Our goal is for the Lake Oswego School District to require one semester of Ethnic Studies for all high school students.

What Is Ethnic Studies?

Ethnic Studies tells the stories and histories of marginalized groups from their perspective. It empowers students to question dominant narratives and white supremacy, as well as embrace their cultural and ethnic backgrounds with pride.

Why should Ethnic Studies be mandatory?

It teaches the histories that are usually sidelined and ignored.

Ethnic Studies has been shown to improve critical thinking capabilities, as well as produce better academic outcomes among marginalized students. It allows those students to feel heard and accepted, and also gives white students the opportunity to unlearn harmful stereotypes and myths that encourage white supremacist ideology.

Support the campaign by submitting public testimony

You can …

• Submit a written letter to the Lake Oswego School Board.
• Deliver in-person testimony at an LOSD School Board meeting.

How to submit testimony

For written testimony, you can start with this template: Sample letter for Ethnic Studies Campaign

Copy, paste and personalize this into an email to the school board. Send the letter to: losdschoolboard@loswego.k12.or.us

For in-person testimony, follow their instructions for providing testimony on the Lake Oswego School District website. 

Other ways to get involved

• Tell your friends & family!
• Attend a volunteer info session on October 11, 1-3pm at Lake Oswego United Church of Christ. This will be held during the Direct Action Committee Meeting.
• If you would like to be more directly involved with the campaign, please contact respondtoracisminlo@gmail.com.

Sources

• Pires, Fernanda. “Study Looks at Impact of Ethnic Studies on High School Students”, The University Record,  Umich.edu, 2023  
• University, Stanford, et al. “Stanford GSE Study Suggests Academic Benefits to Ethnic Studies Courses.” Stanford Graduate School of Education, 11 Jan. 2016,
• Gina Starfield, Why ethnic studies matters, Yale University
• Cassie Darrow, White people need ethnic studies, Yale University 
• HB2845 2017 Regular Session – Oregon Legislative Information System 
• LOHS Alum Anna Nakano-Baker Shares Story About Problematic Japanese History Lesson, Life After the Bubble series, YouTube
• Life After the Bubble Preview Compilation, Life After the Bubble Series, YouTube
• Farbodd Ganjifard (Full Interview) | Life After the Bubble, Life After the Bubble Series, YouTube

View the presentation slides from the call.

Toolkit for schools

Oregon for All also provided a School Toolkit that is a valuable tool for Schools and School Districts to protect school communities threatened with Immigration Enforcement. Oregon Public Schools brings families, educators and the community together to educate Oregon’s future. The Trump administration has made it clear that immigration arrests and other immigration enforcement law will be allowed at schools. This leaves some families fearful of sending their kids to school. This toolkit is a good starting point for staff, administrators, and school districts to safeguard schools so that all Oregonian students feel safe and welcome to pursue the education that we all deserve.

Centering the needs of families

Centering the needs of immigrant families was a key discussion point of the mass call. Specifically, an attendee asked about the news that the Macadam ICE facility violated its agreement with the City of Portland and what the ramifications could be if it closed. Presenters from IMA shared that while the larger goal is to abolish ICE and shutdown these facilities, abolition is also about creating the systems that better serve people and while those systems don’t currently exist, closing the ICE facility right now might create more obstacles for the families they’re trying to protect. They shared the following article from Street Roots to highlight the nuance of the situation: Feds’ closure of ICE building blocks

Get involved

The mass call encouraged attendees to get involved with Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC). Among other actions, the group recently successfully mobilized concerned citizens to keep watch at Portland schools in response to local parents being detained by ICE agents earlier in the week. If you’d like to be a part of ICE Watch Trainings or stay involved, please fill out the PIRC Volunteer form.

Follow @pdx_pali_boost for other ways you can get involved and be an asset to your community! Thank you for looking out for one another.

RELEASE DATE:
Wednesday, August 20, 2025

LAKE OSWEGO, OR — Respond to Racism (RtR) in collaboration with the Lake Oswego Public Library (LOPL), and the Arts Council of Lake Oswego (ACLO) have extended the deadline for their public art Request for Proposals (RFP). This major public art opportunity ($31,000 commission) is open to Oregon-based artists and artist teams until Sunday, August 31, 2025, at 11:59 pm PST.

The project will commission original, site-specific artworks to be installed at the exterior of the Lake Oswego Public Library, including:

• Interpretive panel(s): Sharing historically relevant and accurate information about the history of racism in Lake Oswego, centering residents of color, and reflecting the City’s aspiration to be free of racism.
• Sidewalk stamps: Text and/or imagery embedded into the sidewalks along 4th Street between D and E Avenues to spark reflection and dialogue.

The grant award for the commission is $31,000, inclusive of design, materials, fabrication, installation, and related expenses. Selected work is intended to become part of the City of Lake Oswego’s permanent public art collection, with installation expected by summer 2026.

