How can a Vision for Portland not include affirmation of pride in our public schools?

Arrghh, this makes me so mad! I’m plugging through the proposed VisionPDX document, all in a huge pdf file which makes my computer run as slowly as the bad ol’ days of dial-up. Overall, the document is significantly improved from the draft version. It still wallows in platitudes and pretty language a lot, and contains the word “innovative” far too frequently. But in general, better. I’ve cut and pasted more “good” examples than “bad” for my post tomorrow on the proposal’s positives and negatives.

But COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!! I get to the section on “Learning Portland”, which long-time blog readers may remember I found woefully inadequate the last draft.

And this is the only time the word “public” is mentioned in the version going to Council on Wednesday:

“The public and private sectors jointly provide a K-20 educational enterprise that serves the intellectual, cultural and economic needs of the region, the city and its people.”

NO. That is not what Portland is famous for, in our education system. We are still, despite 16 years of cuts following Measure 5, the last great urban public school system in the country. And I say “We are” rather than “We have”, because commitment to public education is a core value that helps define us. Our five districts provide public schools tens of thousands of Portlanders are proud of. And since this is a Vision, describing what should be rather than what is, we should be including in VisionPDX several statements about outstanding public schools in every neighborhood. About integrated schools that serve a wide variety of needs in every location. And about recognizing the needs of all the districts, not just the largest one.

If you look at the citizen quotes, it’s evident input was received from Portlanders who are very clear on their support for public education with desegregation and strong neighborhood schools. The language chosen in the numbered Vision statements doesn’t reflect the comments. Here are all the quotations, with my bold emphasis added:

“I think great cities start with great schools.”

“[My vision for Portland:] All children attend their neighborhood school and there are NO segregated classrooms.”

“My future Portland…is famous across the nation for its successful educational system: students flourish here and feel respected, no matter their race or economic background.”

“I want middle class families to flock back to PPS because it offers creative and substantial academic programs.”

“[In the future,] PSU has turned into a well-funded major research institution yet maintained its come-one-come-all educational atmosphere.”

How are those comments reflected in the VisionPDX objectives? They aren’t. Where is the flowery language and where are the strings of superlatives for this aspect of The Good Life in Portland? Not there. Instead, we get “Every Portlander has the opportunity to achieve…”, and “Portland provides adequate training…”. Really? The best we can hope for is an opportunity to achieve, rather than actually achieving? Adequate training, not excellent training?

If the City Council accepts this section of the Vision without amendment, after nearly three years of sitting through presentations every Wednesday morning answering Mayor Potter’s question, “How are the children doing”, I will have to conclude not one of the five members has listened. And that not one cares about public schools, PSU, and the community colleges more than they care about private education. I hope that is not true. It is certainly not true for most Portlanders.

VisionPDX should be amended to state ongoing support of citizens, businesses, and government for all five of our public school districts.

Excellent public schools are crucial to the health of our city’s working families, local and global businesses, and citizens requiring educated students to meet their service needs. VisionPDX must say so, clearly and unequivocally.