PORTLAND -- A proposed merger of Jefferson High School and Benson High School has members of the Jefferson community outraged and accusing the district of institutional racism.
"We have a system that is culturally insensitive and outright racist in its decisions around what happens to people of color in this district," said Jefferson Alum Tony Hopson said during the meeting Monday night.
The room was filled and the crowd was angry. The Jefferson High School community thought it was in the clear. Yet after decades of decisions that many called unwarranted and decades more of what many believed to be institutional racism, change may once again be coming to Jefferson.
"Changes are made and then the people who make the changes leave. They're gone. They're like ghosts. They're Casper. They walk away," said Andy Kulak, a Jefferson teacher.
This weekend at a district board work session, the request was made to evaluate a merged Jefferson-Benson high school.
"The parents, the students are owed equity in education here in Portland. It is our right," said Jefferson parent Marvin Sanders.
The merger would be a drastic departure from Superintendent Carole Smith's proposal. Her plan would leave Jefferson largely untouched, yet bolstered by a curriculum available district wide.
"Despite all that Jefferson did not have to offer me, I made it. I didn't make it by my own merit, I made it because of this community," said Jefferson alum Shereene Sherman.
The request from the board was merely for information. The merger of Jefferson and Benson is nowhere near a done deal, however clearly the board has interest in the concept and that has the Jefferson community insulted and rallying.
"You would never make such an assumption at Lincoln or Wilson or Grant," concluded Hopson.