“This art installation seeks to create a vision of hope and healing in Lake Oswego by engaging the community with local BIPOC histories and aspirations for the future. Respond to Racism envisions a Lake Oswego where BIPOC community members are not simply tolerated, but empowered to thrive. This is especially important in this political climate where community members are being terrorized by ICE and increasingly militarized police forces while federal, state and local governments roll back DEI policies in real time. Public art can be a powerful tool for inspiring change and with very few installations that center BIPOC communities currently in Lake Oswego’s permanent collection, this is a prime opportunity to create the change we wish to see,” said Bruce Poinsette, Executive Director, Respond to Racism. “By extending the deadline, we hope to ensure that this opportunity is accessible to a wide pool of artists and that it reaches the communities whose stories this project seeks to honor.”

Library Director, Melissa Kelly, says “The Lake Oswego Public Library welcomes everyone. We want the entire community to feel a sense of belonging at the library and are very excited to add an art installation that will be a visible symbol of inclusion, empowerment and healing.”

The RFP is open to artists at all stages of their careers, with strong consideration given to projects led by Black, Indigenous, and artists of color. Proposals that incorporate community engagement, social justice themes, and historical storytelling are especially encouraged.

Key Dates:

• RFP Opened: July 15, 2025
• New Deadline: August 31, 2025
• Artist Selection Notification: October 22, 2025
• Public Unveiling: Summer 2026

How to Apply:
Proposals must be submitted through the RtR application form by 11:59 pm pst on Sunday, August 31, 2025: https://forms.gle/hZbRC6RjAq8vJcY18.

The full RFP with art installation requirements, site photos, informational session recording, and additional resources are available on the Respond to Racism website: https://respondtoracism.org/request-for-proposal-public-art-installation/

About Respond to Racism

Respond to Racism is a community-led nonprofit created to disrupt racism in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and Clackamas County. Through education, dialogue, and action, RtR builds awareness, fosters resilience, and mobilizes community members and institutions to create a more inclusive and equitable society.

About Lake Oswego Public Library

The Lake Oswego Public Library cultivates wellbeing and inspires discovery by welcoming all people to read, learn, and connect. Through a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Library champions lifelong learning and community engagement for residents of all ages and backgrounds.

About Arts Council of Lake Oswego

The Arts Council of Lake Oswego manages the City’s public art program and is dedicated to ensuring art is accessible, inclusive, and integral to civic life. Through stewardship of the permanent art collection and public programming, ACLO connects residents and visitors with meaningful artistic experiences.

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Other panel participants included

• Kimberly S. Moreland – President, Oregon Black Pioneers
• Emmett Wheatfall – Poet
• David F Walker – Author, Educator, Armchair Historian Mr. Walker is one of the authors of the Eisner-nominated “Big Jim and the White Boy”. The book is one of the One Community, One Book selections. Copies are available at the Library.

First question – Do you have a brief bio you’d like me to include? I imagine most people know you, but if there’s some fresh stuff, please add it in.

My name is Bruce AD Poinsette. I’m a writer and semi-retired journalist. For the last year and half, I’ve been serving as Executive Director of Respond to Racism (RtR). I’ve been involved with the organization since the third community meeting in 2017. I grew up in Lake Oswego (LO) and graduated from Lake Oswego High School in 2007. Throughout my time living in LO and then doing organizing work here, I’ve published essays on the experience so that dominant institutions and disconnected white people aren’t the only voices controlling the narrative, telling future generations that everything was fine because no one said anything. They include the following:

• Lake Oswego’s Worst Kept Secret (2012): 
• I Dream an Oregon (2020): 
• The Lesson (2025): 

What changes did you and the leadership team find necessary to drive the sustainability of RtR in your year+ tenure?

We’ve made a few key changes since January 2024. The first was bringing in more current and former LO students of color in particular and younger people in general into various aspects of RtR decision making. Historically, RtR’s base has been retirees, but throughout these nearly eight years, student activism has been the heart of this work, producing the most enthusiasm and community engagement.

To that end, this demographic shift created an atmosphere for the second big change, which in itself has three aspects: 1) developing a theory of change, 2) de-centering whiteness in our approach and 3) making a commitment to move towards becoming an abolitionist organization. I’ll be honest, these changes have rubbed some in the RtR community, particularly in LO, the wrong way. However, that conflict created an opportunity to pursue the third major change, which isn’t really a change at all, to “expand” our scope to Clackamas County. The reason I say this isn’t a change and put the idea of expansion in quotes is because RtR has always depended on non-LO residents to power key aspects of the work and we’ve been engaged in activities and collaboration with organizations throughout the county our entire existence. However, with this official shift in scope, we hope to continue building relationships throughout the county and sharing resources that educate and empower communities to fight racism.     

