Education
NORTH BEND — For Liv Funk and Hailey Smith, reaching a settlement agreement with the North Bend School District means change has finally come.
After years of being bullied for their sexual orientation by both students and staff, they are glad to see the district become a safer place for LGBTQ youth. Because they stood up against discrimination, which included one of their friends being forced to read the Bible as punishment, new policies are being put in place at the district to prevent this from happening again.
WASHINGTON, DC [05/22/18] – Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, a leader on the House Education Committee, questioned Education Secretary Betsy DeVos during the Secretary's first appearance in front of the Committee, 16 months after taking office.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Tuesday that urgent action is needed to keep students safe following last week's school shooting in Texas — but added that local and state governments bear the brunt of responsibility for campus safety.
"We must ensure our children are safe at school. This administration is committed to keeping our nation's students and teachers safe at school," DeVos told the House Education Committee.
From US House of Reps: Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, a leader on the House Education Committee, stood up for students of color who are disproportionately identified for special education services, placed in more restrictive classroom settings, and disciplined at higher rates than their same-age white peers with disabilities.
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici fielded numerous questions from a group of eight, then all 100 students, enrolled in the Rachel Carson environmental magnet school within Five Oaks Middle School in Beaverton.
But even though Bonamici sits on the House education and science committees — and is the top Democrat on the environment subcommittee — many of the questions from the larger audience on Friday, May 11, were similar to those raised at her town hall meetings.
Four Democrats from Oregon's congressional delegation are promising changes for Chemawa Indian School after meeting with tribal representatives and the federal school's leadership in Salem.