Portland teachers union goes on strike
The Portland Association of Teachers hit the picket lines Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. After failing to reach a contract agreement with Portland Public Schools, teachers went on strike for the first time in district history.
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Teacher Melanie Hindman, center, uses her “teacher voice” as she cheers at a Portland Association of Teachers rally held at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023. Hindman teaches French at Lincoln High School in Portland.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Teachers, parents and a few students protest outside of Abernethy Elementary School on the first day of the Portland Public Schools strike in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Capitol Hill Elementary School art teacher Allie Anderson writes a chalk message in front of the school on the first day of the Portland Public Schools strike in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Natalie Pate / OPB
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Teachers and supporters picket at McDaniel High School, Nov. 1, 2023, in Portland, Ore.
Tiffany Camhi / OPB
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Portland Public Schools Board of Education Chair Gary Hollands, center, speaks at a press conference at the PPS district headquarters in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Miriam Van Zandt, center, a second grader at Buckman Elementary School in Portland, Ore., helps lead the chant "We love teachers,” to which the protesters called back, “We love students!” on the first day of the Portland Public Schools strike in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Natalie Pate / OPB
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Brittany Dorris, left, a fifth grade teacher at Capitol Hill Elementary School in Portland, Ore., leads the picket line outside the school on the first day of the Portland Public Schools strike in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Natalie Pate / OPB
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Portland Association of Teachers president Angela Bonilla addresses striking teachers at McDaniel High School on the first day of the Portland Public Schools strike in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Tiffany Camhi / OPB
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The weekly Bike Bus arrives at Abernethy Elementary School in Portland, Ore., to show support for staff participating in the Portland Public Schools strike, Nov. 1, 2023. The strike affects more than 80 campuses districtwide, with the exception of district charter schools. This is the first teacher strike in PPS history.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Winslow Stoertz, 8, left, hugs her teacher Liza Springgate, a third grade teacher at Abernethy Elementary School, on the first day of the Portland Public Schools strike in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Capitol Hill first grade teacher Allyson Casey takes a picture of a pair of students as they show support for teachers on the first day of the Portland Public Schools strike in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Natalie Pate / OPB
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Capitol Hill Elementary School fifth graders Evelyn Hamilton, left, and Kathleen Sanford, right, help with the chalk art and pass out Halloween candy to folks on the picket line in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Natalie Pate / OPB
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Calvin Lafortune, right, a student at Abernethy Elementary School made a sign and joined the picket line on the first day of the Portland Public Schools strike in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Darshanpreet Gill, a career and technical education teacher at McDaniel High School, pickets at the school, Nov. 1, 2023. in Portland, Ore. She’s says class size is her biggest concern. “I currently have just over 30 classes. And it’s very difficult to serve every kid when there’s so many kids. It grinds you down when the reasons you got into this was to serve children and you’re not given the support to do so.”
Tiffany Camhi / OPB
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Jenny Morgan, a counselor at Abernethy Elementary School, leads a chant on the first day of the Portland Public Schools strike in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Mayra Capistran, a social worker at McDaniel High School, pickets at the school, Nov. 1, 2023, in Portland, Ore. “This strike to me means better schools for my child and the students I support.”
Tiffany Camhi / OPB
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Cara Jamison, left, and her daughter Hailey Moore, 8, attend the Portland Association of Teachers rally held at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023. “Seeing what the teachers are dealing with in the classroom, in school, how much they’re doing for the students—I know how much it affects my daughter and she values them. I think it’s important to show support,” says Cara Jamison. Hailey attends Sitton Elementary School and adds, “I think it’s really important to help support our teachers and get what we need and get what our teachers need to help us learn.”
Tiffany Camhi / OPB
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Teachers, parents and a few students protest outside of Abernethy Elementary School on the first day of the Portland Public Schools strike in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Hundreds of people gather at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Ore., to attend a Portland Association of Teachers rally, Nov. 1, 2023.
Tiffany Camhi / OPB
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Despite the pouring rain, hundreds of people attended Portland Association of Teachers rally held at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Despite the pouring rain, hundreds of people attended Portland Association of Teachers rally held at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Courtney Sherman, wearing hat, center, cheers as she attends a Portland Association of Teachers rally held at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023. Sherman is a school climate coach at Peninsula Elementary School in Portland.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Despite the pouring rain, hundreds of people attended Portland Association of Teachers rally held at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Hundreds of people attended Portland Association of Teachers rally held at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Cecily Myart-Cruz, president of United Teachers of Los Angeles, gets the crowd fired up at the Portland Association of Teachers rally held at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Hundreds of people attended Portland Association of Teachers rally held at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Ore., Nov. 1, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
