PAT PAC Endorsements School Board Candidates

2023 School Board Candidate Endorsements:

The Portland Association of Teacher PAC Board is proud to endorse the following candidates for PPS School Board:

 

Andrew Scott for Zone 1

In his first term on the School Board, Director Scott has built his relationship with PAT and learned to view us as a partner. He is a strong advocate for increased  funding and new funding models for public schools, and is ready to join us in Salem to fight for it. In his endorsement interview he told us, “[The] $9.9 billion [that Governor Kotek is proposing for the state education budget] is not a win, it’s a cut.” This endorsement is a commitment to partner with him to keep that promise moving forward.


 

Michelle DePass for Zone 2

Director DePass has demonstrated tremendous growth in her four years on the School Board. She regularly reaches out to PAT for feedback, both about issues teachers are dealing with and for constructive criticism about her own leadership. We appreciate that openness and look forward to continuing to work with her in her second term.

 

Eddie Wang for Zone 7

Eddie was a teacher for 20 years, including at Benson Polytechnic High School 

in PPS. He knows what it’s like in the trenches and is ready to center teacher voices. Eddie has a deep understanding of the importance of academic freedom, authentic community engagement, and holding district leadership accountable.  We look forward to working with him to build great public schools for all students.

PAT PAC Endorsements for November 2022 Election

The PAT Political Action Committee is proud to announce our endorsement of the following candidates:

 

 

CITY COUNCIL POSITION 3: JO ANN HARDESTY

In her first term on Portland City Council, Jo Ann Hardesty has been a fierce advocate for programs that improve the lives of Portland residents, including PAT members and PPS families. She has taken the lead on programs like the Portland Street Response, and on improving transportation with a focus on underserved areas like East Portland.


 

MULTNOMAH COUNTY CHAIR: JESSICA VEGA PEDERSON

There are several highly qualified candidates in the race for Multnomah County Chair, including incumbent County Commissioners Sharon Meieran and Lori Stegmann, who have been solid allies to educators. However, Commissioner Jessica Vega Peterson stood out, in large part because of her work on making the Preschool for All program a reality. She is a strong voice for public education, housing, and a just economic recovery from the covid pandemic, and is ready to partner with educators to improve services to all children.

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 28: DACIA GRAYBER

Dacia Grayber is a firefighter, union member, and PPS parent. Dacia comes from a family of teachers and union supporters, and has repeatedly demonstrated her impeccable union values. In her first term in the Oregon legislature, she has been a strong advocate for working people, and we look forward to continuing that work with her.

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 33: MAXINE DEXTER

Maxine Dexter is a Pulmonary and Critical Care doctor, a first-generation college graduate, and a PPS parent. Having grown up lacking resources, she attributes her own success to her public school teachers, and to a union job which allowed her to fund her own education. In Salem, she is a powerful advocate for public health and affordable health care, revenue reform to fully fund public services, and labor rights. 

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 43: TAWNA SANCHEZ

Representative Tawna Sanchez is a lifelong advocate for her community, and her commitment to public education makes her an asset in the Oregon House. She is a champion for Indiginous families as a co-founder of Native American Youth and Family Services (NAYA), and has proven her dedication to young people by serving as a foster parent to more than 18 children. She will continue to work tirelessly to make sure our underserved students’ perspectives are heard in Salem.

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 44: TRAVIS NELSON

There are two very strong candidates in this race, and North Portland will be lucky to be represented by either of them. That said, Travis Nelson, a leader in the Oregon Nurses Association, stands out for his strong union values. In his first term in office, he has already shown his support for Portland teachers: He was a leader in the effort to push back against the district’s proposed staffing cuts by helping to collect signatures from his fellow members of the BIPOC caucus. We look forward to continuing to work with Rep Nelson on this and other issues.

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 45: THUY TRAN

This is another race with two excellent candidates, but optometrist Thuy Tran has earned our endorsement. A former member of the Parkrose School Board, she has an excellent grasp of the current issues in education. We expect her to be an effective advocate in Salem for educators, as well as for the diverse community of Northeast Portland.

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 46: KHANH PHAM

As a long-time community advocate, Khanh Pham believes that the best policy work is accomplished with input from our communities. She is a working mom, a PPS parent, and a relentless advocate for the diverse communities of the Jade District. In Salem, she is a leader in Oregon's transition to a renewable economy, and will fight for the revenue reform we need to build a more just society.

 

 

 

SENATE DISTRICT 17: ELIZABETH STEINER HAYWARD

As a practicing family medicine physician, Sen Steiner Hayward has long been committed to improving access to affordable healthcare. She sees how issues like healthcare, education, racial justice, housing, and climate are all interconnected, and works to bridge all gaps so that Oregon can be the healthiest state in the US.

