Editor's note: The following is an anonymous letter from a Newberg School District parent.

Recently, I made the tough decision to take the last of my 4 children out of the public school system. I have always been a strong believer that we are our best advocates for our kids, and so we have looked for what worked best to help each child excel and reach their full potential.

I’m not sure what happened over the last few years, but the climate has completely changed in the public schools in Newberg, and I’ve had enough. The focus has shifted from academics to Pride Flags and BLM support. I personally have always and still do love and support the gay community as well as all people, no matter the color of their skin, religion, etc. I believe access to public education should be welcoming to all of the public. My kids are not pawns, and neither are your kids, your grandkids, nor our future leaders who are simply little kids right now.

When the middle school art class was asked to paint projects that are rainbow pieces to put throughout the school, the steps are painted in rainbows, the lights in the halls are rainbow colors, and the principals are wearing rainbow lanyards or pins, it makes any parent wonder what the focus is at the schools. When I know girls aren’t using the bathrooms at school because they are now genderless bathrooms, I worry about safety and access. When my middle school child was asked how she identifies gender wise by a teacher and asked to list her pronouns, she was confused.

When my high school child's class was asked who was vaccinated and who was not, I saw division created and medical privacy violated. When I read that the American Flag was too controversial and was removed from a classroom, I saw blatant infraction of the law. When my son’s English class was assigned a short story to read involving a gay 5th grader daydreaming about the professionals he would have sex with, such as policemen and fire fighters as well as referencing clitorectomies, I was appalled. When I saw a teacher creating Tik Toks to show all the Pride things in her classroom, I knew this teacher cared more about her message than my kids' education. When I saw the things counselors and staff said on Facebook, I knew my kids could not safely go to their counselors for unbiased help with anything.

When I know that recall signature sheets and flyers are being passed in the schools during school hours, and the leadership, including the superintendent, allows more and more material into the schools that has nothing to do with academics, I know my kids are no longer in a place where learning is the focus. I continue to wholly support the gay community and BIPOC, but we aren’t even helping kids pass classes because the focus has been lost. Doesn’t it feel like the kids, regardless of identity or color, are being used as pawns to further the divide? This is about learning, and our schools are failing our kids and generations to come. We owe it to our children to do better and be better.


--A Newberg School District Parent

Post Date: 2021-12-09 10:12:45

Last Update: 2021-12-09 10:45:59