November 16

This afternoon, the Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) continued its presentation about its proposed changes to Article 9. You can review PAT’s written proposal here. 

 PAT’s proposal includes language that:

• emphasizes the importance of restorative justice and a multi-tiered system of support (9.3)

• creates a separate time-out room to “remove a student from class” at the discretion of the professional educator (9.4.1 - 9.4.6)

• preserves mandatory minimums of a five-day suspension for a threat/causing fear of harm and mandatory expulsion for physical attack/harm (9.4.14)

• suggests language related to environmental safety,  proposing subjective reasons for why any individual “professional educator may refuse to work…”  (9.15)

The district remains resolute in its goal: to keep our students engaged in learning in safe and supportive classrooms.  The preservation of mandatory discipline minimums is unfortunate and a key contributing factor to PPS’ disproportionate discipline and exclusion of Black, Native, and students of color from classroom learning. We will reconvene for the fourth bargaining session with PAT in December (date to be determined) to discuss this disagreement and respond to the union bargaining team’s proposed language.  

You can watch today’s bargaining session online here.  

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Supporting documents

• Article 9 PAT Proposal - Language - Nov 1 2022