Portland teachers’ union protests new policy barring ‘personal expression’ in classroom spaces

The Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) is contesting a new policy restricting classroom content only to curriculum or district-sponsored materials.

The city’s public schools passed the policy in August as an administrative directive without requiring public review or board approval, according to The Oregonian.

“Content on classroom walls, bulletin boards or otherwise displayed in the classroom must be related to the curriculum or district sponsored,” the directive states. “Those spaces cannot be used for an employee’s personal expression whether that is related to a political or personal issue.” 

However, PAT’s president, Angela Bonilla, called the rule “unworkable, overly broad and vague.” 

“The union filed a grievance with the district over the new rule in August, contending that it conflicts with contractual language on academic freedom, which allows teachers to introduce controversial topics that are relevant to their courses, and PAT’s right to post union related materials in schools,” wrote Julia Silverman for The Oregonian. 

The teachers’ union made headlines earlier this year when several documents on its website promoted anti-Israel views following the Hamas attacks in Israel. 

For example, a booklet titled Know Your Rights! Teaching & Organizing for Palestine within Portland Public Schools, encouraged the displays of Palestinian flags within classrooms. 

“Like the BLM or LGBTQIA+ flags, displaying the Palestinian flag proudly affirms the existence of Palestinian people and their right to live and thrive with dignity and freedom,” the resource argued, claiming teachers were being “censored and harassed” for expressing their anti-Israel views. 

Community members raised many objections to these resources, and the documents were later removed from PAT’s website. 

“The Anti-Defamation League notes that this is an antisemitic slogan,” said Andrew Scott, a member of the Portland Public Schools Board. “Regardless of PAT’s intent, it’s shocking to me that they seem to care so little about the harmful impact their words and actions are having on our community.” 

Another school board member, Julia Brim-Edwards, agreed. She expressed concerns over the union supplying shirts to teachers using the slogan, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free.” 

“From my perspective, it is not appropriate for PAT to distribute these shirts to wear in our schools,” she said. “It is a statement that is interpreted by many to call for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. They create an unwelcoming and unsafe environment for many of our staff, students and families.” 

Since the policy was passed, “Stop the Genocide” posters referring to the Israeli-Hamas conflict have been removed from a Ulysses S. Grant High School teacher’s doorway. 

Such posters were “in violation of PPS policy regarding political speech,” said the school’s principal, James McGee, in an email shared with The Oregonian. 

“The teacher, Jeremy Reinholt, declined to comment on the situation,” Silverman wrote. “Among the classes he is assigned to teach this year is modern world history.” 

A parent at the school, Shoshana Kedem, spoke out in favor of the new policy. 

“If someone complains that it makes it hard for them to be in a learning environment,” she said of the posters, “then those things should come down.”