What changes would you like to see for RtR in the next, say, 3-5 years?

In many ways, the changes I would like to see are actually just going back to the basics. RtR grew so rapidly in the early days in part because there was a genuine community investment. Life circumstances change and people get tired. These are unavoidable facts of life and organizers must adjust to them.

That said, what I can’t abide by is people patting themselves on the back for a job well done in LO (and definitely not the County) when the reality for those most negatively affected by racism–students of color, isolated workers and parents who don’t know where to go to have their concerns taken seriously–hasn’t changed very much.

I’m proud of the work we’ve done but I never want my organization or myself as an individual to be weaponized to silence people or be used as a symbol to pacify resistance. When I hear dominant institutions like the City and the School District or even long-time RtR community members say that everything is fine because RtR exists, it scares me. The known opposition–Proud Boys, ICE, Patriot Front, Moms for Liberty, politicians that lend their support to fascism, and community members who donate their considerable disposable income to prop up these oppressive forces–are doing what we expect them to do.

When we opt out of pushing back, that’s when they win and, more importantly, harm the most vulnerable in our communities. If we don’t find that sense of collective responsibility and investment in each others’ ability to thrive, not just be tolerated, then we will lose. For some people, that loss will just be the distress that comes from watching people suffer on TV, and that loss is tolerable. For others, that loss could literally be their lives. I fear too many in our community have made it clear that is in fact where they stand, so if there’s one fundamental change I wish to see going forward, it’s the RtR community doing less sitting around and waiting for saviors, and more taking personal responsibility and accountability for moving the needle forward for justice. I refuse to believe that people can’t mobilize for racial justice the same way many in our community mobilize for trees. I refuse to believe the same people who tell me how educated they are and how hard they worked to buy a house in LO are unable to apply the knowledge from the RtR trainings and educational programming and take real, public action for racial justice.

What are you most proud of in terms of your work at RtR in this LO and beyond community?

If I had to pick one thing I’m most proud of during my tenure, it’s the deepening of RtR’s work supporting youth.

The Youth Empowerment Coalition grew from a group primarily based in one high school to a collaboration between LOHS and Lakeridge students, resulting in activities like RtR’s first ever fundraiser gala (which sold out a month in advance), the design of a fall strategic planning series for the community and YEC students taking on leadership roles for initiatives like the push to make ethnic studies mandatory in LOSD schools.

RtR has also continued to financially support student desires for change in the form of the Gloria Brown Scholarship and sponsoring both existing and new student organized events like Asian Cultural Festival and Black Student Union (BSU) Culture Fest, respectively. We also increased the number of workshops we were able to provide for high school students, with sessions on organizing skills and documenting history in collaboration with the Lakeridge GSA, Black Student Union, and Women of Color Alliance this past school year. 

With all that is going on around us in our country and globally, what is your highest vision for our collective future in relation to Joy for Juneteenth, i.e., Freedom Day?

This may seem like a narrow answer but I wish we could collectively take understanding and fighting anti-Blackness seriously. It’s 2025 and I have far too many conversations with decision makers who consider themselves serious people yet think the discussion of anti-Blackness begins and ends with the n-word.

It’s distressing to watch school district officials shrug their shoulders and act helpless when parents ask for support for their students who are being asked for “the pass” to say the n-word by white students because that’s considered a clever loophole for obvious racial harassment. Furthermore, it’s infuriating for district officials to blame the victims and tell Black families that the answer is to simply not say the word themselves. It’s actually enraging for the response to anti-Black incidents to be the same canned talking points, namely that the district hosts an annual visit of the African American History 101 Mobile Museum, does a few Engage to Change discussions with several students and staff a few times a year, and utilizes the No Place for Hate curriculum. Meanwhile, even people who consider themselves allies and accomplices expect Black community members to do all the emotional labor and be their mules in perpetuity as a precondition for engaging with anything having to do with Black issues.

We are still having the tolerance vs. welcoming conversation in 2025 and somehow the bar has shifted even further to the notion that Black residents should just be grateful to be tolerated. That isn’t freedom to me. Having to find acceptance in making white people feel comfortable is just the “big house” dynamic of slavery updated for the laws and social standards of today. To that end, when I think of what a real collective commitment to combating anti-Blackness looks like in Clackamas County, I think it’s an investment in Black self-determination and community building, uplifting local Black history, and the passage of initiatives that directly serve and center Black communities.    

Congratulations to the following Class of 2025 graduating seniors and Respond to Racism Gloria Brown Scholarship recipients!

• Chase Merrill–Lakeridge High School
• Siena Requelme-Cheung–Lakeridge High School
• Joni Delman–Lake Oswego High School
• Diya Deepu–Lake Oswego High School

The Gloria Brown Scholarship for graduating Black, Indigenous, Bi-racial and/or Students of Color was started to honor Gloria’s legacy. Brown wanted to provide opportunities for talented individuals whom, she knew from personal experience, are too-often overlooked for educational and professional opportunities. “Representation counts because of the message to the public about belonging,” Brown once said.

