HB 2001 VOTE: NO
Signed into Law by Gov Brown on 06/25/21
Status (overview) of bill: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Measures/Overview/HB2001
Chief Sponsor: Rep. Tina Kotek (D, HD-44) And this person wants to run for Governor in 2022.
This bill requires school districts facing budgetary constraints to prioritize teachers for retention based on seniority, unless a teacher being retained has more merit and the retention of the teacher maintains the school district’s diversity ratio.
Limited Government
Currently when a public school district in Oregon needs to or chooses to do a reduction in staffing, they do the reduction based on seniority as required by ORS 342.934. It is also typically called out in the staff collective bargaining agreement. In a session where almost, every bill has been driven by diversity, equity and recognizing historically under-served populations, this bill seems to fit the theme but is receiving resistance. “Merit” is defines among other ways as the measurement of the ability and effectiveness of one teacher, as measured against the ability and effectiveness of another teacher, based on consideration of any of the following factors: Any languages spoken by the teacher that are not English. It says nothing about the additional language being applicable to the position, the school or needs of the students.
Local Control
More experienced teachers will continue to be retained unless the district has a lower seniority teacher that meets a diversity ration and then that teacher would be retained over the other teacher, based on their skin color.
U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor approved a temporary restraining order forbidding President Biden’s administration from giving out grants in a program aimed at prioritizing applicants due to their race and/or gender. Isn’t that what this bill does? Unconstitutional.
No
Diversity should have no place in the requirements for what makes a good teacher. Either their performance merits their tenure or it doesn’t. This constant push for “Equity, diversity and inclusion,’ is based on the racist notion of Critical Race Theory and should be abandoned in education, PERIOD!