Oregon lawmakers push to fully reopen schools by fall with new bill
SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Republican lawmakers are introducing a bipartisan bill which calls for schools to fully reopen by the 2021-2022 school year.
Representative Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville) was joined by Senator Fred Girod (R-Stayton), Representative Christine Drazan (R-Canby), Representative Shelly Boshart Davis (R-Albany) and several others at the event held near the Capitol building in Salem.
“This bill is not complicated. It’s simple. It requires public schools to provide full-time, in-person classroom instruction during the 21-22 school year,” said Breese-Iverson of House Bill 3399. She went on to share her own experiences with watching her children go through distance learning, and then hybrid learning. “This bill is a result of my experience as a mother, a wife, and a member of my community. I feel very strongly about it."
Breese-Iverson said that without a commitment to have kids back in the classroom by fall, this legislation was needed.
The lawmakers were also joined by several Oregon parents who have been pushing for schools to reopen citing concern for their children. The parents spoke of the toll the past year in distance learning has had on their children, sharing emotional testimonials.
One mother mother from Canby shared her story of watching her four children, ranging in grades from preschool to middle school, as they navigated returning to remote learning after summer break.
“In spite of their fantastic teachers’ best efforts, I watched every day as my kids went further and further down the unnecessary road of instability. I decided enough was enough and I unenrolled my kids from the public education system. That system failed my kids. I made a hard choice and I started homeschooling my kids," she said.
On Thursday, KATU News asked why there wasn't a similar push for vaccination, as well. The COVID-19 vaccine would help reopen schools as it would lower case counts. Here is the response we received:
KATU News has heard from a few larger districts, including Portland Public Schools, which said last month that it expected kids would return to the classroom five days a week by the fall semester.