Learn more about Gloria Brown’s story in her own words in the book she co-authored, Black Woman in Green, Gloria Brown and the Unmarked Trail to Forest Service Leadership. 

RtR is launching our next art installation project on Monday with a call for selection panelists.  Community members with experience and passion for local arts, social justice, and/or amplifying BIPOC histories encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted June 2 – June 20, 2025.

The first installation project we did like this was the beautiful Ms. Willie’s Dream mural at City Hall.

• Previous panelist experience not required.
• Panelist will receive a $275 stipend.
• Work to be performed between June and September 2025.
• Community members applying for the public art installation RFP are not eligible to apply.
• Apply before 11:59pm June 20, 2025

Learn more about the project and apply now

Remember to vote in the May 20 election! 

Voters can use the Clackamas County Equity Coalition’s Equity Ratings Guide as a helpful tool for voting with an equity lens.

Candidate: Kasey Adler – Position 4

1. The LOSD website states “the Board appoints advisory committees to consider matters of district-wide importance.”  Beyond “consideration,” what, in your opinion, is the role of the advisory committees (SACs, strategic plan and academic advisory committees)?  How would/do these committees help you in your role as a board member?  What changes would you make to improve the effectiveness of these committees (structure, board interaction, recruitment, agenda-setting)?

The most effective boards seek broad input from the community so they can make informed decisions. I’m currently serving on the Westridge SAC as well as the LO School Foundation Board, both of which engage with the district often, particularly around agenda-setting and prioritization. I would lean into these collaborations with our advisory committees. I will encourage the school board to invite all voices to be heard amidst the board’s deliberations.

Additionally, we should be intentional and focused in seeking broad representation from the community at large in our recruiting efforts. This school board will be most successful when intentionally seeking a diversity of perspectives and opinions.

2. During the February 24 School Board meeting, it was revealed that graduation rates for Hispanic students have dropped and that graduation rates for underserved students have dropped nearly 10%. Reading and math proficiency have also disproportionately dropped for Black elementary students in the district. How will you combat these disparities in education outcomes?   

Those disparities are unacceptable. Everyone should graduate, and we should be working to deliver on that promise. We also need to recalibrate our performance metrics so we can more accurately identify where we must improve and where we must seek additional help and support for struggling students.

In our district’s next strategic plan, we should be asking thoughtful questions about how we can best serve all the communities in our district, particularly the underserved.

3. How do you envision the LOSD Board of Directors and the district engaging with community based sustainability and antiracism organizations? For example, the Coalition of Communities of Color’s “Cultivating Belonging in Clackamas County” report recommends dominant institutions partner with community based organizations and provides suggestions for effectively and ethically approaching those partnerships. 

Collaboration and partnering is incredibly important to our success as a district. We should be leaning into the collaborations with the culture of belonging committee, the long range facilities planning committee, as well as the city’s sustainability advisory board towards implementing the CCC’s recommendations wherever possible. This is about ongoing dialogue, as I believe these collaborations thus far have moved the needle in our district. For example, it’s been fantastic to see solar panels being installed at our schools, as well as seeing earthquake retrofitting as a priority in the district’s bond proposals. The schools we’ve been building in Lake Oswego are gold standard for recycling and sustainability – it’s wonderful we’re acting to take care of our environment. I believe that new capital projects in our district should have sustainability planning incorporated upstream in their development. Working hand in hand with our community-based organizations will be key to effective implementation of those plans.

4. Teach and Practice Sustainability is a pillar in the current strategic plan. Do you support including sustainability in the next strategic plan?  Why or why not?  How would you like to see sustainable practices addressed by the district in the future? 

I 100% support including sustainability in the next strategic plan. It has been prioritized within our bond strategy as well and the results so far have been great to see. Operationally, we can reinforce the importance of this subject through daily practices. For example, simple processes like how we handle our garbage and recycling at our schools can be impactful – always with the goal in mind of achieving a net zero effect on our environment. And we should continue to include sustainability within all of our capital improvement projects in the future.

5. We’ve heard from current and former students that taking Ethnic Studies helps them feel better prepared to work with people from diverse backgrounds. Will you support reinstating Ethnic Studies and making it mandatory? If so, how will you go about it? If not, why?

To go even broader, I believe Ethnic Studies should be incorporated into the whole fabric of our curriculum; embracing different cultures, how and why people are different, and how we can all support each other. We should consider a curriculum review and instructional roadmap, K-12, to see what gaps exist in these efforts, and work with the superintendent to ensure we’re addressing deficiencies. We should also invite feedback from teachers and students on how we can supplement these efforts, and get students involved in sustainability-related projects early and often, both inside the buildings and in the community.

