Gov. Kate Brown shows a signed copy of the Student Success Act to Waldo Middle School students at a May 20, 2019 ceremony at Washington Elementary School. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
After signing a $2 billion tax bill and education spending package into law last week, Gov. Kate Brown on Monday visited Washington Elementary School for a celebratory ceremony.
“Our schools haven’t had the resources they need to give students the attention they need,” Brown said.
Sen. Arnie Roblan, a Coos Bay Democrat and co-chair of the Joint Committee on Student Success speaks about his experience as a high school principal facing shrinking resources. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, stands with legislators and students during the ceremony. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Surrounding the governor were students from Sarah Ferguson-Mañon’s class at Waldo Middle School. Her 45 students have recently come to the U.S. as immigrants and refugees, and held signs displaying their future goals as their teacher and the governor spoke.
“Our public education system has touted the promise of being the great equalizer,” Ferguson-Mañon said. “But in fact when we have systemic inequalities what happens is it perpetuates the creation of a permanent underclass.”
She said the new funding represented the first time in her career local schools would be adequately funded.
“One of my students from Uganda said right away said, ‘Please tell the governor that we are not going to waste it.’ He didn’t mean the money. He meant the educational opportunity,” she said.
Waldo Middle School students share their goals as Gov. Brown signs copies of the bill. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Chavez Elementary teacher Sharlee Blackwell speaks about the impact funding will have on her students. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Gov. Kate Brown signs ceremonial copies of the Student Success Act. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
Follow Salem Reporter on FACEBOOK and on TWITTER.
SUBSCRIBE TO SALEM REPORTER — For $10 a month, you hire our entire news team to work for you all month digging out the news of Salem and state government. You get breaking news alerts, emailed newsletters and around-the-clock access to our stories. We depend on subscribers to pay for in-depth, accurate news. Help us grow and get better with your subscription. Sign up HERE.
Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.
