Portland Public Schools are facing a growing backlash from current and former staff, students, and community members who say the district’s ongoing restructuring under Superintendent Ryan Scallon has destabilized classrooms, weakened student support systems, and driven out multiple educators of color.
Those concerns boiled over at Tuesday night’s school board meeting, where speakers accused district leadership of making sweeping changes without transparency or accountability.
Adding to the tension, the district’s two student representatives announced they plan to stage a walkout on Tuesday, December 2, an action the school board chair openly encouraged, prompting critics to note that such an endorsement undercuts the entire purpose of a walkout.
Ahead of the meeting, a detailed petition and formal complaint circulated among parents, staff, and community members calling for an independent investigation into the district’s treatment of staff of color. The document, titled “Petition and Formal Complaint: Ensure Accountability and Equity in Portland Public Schools,” accuses the administration of dismantling the equity supports the district once touted.
The petition alleges a pattern of retaliation, inequity, and forced departures affecting key staff members. Among those listed are HR staffer Mano Ali, former BIPOC Career Pathways Director Julia Hazel, Equity Team member Barrett Wilkinson, former Title IX officer Tyler Schwallier, and Deering High School Assistant Principal Halima Noor, described in the petition as the first Black Muslim woman to serve in that role.
It also cites uncertainty surrounding the position of Dr. Grace Valenzuela, Executive Director of Family and Community Partnership, as well as the reassignment of Dr. Abdullahi Ahmed, identified as the district’s first Black Muslim educator in multiple leadership roles.
Petitioners argue these decisions erode trust, push out respected educators, and damage services for multilingual, immigrant, and marginalized students. They are calling on the school board to launch an independent investigation, create transparent processes for staffing changes, protect employees from retaliation, and hold Superintendent Scallon accountable for what they describe as harm to both staff and students.
During the public comment period of the meeting, several commenters echoed the petition’s concerns, saying the restructuring has caused confusion across departments, eliminated crucial support roles, and disrupted programs serving Portland’s diverse student body.
After more than an hour of public comments, board Chair Sarah Lentz and Superintendent Ryan Scallon committed to addressing equity concerns and improving transparency around staff restructuring. The discussion concluded with board member Ali Ali announcing that he intends to seek an external investigation into the district’s actions.
The upcoming student walkout this coming Tuesday is expected to further intensify public scrutiny as parents, staff, and students continue seeking answers from district leadership.
