Help Ezell Hold PPS Accountable
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Community, please let's support my fellow liberation worker, classmate and friend Ezell Watson. He is fighting to create change in the Portland Public School system and could really use our support.
PPS continues to attempt to silence the voices of current and former Black staff and students. On May 11, 2021 Ezell gave testimony about the district’s anti-Black culture and practices to the board. The board chair abruptly rushed him to conclude his remarks with little regard for hearing the concerns he expressed.
We are stepping forward to let you know that Ezell's experience is not a solitary, isolated experience. The anti-Black sentiment that has been fostered under the current administration toward Black staff (particularly staff that served under the previous administration) must be addressed. This experience is not limited to Black staff or staff that served under Carole Smith. Staff that speak out, question Equity 2.0, and/or seek to disrupt and de-center whiteness are also penalized, marginalized, isolated, targeted, and pushed out.
We are stepping forward as our country is in the midst of a racial reckoning. We believe that the manner in which this broken system treats the adults working for it, is how the system treats the students we have a nearly sacred obligation to serve. Since silence is tantamount to being complicit with the oppressor. we step forward in fear and with hope for building a better version of Portland Public Schools. Our students, families, employees and the entire community deserve no less.
To that end, we are seeking to garner the resources needed to mount and execute a thorough and complete inquiry into PPS’s anti-Black culture and practices. To learn more about our efforts and to contribute to this process, please contact Ezell Watson III at [email redacted]
PPS continues to attempt to silence the voices of current and former Black staff and students. On May 11, 2021 Ezell gave testimony about the district’s anti-Black culture and practices to the board. The board chair abruptly rushed him to conclude his remarks with little regard for hearing the concerns he expressed.
We are stepping forward to let you know that Ezell's experience is not a solitary, isolated experience. The anti-Black sentiment that has been fostered under the current administration toward Black staff (particularly staff that served under the previous administration) must be addressed. This experience is not limited to Black staff or staff that served under Carole Smith. Staff that speak out, question Equity 2.0, and/or seek to disrupt and de-center whiteness are also penalized, marginalized, isolated, targeted, and pushed out.
We are stepping forward as our country is in the midst of a racial reckoning. We believe that the manner in which this broken system treats the adults working for it, is how the system treats the students we have a nearly sacred obligation to serve. Since silence is tantamount to being complicit with the oppressor. we step forward in fear and with hope for building a better version of Portland Public Schools. Our students, families, employees and the entire community deserve no less.
To that end, we are seeking to garner the resources needed to mount and execute a thorough and complete inquiry into PPS’s anti-Black culture and practices. To learn more about our efforts and to contribute to this process, please contact Ezell Watson III at [email redacted]
Organizer and beneficiary
Chauntel Norris
Organizer
Portland, OR
Ezell Watson
Beneficiary