Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook joined six other Oregon superintendents in a video Wednesday expressing their support for children and families in response to announced and enacted cuts to federal programs and grants that help communities across the state. The goal is to initiate a conversation about the real harm being done to the children of our state.
“Whenever a resource disappears for children and families, it also disappears for schools. Many people rely on schools to fill the gaps, but we cannot continue to do so. The gaps are already too large, and they are continuing to grow,” the superintendents said in a joint statement accompanying the video release.
The seven participating school districts are Bend-La Pine Schools, Portland Public Schools, Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Beaverton School District, Hillsboro School District, Eugene School District and Tigard-Tualatin School District.
‘”Our statement is motivated by a deep-seated belief in Oregon and its people. We believe that the people of our state can be united in a common belief that children, families, and schools deserve our support and protection,” the superintendents said. “We don’t want children and families to be hungrier. We don’t want children to be less prepared for their first day of kindergarten. We don’t want families to have even less access to basic health care. We believe that most Oregonians can agree on these basic issues of health, wellness, and dignity.”
