SB 732 VOTE: NO
Signed into Law by Gov Brown on 07/14/21
Status (overview) of bill: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Measures/Overview/SB732
This bill requires school districts to establish educational equity advisory committee about the educational equity impacts of policy decisions and to inform district leaders when situations arise that negatively impact underrepresented students. Requires involvement in creation of district continuous improvement plans and district budgets.
Personal Choice and Responsibility
Parents are objecting to BLM and LGBTQ+ political speech that equity teams are promoting. Amended to not require public meetings going against transparency of their agenda.
Limited Government
An Equity Advisory committee would advise the school district and superintendent about the educational equity impacts of policy decisions; and inform the school district board and school district superintendent when a situation arises in a school of the school district that negatively impacts underrepresented students and advise on how best to handle that situation. They would also participate in approving the district budget and revisions of the district’s improvement plan, basically acting as an unelected board member with veto power.
Local Control
Schools that have experienced equity agendas report work from the equity team has caused students and families to leave public schools because they do not agree with such affiliations. The equity team has caused some strife among staff members. With the addition of this type of political speech, it could further cause declines in enrollment causing families to homeschool or move to private schools.
These groups/programs only serve to further segregate children and give the LBGTQ and BLM special rights, which are not needed due to now long standing bullying policies in schools. Also, the BLM tax record for 2920 shows very little money going to help Black communities. Parents will continue to remove their kids when they see and understand the proliferation of social curriculums and social policies being propagated in the classrooms and School Districts. This Equity Advisory committee is simply not needed.