6. We have heard from our students that climate literacy is critical to be prepared for life after graduation.  How would you ensure our students are learning about the climate crisis at all grade levels? 

Emphasizing science curriculum at the elementary levels is a good place to start, followed by rigorous science course offerings at the middle/high school levels to reinforce a strong foundation in these subjects. Of all the hits to our students’ proficiency scores in Lake Oswego, science has been the most profound. Our 11^th grade scores have dropped from 81% a decade ago to just 44% last year. If we want our children to be prepared to contribute to the health of our environment after graduation, we should reinvigorate our commitment to science in Lake Oswego, and get students involved in projects across the city.

7. School administrations tend to be reactive rather than proactive when it comes to addressing the needs of BIPOC students. For example, students often have to come to their administrators with requests, and are rarely, if ever, asked what they need unprompted. What steps will you take to ensure that schools are more proactive in addressing the needs of BIPOC students? For example, one of the most common obstacles BIPOC students report is navigating microaggressions. How will you implement a district-wide approach for addressing microaggressions?

Issues like these are important to address early and often – everyone must be respectful to one another. Professional development training for our staff to be responsive to the needs of students of all backgrounds is essential. So is working with the culture of belonging to provide a continuous and consistent sounding board on these efforts, and constantly reinforcing them at our district cultural events and workshops throughout the year.

8. How would you integrate sustainability into the existing curriculum and district operations?  What role do you see professional development playing in support of teaching and practicing sustainability. 

The district should be partnering with local sustainability groups, local universities such as PSU, and allowing its advisory committee to weigh in on staff professional development. Further, reaching out and incorporating best practices from existing city vendors could be helpful. The board should mandate a review process for district vendors and require that they be sustainable in their practices and ensure that sustainability is prioritized in our capital improvement projects. The recent addition of gardens at our schools is another great opportunity to integrate these efforts into our curriculum.

9. How will you address students’ lack of trust in the bias reporting system? How can schools better protect students who file bias reports from peer and staff retaliation? How can you improve accountability from LOSD staff and administrators?

The buck stops with the school board on this issue. Trust in these reporting systems is essential. People want to know that when they take the step to report an incident, action will be taken and that they’ll be protected from retaliation.

The school board should direct the superintendent to ensure that secure communication channels are established for bias incident reporting and hold staff accountable in their implementation. Those channels must allow for anonymous submissions and must be investigated by the district in a transparent manner.

10. School board members oversee the district’s budget.  For the sections of the budget over which the board has discretionary authority, how do you approach evaluating and prioritizing what should be included both generally and specifically with respect to equity and sustainability?

To the extent the board has discretionary authority, one of my top priorities will be to protect our ability to deliver an individualized education in Lake Oswego. The education we offer can never become one-size-fits-all. Whether it be special education support, STEM, the arts, or advanced studies, we must prioritize protecting these offerings in the face of cost cutting pressures, or we risk losing much of what has made our school district so remarkable. Students engage with school in different ways – and the ability to pursue their passions and draw on specific supports to do so is a huge contributing factor to that sense of belonging we seek to create and sustain.

I would continue to prioritize equity, belonging, and sustainability within our budget planning, and support directing administration to center these initiatives amidst our upcoming strategic plan.

Remember to vote in the May 20 election! 

Voters can use the Clackamas County Equity Coalition’s Equity Ratings Guide as a helpful tool for voting with an equity lens.

Candidate: Lena Elbakshish – Position 2

1. The LOSD website states “the Board appoints advisory committees to consider matters of district-wide importance.” Beyond “consideration,” what, in your opinion, is the role of the advisory committees (SACs, strategic plan and academic advisory committees)? How would/do these committees help you in your role as a board member? What changes would you make to improve the effectiveness of these committees (structure, board interaction, recruitment, agenda-setting)?

A: While the Board tasks advisory committees with “considering” district-wide matters, I believe their role should go beyond that to include influencing, informing, and advising on key decisions. Committees like SACs, strategic planning, and academic advisory groups should serve as a bridge between the community and the board—bringing forward diverse perspectives, surfacing unmet needs, and identifying opportunities the School Board might otherwise miss. 

To improve effectiveness, I’d advocate for: 

• Clearer mandates and scopes so committee work is purposeful and aligned with board goals. 
• More diverse recruitment, including outreach to underrepresented voices. ● Structured collaboration with the board, which could include regular joint sessions and/or frequent, structured reporting. 
• More transparency in agenda-setting, allowing community members and students to suggest topics. 

2. During the February 24 School Board meeting, it was revealed that graduation rates for Hispanic students have dropped and that graduation rates for underserved students have dropped nearly 10%. Reading and math proficiency have also disproportionately dropped for Black elementary students in the district. How will you combat these disparities in education outcomes? 

