After Portland Public Schools Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero read his opening script text for the camera, he introduced Dani Ledesma who read her prepared script. Dani’s role was not identified. Dani then introduced the five-member panel of “public health experts.” Two are from Washington, D.C. Jessica Guernsey, Health Director for Multnomah County, then read her prepared script to announce the “Swiss Cheese Layered Plan”.

The public health experts looked happy, had big smiles and cheery looks on their faces as they opined about masking, distancing, and getting children, parents and school employees vaccinated through their “Swiss Cheese Layered Plan” for the school year. One expert wasn’t identified, only a phone number appeared on the screen. Dr. Tress Goodwin gave an explanation of the "Swiss Cheese Layered Plan” in the accompanying video that lasts 2:40.

Contrasted to the experts’ big happy smiles were the concerned somber elected school board directors such as Julia Brim-Edwards who shared she has never had so many emails as she did at the very moment the work session meeting was in progress. Brim-Edwards’ repeated attempts to get clarity on demographics and data related to Portland Public Schools was met with “...don’t know...” and vagueness.

Board director and chair Michelle DePass’ on-the-ground question for schools was “...what about lunch time for those under 4th grade?” Expert Lisa Ferguson responded, “That’s a hot topic for state and local about masks on, three feet distancing, about how to implement that.” Board director Gary Hollands was direct about young children staying three feet away from each other, “doesn’t work.”

Hollands as well had concerns about special education children around the masking up protocol. The public health expert’s response was, “It’s called vaccines.” At that point Dani cut him off which led to Lisa Ferguson stating she was “going off script” and saying she was “really fearful about the mental health” of the children and “it is really going to be scary for some kids.” For indoor sports, the experts want them wearing masks.

At one point superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero intervened to stop board directors from getting “into the nitty gritty of the operational aspects” and made a statement of assurance that all questions would be answered elsewhere other than the work session, “hopefully we can answer all questions parents might have, please know we want to hear all your questions, we want to offer a most thorough response.” Board director Andrew Scott weighed in for all the questions to be put on-line.



School board director, Lowery, attempted to follow up with DePass’ question of how to get children to mask up. Dr. Joelle Simpson from Washington D.C. where right now 11-year-old children can get the vaccine without parental consent or parental knowledge said, “Modeling, kids will do what parents do.” She said to get some “cartoon masks.”

School board director Scott asked when it might be that the mask wearing will stop? To which Dr. Loeffler said, “I could talk a super long time about that, but I would like to think about this as we still need to protect children…we can’t have kids bringing it home to families or the community.”

The pediatric experts, well into the work session, gave their expertise statement that children dying from the virus is “rare” and so are hospitalizations. An expert mentioned there was one child death in “…New Orleans.” In the Portland area there have been no child deaths from COVID-19. No homeless deaths from COVID-19 either, a population not following any of the public health experts’ advice or protocols.

At an hour and a half into the work session during the “lightning action round of one question each” Chair DePass made another valiant try to report to the superintendent and these health care “experts” that PPS parents per the many emails she received, parents want data and that “Most emails tonight parents want operational details, data, more info...what is the most important data to provide to the parents?”

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

Then there was a long pause. Silence from the panel of five experts on public health. Dani finally popped in and asked DePass who she was directing her question to. DePass said, “Anyone who feels qualified to answer.” Jessica spoke up and said, “I’ll take a stab at it.” Her answer to the data question was, “More parents need to get vaccinated. The vaccine is the most important layer.” Jessica had a big smile on her face as she did not answer the question DePass asked.

Jessica was also the one that said, “The virus changed, we knew they would, they are sneaky.” Some of the experts claimed they were working on this “…night and day.” And to “trust the science.”

In response to a question asymptomatic are not being tested because to find even one positive out of that population the cost is $10,000.00. To the topic of testing children brought a response that included the health industry does not have enough employees to do that kind of coverage. Getting a “political” campaign going to encourage the public to obey was mentioned.

The board meeting was not open to the public to meet in person, nor could the parents/public directly ask questions to experts. The compelling visual of the work session was seeing happy smiles on some of the public health experts’ faces as they talked about the pandemic as opposed to those who were there representing the parents of the Portland Public School District.

PPS school board director Julia Brim-Edwards ended the work session noting how important it was to answer the parents’ questions as people are deciding what to do.”


--Margo Logan

Post Date: 2021-08-09 20:28:11

Last Update: 2021-08-09 21:02:40