COVID-19 Reminds Us How Interconnected We Are
We’re witnessing the value of Oregon's teachers and early learning providers, doctors and nurses, public servants, and so many more.

03/18/20 ∞ MIN READ
Whitney Grubbs is the Executive Director of Chalkboard Project / Foundations for a Better Oregon.
Whitney Grubbs is the Executive Director of Chalkboard Project / Foundations for a Better Oregon.
On an ordinary day, Oregonians risk forgetting how interconnected we are. But no matter how divided our state may sometimes feel, or how many miles separate our homes, these days remind us how closely our lives are bound together.
As we navigate a pandemic, we’re witnessing the value of our teachers and early learning providers, our doctors and nurses, our leaders and public servants, and so many others. We’re witnessing the interconnected nature of our education, health, social service, and economic systems. We’re witnessing why good data is critical, and why sharing data across regions and systems matters.
And at least for the moment, no one is questioning that protecting and supporting the most vulnerable among us is essential to the strength of our communities, and our imperative as Oregonians.
I’m hopeful that when we emerge from crisis, we will hold on to our compassionate spirit and collaborative mindset. It’s exactly what we need to proactively build a better Oregon for our children.
The short legislative session has ended with a failure to answer the calls of youth and community leaders to stand up for racial justice in public education.
FBO and the Oregon Partners for Education Justice (OPEJ) are urging lawmakers to invest in professional development for ethnic studies in Oregon.
State lawmakers collaborated with the Oregon Partners for Education Justice to strengthen the Student Success Act and pass equity-driven policy for children.
Oregon must affirm that investment in educational equity is not a luxury or a supplement—it is essential.
Amid the backlash against critical race theory, we need to build shared vision for inclusive schools and learning.
A new toolkit from the Oregon Department Education will guide schools toward more inclusive and participatory decision-making.
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