2023 Portland Association of Teachers Strike
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The 2023 Portland Association of Teachers strike is a labor strike involving teachers at Portland Public Schools (PPS), the largest school district in Oregon. The strike began on 1 November 2023.[1] The strike is organized by the Portland Association of Teachers (PAT), representing roughly 3700 teachers and other employees.[1] The strike follows The issues driving the strike include raises to match inflation, lower class sizes, and increased planning time.[2][3]
Background
editThis is the first teacher strike in district history.[4] After their last contract expired in June 2023, teachers began negotiations with the district for a new contract.[5] The union moved to vote to strike in October 2023.[6] The union's vote to strike closed on 19 October, with votes from 93% of the teachers. Of those who voted, 98.9% voted to authorize a strike. This commenced a 10 day work stoppage notice, after which a strike would commence if bargaining remained unsuccessful.[2]
On October 30, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek issued a statement concerning the strike, urging both sides to reach an agreement while saying that "going out on strike is not in the best interest of students or families." Kotek said that state intervention in education funding was "really a conversation for 2025."[5]
As PAT and PPS entered final mediation at the end of October, there was still a large gap between their offers on the negotiated issues. PAT proposed a cumulative 23% cost of living adjustment across 3 years against PPS's 10.9% proposal, and PAT proposed 440 minutes of planning time per week for elementary teachers against PPS's 400 minute proposal. PPS's chief of research claimed PAT's proposal would require the district to make $277 million in cuts.[7]
This strike was proceeded by several high-profile strikes in public education: teachers in Los Angeles Unified School District and Oakland, California went on strike in spring of 2023.[8]
Strike
editThe strike began on 1 November. The strike closed schools for the district's 45,000 students.[8] On the first day of the strike, National Education Association president Rebecca Pringle and United Teachers Los Angeles president Cecily Myart-Cruz gave speeches to the striking teachers, outside Roosevelt High School.[9][10]
naito parkway
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https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83045782/1905-10-22/ed-1/seq-30/#index=0&rows=20&proxtext=John+Outhouse&searchType=basic&sequence=0&words=John+Outhouse&page=1 -- training of the eye and hand.
https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/search/pages/results/?rows=20&searchType=basic&proxtext=John+Outhouse john outhouse stuff
Woodstock Mystery Hole
editThe Woodstock Mystery Hole is a tourist attraction in the Woodstock neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, maintained by Barron, a public school substitute teacher.
In the late 1980s, Barron dug the Mystery Hole, also called the Woodstock Mystery Hole. Once completed, it was about 15 feet deep and almost 30 feet long.[11] It is located in his backyard, surrounded by a large laurel hedge and a wooden fence.[12] The Mystery Hole was a tourist attraction which the Portland Mercury described as a "meta-theme park."[13] Next to the Mystery Hole is the History Mole of the Mystery Hole, a metal statue of a mole which was custom-built by Hollywood art directors. In addition to the Mystery Hole, Barron has built other attractions in his back yard. He has a loft with a fireplace inside of a laurel hedge; a rowboat bolted on top of a pipe; as well as the Mystery Tower, Mystery Gate, Mystery Wishing Pipe, and Mystery Pole.[14][15] In 2011, Barron claimed to be refilling the Mystery Hole, and invited guests to pour sand or gravel into the hole.[16]
Barron has been substitute teaching in Portland since the 1980s, working five days a week.[17] He works mostly at Grant High School, in Northeast Portland.[12] In 2006, he told the Portland Tribune that he goes by just one name out of dislike towards the hierarchies between students and teachers. Barron has previously worked as a self-employed advertising writer.[11]
In 1988, Barron founded the Universal Church o' Fun. While there were no services and no real church building, Barron ran a newsletter, the Universal Church o' Fun Times, which sent out 350 copies in 1990. The religion celebrated Fundays, a holiday on the fifth Sunday of any month, by having as much fun as possible.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b Mervosh, Sarah; Baker, Mike (1 November 2023). "Portland Teachers Are on Strike, Closing Schools in Oregon's Largest District". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ a b Griggs, Taylor (19 October 2023). "UPDATE: As Portland Public Schools and Teachers Union Stall on Negotiations, District Prepares for Unprecedented Strike". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
- ^ Brasch, Ben (2023-11-02). "Portland teachers are on strike, with schools closed. Here's what to know". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
- ^ "In Oregon, public school teachers are on strike in Portland". NPR. 2 November 2023.
- ^ a b Watson, Evan (30 October 2023). "'Not in the best interest of students or families': Oregon governor addresses looming teachers strike in Portland". KGW.
- ^ Boyette, Chris (2023-11-01). "Portland public schools will be closed Wednesday as teaches go on strike". CNN. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
- ^ Saslow, Rachel (31 October 2023). "Portland Teachers Will Go on Strike Nov. 1". Willamette Week.
- ^ a b Rush, Claire (2023-11-01). "Teachers kick off strike in Portland, Oregon, over class sizes, pay and resources". AP News. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
- ^ Silverman, Julia; Edge, Sami (2023-11-01). "Portland Public Schools strike draws 1000s of teachers to picket lines, and emotions run high". OregonLive. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
- ^ Marine, Drew; Olson, Karli; Thomas, Adrian (1 November 2023). "Portland teachers begin 1st strike in PPS history; District says more state funds needed". Fox12.
- ^ a b c Carlin, Peter (13 May 1990). "Barron's Hot Dogma". The Oregonian.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ a b Blair, Stephen (21 December 2001). "Mystery Fans Should Try a Trip Down the Hole". Portland Tribune.
- ^ Mirk, Sarah (17 August 2010). "Watching for Meteors at the Mystery Hole". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ Higgins, Chris (9 July 2016). "Inside Portland's 'Mystery Hole'". Mental Floss. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- ^ "Universal Church O' Fun/ Woodstock Mystery Hole". Monk Magazine. 2004. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ Diehl, Caleb (11 August 2011). "The Mind Behind the Woodstock Mystery Hole and the Universal Church O'Fun". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ Korn, Peter (25 August 2006). "Q & A with Barron". Portland Tribune.
External Links
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