Tigard-Tualatin School Board Approves Resolution Condemning Racism And Committing To Being An Anti-Racist District -06/11/20

Tigard-Tualatin, OR – On Monday, June 8, 2020, the Tigard-Tualatin School Board approved Resolution 1920-19 Condemning Racism and Committing to Being an Anti-Racist District. The Resolution, finalized at a virtual Board Work Session prior to the regularly scheduled School Board meeting, was inspired and co-written by Tigard-Tualatin School District (TTSD) students. The School Board, district staff, leadership from district associations, and community partners were present to listen and respond to the students’ stories of personal experiences demonstrating ongoing racism, bias, and hate that plays out in TTSD schools and at district-sponsored events.

“Every single day,” said Abdirahim Mohamoud in reference to the vile and hate-filled names he has been called in “the hallways, during class, at football games.” 

Mohamoud, a junior at Tigard High School (THS) and president of the school’s Black Student Union went on to say, “I have been talking about hate speech since my freshman year. I can’t keep waiting. It’s been enough time. I have a little sister coming to THS next year. A little brother going into his sophomore year. They shouldn’t have to deal with that. Our job is to come to school in a safe environment and learn. And your job as a district is to provide that. I have done my part. Now I’m asking you as a district to do yours.”

“To the students,” said Board Chair Maureen Wolf, “I am grateful for your passion and welcome your call for accountability to us to ensure this work keeps moving forward.”

Reflecting further after the meeting, Chair Wolf added, “Any work that has been done up to today no longer matters as our students continue to fall victim to acts of hate on our watch. I am committed to working together with our students, our associations, staff, and community to create a culture and a reputation at TTSD where all students feel safe, respected, and fully invested in.”

Board Resolution 1920-20 is the result of the tireless advocacy from student leaders in TTSD who are dedicated to creating systems that prevent future acts of racism and hate in district schools.  Joining Mohamoud in the presentation to the School Board included Kavi Shrestha, Co-President of the Tigard-Tualatin Student Union (TTSU) representing THS, Matt Brown, Co-President of the TTSU representing Tualatin High School (TuHS), and Sarah Gentry, a senior and ASB President at THS.

“We have the privilege of living in a cozy suburb that hides us away from a lot of the things that are happening around the world,” said TuHS Senior and Co-President of TTSU Matt Brown. “These things are happening. We have an opportunity here to leave behind a better TTSD than we started with. I’m sad it took what’s happening across the world for people to pay attention but it makes me feel hopeful that when I’m out of here, things are going to start getting better, things will look better and there’s going to be more opportunity for people kids that look like me and speak like the rest of my family to be able to speak up about things they care about.”

Leadership from both the Tigard-Tualatin Employee Association (TTEA) representing district teachers and Oregon Schools Employee Association (OSEA) representing the district’s classified staff participated in the Work Session and attended the virtual School Board meeting in support of the students and to advocate for the proposed Resolution.

“My heart is angered,” said TTEA President Scott Herron. “Having two small children that are going to go to this district, no one should be able to say those things that have been said to students in our hallways. Period. Without exception.”  

“Listening to the students talking about their experiences, my feelings were sadness and shame,” said Tim Manley, president of OSEA Chapter 51 Tigard-Tualatin. “We’re still at this point and the progress we’ve made is clearly not enough. It’s so unfortunate that things that seem so right can take such a long time.”

TTSD will begin immediately to convene students and community to solicit input that will inform the plan to move the tenets of the Resolution forward. Details of this plan will be shared with the public in early July. 

For more information regarding the TTSD School Board, the full recordings of the June 8, 2020 Work Session and Board meeting, and District resources addressing racism visit ttsdschools.org.