A: The recent data is unacceptable and deeply concerning. Every student—regardless of background—deserves equitable opportunity and support to succeed. Here’s how I’d approach closing these gaps: 

• Data transparency: Disaggregate and publish achievement data regularly. ● Targeted supports: Expand tutoring, culturally responsive teaching, and mentorship programs for underserved students. 
• Early intervention: Identify students at risk of falling behind earlier, particularly in elementary grades. 
• Community engagement: Partner with families and community leaders to co-create solutions. 
• Accountability: Ensure school leaders have measurable equity goals and are held accountable for progress.

3. How do you envision the LOSD Board of Directors and the district engaging with community based sustainability and antiracism organizations? For example, the Coalition of Communities of Color’s “Cultivating Belonging in Clackamas County” report recommends dominant institutions partner with community based organizations and provides suggestions for effectively and ethically approaching those partnerships. 

A: The LOSD board should actively seek partnerships with organizations like the Coalition of Communities of Color. These groups bring expertise, lived experience, and community trust. We must: 

• Approach as collaborators, not just benefactors—sharing power and decision-making. 
• Fund partnerships so they’re sustainable. 
• Co-create programs, particularly around belonging, mental health, and culturally specific supports. 

4. Teach and Practice Sustainability is a pillar in the current strategic plan. Do you support including sustainability in the next strategic plan? Why or why not? How would you like to see sustainable practices addressed by the district in the future? 

A: Absolutely, sustainability should remain a pillar. It’s critical for the well-being of our students, our planet, and our community’s future. Sustainability education helps students become thoughtful, informed global citizens, and aligning district operations with sustainable practices models that commitment. 

I’d like to see: 

• Green building standards for all renovations and new construction. ● School gardens and composting programs to engage students hands-on.
• Energy efficiency audits and shifts to renewable energy. 
• Student-led climate action projects, integrated into curriculum and leadership opportunities. 

5. We’ve heard from current and former students that taking Ethnic Studies helps them feel better prepared to work with people from diverse backgrounds. Will you support reinstating Ethnic Studies and making it mandatory? If so, how will you go about it? If not, why? 

A: Yes, I support reinstating Ethnic Studies and making it a core graduation requirement. It prepares students to work in diverse environments and fosters empathy, understanding, and critical thinking. To make it happen: 

• Partner with educators and community members to design the curriculum. ● Provide training and support for teachers. 
• Ensure it’s well-resourced and embedded into core subject areas.

6. We have heard from our students that climate literacy is critical to be prepared for life after graduation. How would you ensure our students are learning about the climate crisis at all grade levels? 

A: We need a K–12 approach to climate education: 

• Integrate climate topics into science, social studies, and even language arts at age-appropriate levels. 
• Partner with local environmental groups for guest speakers, field trips, and project-based learning. 
• Empower student voices to lead climate advocacy initiatives. 

7. School administrations tend to be reactive rather than proactive when it comes to addressing the needs of BIPOC students. For example, students often have to come to their administrators with requests, and are rarely, if ever, asked what they need unprompted. What steps will you take to ensure that schools are more proactive in addressing the needs of BIPOC students? For example, one of the most common obstacles BIPOC students report is navigating microaggressions. How will you implement a district-wide approach for addressing microaggressions?

A: We must shift from reactive to proactive. Steps I’d advocate for: 

• Routine listening sessions with BIPOC students and families—on their terms. 
• Culturally responsive professional development for all staff.
• School climate audits, including qualitative and quantitative data on student experiences. 
• Clear district-wide protocols for addressing microaggressions, with accountability for follow-through. 

8. How would you integrate sustainability into the existing curriculum and district operations? What role do you see professional development playing in support of teaching and practicing sustainability. 

A: I believe that sustainability can be woven into science, economics, literature, and more subject. Operationally, we can: 

• Adopt green procurement policies. 
• Promote low-waste cafeterias. 
• Include sustainability goals in every school improvement plan. 

Sustainability isn’t just about recycling. It’s an overall mindset that should be considered as part of decision making.

Professional development is crucial—we must empower teachers to confidently bring sustainability themes into their classrooms, using real-world examples and interdisciplinary learning. 

9. How will you address students’ lack of trust in the bias reporting system? How can schools better protect students who file bias reports from peer and staff retaliation? How can you improve accountability from LOSD staff and administrators? A: To rebuild trust in the bias reporting system: 

• Ensure anonymity and protection for students who file reports. ● Publicly share aggregate data on reports and resolutions. 
• Follow up with students who file reports to ensure support and closure. ● Hold staff accountable with consistent consequences and restorative practices. 

We also need student oversight or advisory groups to provide feedback on the system and its effectiveness. 

10. School board members oversee the district’s budget. For the sections of the budget over which the board has discretionary authority, how do you approach evaluating and prioritizing what should be included both generally and specifically with respect to equity and sustainability? 

