutdowns, no online alternative was offered to students enrolled in public schools. In response, thousands of Oregon families began the process of transferring their children to Oregon’s online charter school programs.
.png)
.png)
