PPS parents coalition to city politicians: You promised, now pay up!

Portland Public School parents are getting skittish that PPS will hire K-5 art and music teachers at the expense of providing high school students with a full day of class.

Former Mayor Sam Adams promised millions of dollars to hire new art and music teachers for elementary students. PPS decided to count all the eggs before they hatched and decided to hire the teachers before the money was in the bank.

Now, it looks like the promised dollars won't come in. That means that PPS will be on the hook for all the new teachers that it does not have money to pay.

PPS parents of high school have connected the dots and concluded that it means only one thing: That their kids will go home before lunchtime. These parents have sent a message to the PPS superintendent and the City of Portland that the City should be on the hook for all the art and music teachers PPS hired—even if the the "Arts Tax" revenues fall short of the initial outrageous projections.

PPS Parents Coalition Responds to Superintendent's Revised Budget Proposal