A: I approach budgeting as a reflection of our values. We must bring transparency, rigor, and community input into these decisions. When discretionary funds are available, I’d prioritize: 

• Resource allocation, meaning more investment where needs are greatest. ● Sustainability projects that yield long-term savings and educational benefits. 
• Program evaluation: Are we funding what actually works? Are outcomes equitable?

Remember to vote in the May 20 election! 

Voters can use the Clackamas County Equity Coalition’s Equity Ratings Guide as a helpful tool for voting with an equity lens.

Candidate: Katherine (Kate) Lupton – Position 4

School Board Candidate Questions – Kate Lupton  

1. The LOSD website states “the Board appoints advisory committees to  consider matters of district-wide importance.” Beyond “consideration,”  what, in your opinion, is the role of the advisory committees (SACs, strategic  plan and academic advisory committees)? How would/do these  committees help you in your role as a board member? What changes would  you make to improve the effectiveness of these committees (structure,  board interaction, recruitment, agenda-setting)? 

One of my priorities as an LOSD School Board member is to empower the  community to provide input to the Lake Oswego School Board. This can be  achieved by increasing opportunities for students and families to connect with  board members, in both formal and informal settings. Improved feedback can be  gathered by seeking out and prioritizing feedback from teachers and staff in the  district. And finally, we must partner with stakeholder groups such as Stand for  Children, LOSN, Oswego Lake Watershed Council, Prep LO, LO for Love and  Respond to Racism to incorporate neighborhood perspectives in School Board  decisions. 

2. During the February 24 School Board meeting, it was revealed that  graduation rates for Hispanic students have dropped and that graduation  rates for underserved students have dropped nearly 10%. Reading and  math proficiency have also disproportionately dropped for Black elementary  students in the district. How will you combat these disparities in education  outcomes?    

It is my priority to ensure that our School Board includes best practices and  innovative research in every decision. We must create policies that adapt to  current best practices and technologies. We must partner with teachers to develop  more targeted training and support in current best practice reading and math  techniques. We can provide training so that teachers can evolve with best  practices and research, creating a teacher that is able to adapt and evolve with  new innovations in our community and in our nation. We can lean on organizations  such as Stand For Children (a group which endorsed me in this race), to guide us  on best practices to life scores for reading proficiency. 

As a student in Salem-Keizer Public Schools, I attended Englewood Elementary,  Parrish Middle School, Waldo Middle School, and North Salem High School. By  the end of my K-12 education, I had received the equivalent of a full school year  less instructional time than students who completed their education other cities in  our nation. This calculation is made by taking into account the number of  instructional days provided for our students per year. 

I believe all students in Oregon deserve a school year that includes 180  instructional days per year, on par with the majority of the states in our nation. We  must give our students the opportunity to start their classes in August, which will  in turn give them a fair chance at achieving high ranking scores on national  Advanced Placement tests and standardized exams. 

3. How do you envision the LOSD Board of Directors and the district engaging  with community based sustainability and antiracism organizations? For  example, the Coalition of Communities of Color’s “Cultivating Belonging in  Clackamas County” report recommends dominant institutions partner with  community based organizations and provides suggestions for effectively  and ethically approaching those partnerships.  

One of my priorities as an LOSD School Board member is to empower the  community to provide input to the Lake Oswego School Board. Improved  community feedback must be found by partnering with stakeholder groups such  as Stand for Children, LOSN, Oswego Lake Watershed Council, Prep LO, LO for  Love and Respond to Racism to incorporate sustainability and antiracism  perspectives in School Board decisions. One way to do this would be to invite  each of the organizations mentioned above to present to the School Board at least  once per school year, providing their recommendations for best practices and  ideas to improve our schools. 

4. Teach and Practice Sustainability is a pillar in the current strategic plan. Do  you support including sustainability in the next strategic plan? Why or why  not?  How would you like to see sustainable practices addressed by the  district in the future?  

I am a candidate greatly values sustainability, and has proven this in our Lake  Oswego community through both my words and my actions. In 2021, I was  endorsed by the Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV), after an extensive  endorsement process. This is because I am a candidate that values our native  species, our tree canopy, and environmental best practices in our schools. 

Some ideas for sustainable action include: 

• Electrifying our fleet of school buses 
• Focusing on green infrastructure throughout the school district- which is  more than just planting trees! I have a Backyard Certified Habitat and know  the true meaning of green infrastructure.  
• Developing an actionable climate change plan for the district
• Banning gas powered blowers and lawn mowers and switch fully to electric  options 

5. We’ve heard from current and former students that taking Ethnic Studies  helps them feel better prepared to work with people from diverse  backgrounds. Will you support reinstating Ethnic Studies and making it  mandatory? If so, how will you go about it? If not, why? 

As a student of Education Policy at Johns Hopkins University, we focused heavily  on equity work, protecting vulnerable students, and supporting voices from all  backgrounds and cultures. Both my degree and my experiences in Baltimore and  in Salem prepared me well for classroom teaching and for leadership.  

In our graduate work, we focused extensively on DEI and CRT best practices and  techniques. After receiving my M.S.Ed. degree from Johns Hopkins University, I  was able to apply the DEI and CRT practices from my degree program in my  Baltimore classroom on a daily basis, to great success.  

It is important that all children feel included and honored, and can see themselves  reflected in their curriculum. I am passionate about the importance of such  programs, and I feel they should be included in public school curriculums.  

6. We have heard from our students that climate literacy is critical to be  prepared for life after graduation. How would you ensure our students are  learning about the climate crisis at all grade levels?  

As a School Board member and environmentalist, I will always champion climate  literacy in our LOSD public schools. I will prioritize climate literacy and ensure that  students are learning about the climate crisis at all grade levels. 

7. School administrations tend to be reactive rather than proactive when it  comes to addressing the needs of BIPOC students. For example, students  often have to come to their administrators with requests, and are rarely, if  ever, asked what they need unprompted. What steps will you take to ensure  that schools are more proactive in addressing the needs of BIPOC  students? For example, one of the most common obstacles BIPOC  students report is navigating microaggressions. How will you implement a  district-wide approach for addressing microaggressions? 

I am the proud product of an Oregon public school education, which is why I  prioritize and champion inclusion and special education efforts, rigorous academic  offerings throughout the district, quality curriculum design, and parent and student input. Nothing is more important to me providing an equitable education and  providing opportunities for all of our students to succeed.  

While living in Baltimore, I taught in the Baltimore City Public Schools and  participated with my high school students in the “Advocacy Project”–a program I  founded that partners students with diverse urban neighborhood groups. This  program’s goal was to increase student awareness of BIPOC communities in  Baltimore and to allow students to connect personally with community members  who may have had different backgrounds and life experiences. I fully believe that  there are ways to incorporate racial awareness into our curriculum, and I will  always champion these efforts. 

As a student of Education policy, I learned that the most effective policy is policy  that is responsive to community needs. Policy is a living instrument that must be  responsive, transparent, flexible, and accountable. This applies especially to  school district policy. 

I was bullied extensively as a student in the Salem-Keizer public schools, and I  know that I will be able listen to and prioritize feedback from our BIPOC students. I  look forward to hearing their ideas on how to best address the microaggresions  that they face daily, and together we can develop solutions to best support our  students. 

8. How would you integrate sustainability into the existing curriculum and  district operations? What role do you see professional development playing  in support of teaching and practicing sustainability.  

As a high school Spanish teacher, I participated with my high school students in  the Advocacy Project–a program I founded that partners students with diverse  urban neighborhood groups. This program’s goal was to increase student  awareness of BIPOC communities and to allow students to connect personally  with community members whose backgrounds and life experiences may have  differed from their own. I fully believe that there are ways to incorporate racial  awareness into our curriculum, and I will always champion these efforts. To learn  more about The Advocacy Project, please visit www.theimmersiveclassroom.com.  

9. How will you address students’ lack of trust in the bias reporting system?  How can schools better protect students who file bias reports from peer and  staff retaliation? How can you improve accountability from LOSD staff and  administrators? 

We could have administrators from the school district or school board members  give presentations in middle and high school classrooms in Lake Oswego,  educating students (and their teachers) about the bias reporting system. These  yearly presentations at the start of the school year, to individual classrooms, would  go a long way towards normalizing the bias reporting system.  

The district could make a podcast on the subject, and send out notices in parent  newsletters. We could also give presentations in elementary school classrooms, so  that early on students are exposed to the bias reporting system, and it can be  normalized for all students in our schools.  

Another idea is to form a parent collation of volunteers who review all of the cases  from the bias reporting system at least once a month, to ensure that LOSD staff and administrators are held accountable and decrease retaliation. 

10. School board members oversee the district’s budget. For the sections of  the budget over which the board has discretionary authority, how do you  approach evaluating and prioritizing what should be included both generally  and specifically with respect to equity and sustainability? 

I have spent January, February, and March listening to Lake Oswego residents  from many diverse backgrounds, at meetings, on school playgrounds, and often  over a cup of hot coffee. I feel privileged to have the time to listen to our  community’s concerns and hope for the future of our school system.  

Throughout these winter months I met with parents from the elementary, middle,  and high schools of Lake Oswego. I met with students, administrators and  teachers throughout the district. I met with current and former school board  members, city council members, and community leaders. 

I am a listener. I gather perspectives and ideas to best promote the constituents  that I represent, and I will always listen and ask questions before prioritizing  discretionary funds, to make sure that I include the best solutions for both equity  and sustainability in our district.