YES on Oregon Measure 114 (PAT endorsement) Measure 114 will help keep Oregonians safer by reducing gun violence.

YES on Portland Measure 26-228 (PAT endorsement) Measure 26-228 will change the way Portland City Council is elected.

See OEA PAC endorsements for statewide races here.

Volunteer Opportunities

You can help get education-friendly candidates into office!

Jo Ann Hardesty volunteer calendar

Jessica Vega Pederson volunteer interest form

Tina Kotek volunteer interest form--please say Portland Association of Teachers recruited you to get us a little karma with our next governor.

Jamie McLeod Skinner volunteer signup. Her district is huge, but you can filter by location.

Christina Stephenson volunteer signup

Measure 26-288 volunteer signup

PAT PAC Endorsements for May 2022 Primary

The PAT Political Action Committee is proud to announce our endorsement of the following candidates:

See OEA and PAT PAC Endorsements

 

CITY COUNCIL POSITION 2: AJ MCCREARY

AJ is an organizer, parent, and PPS graduate. She most recently hails as the director of the Equitable Giving Circle, a reparations organization. She is a community organizer, most notable for coordinating mutual aid during the pandemic. AJ’s core values and priorities are social justice, climate justice, housing justice and economic development with an equity lens.

 

 

CITY COUNCIL POSITION 3: JO ANN HARDESTY

In her first term on Portland City Council, Jo Ann Hardesty has been a fierce advocate for programs that improve the lives of Portland residents, including PAT members and PPS families. She has taken the lead on programs like the Portland Street Response, and on improving transportation with a focus on underserved areas like East Portland.

 

 

METRO PRESIDENT: LYNN PETERSON

Metro President Lynn Peterson is deeply committed to solving big problems in the metro area, and is especially focused on houselessness and waste management. In her first term she proved that she thinks big, and she gets big things done. She has worked collaboratively in the past with PAT and with a wide variety of community organizations, to ensure that as many voices as possible were heard. Lynn is steadfast in her values, which align with ours around equity, public education, and the importance of unions. 


 

MULTNOMAH COUNTY CHAIR: JESSICA VEGA PEDERSON

There are several highly qualified candidates in the race for Multnomah County Chair, including incumbent County Commissioners Sharon Meieran and Lori Stegmann, who have been solid allies to educators. However, Commissioner Jessica Vega Peterson stood out, in large part because of her work on making the Preschool for All program a reality. She is a strong voice for public education, housing, and a just economic recovery from the covid pandemic, and is ready to partner with educators to improve services to all children.

 

 

MULTNOMAH COUNTY POSITION 2: SUSHEELA JAYAPAL

In her first term on the Multnomah County Commission, Susheela Jayapal has helped secure funding to help the homeless population in both the long and short term, and has worked to reduce pollution. Moving forward, she is committed to shoring up the wraparound services that the County provides to Portland Public Schools, ensuring an equitable recovery from the pandemic, and of course continuing to work towards ending homelessness in Multnomah County.

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 28: DACIA GRAYBER

Dacia Grayber is a firefighter, union member, and PPS parent. Dacia comes from a family of teachers and union supporters, and has repeatedly demonstrated her impeccable union values. In her first term in the Oregon legislature, she has been a strong advocate for working people, and we look forward to continuing that work with her.

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 33: MAXINE DEXTER

Maxine Dexter is a Pulmonary and Critical Care doctor, a first-generation college graduate, and a PPS parent. Having grown up lacking resources, she attributes her own success to her public school teachers, and to a union job which allowed her to fund her own education. In Salem, she is a powerful advocate for public health and affordable health care, revenue reform to fully fund public services, and labor rights. 

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 41: KALIKO CASTILLE

Kaliko Castille was born and raised in Milwaukie and is a new dad who wants to make sure he leaves the world a better place for his child. In his business career he has focused on ensuring equity for people of color. With his deep roots in his district and his strong progressive values, he will provide a valuable perspective in Salem.

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 43: TAWNA SANCHEZ

Representative Tawna Sanchez is a lifelong advocate for her community, and her commitment to public education makes her an asset in the Oregon House. She is a champion for Indiginous families as a co-founder of Native American Youth and Family Services (NAYA), and has proven her dedication to young people by serving as a foster parent to more than 18 children. She will continue to work tirelessly to make sure our underserved students’ perspectives are heard in Salem.

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 44: TRAVIS NELSON

There are two very strong candidates in this race, and North Portland will be lucky to be represented by either of them. That said, Travis Nelson, a leader in the Oregon Nurses Association, stands out for his strong union values. In his first term in office, he has already shown his support for Portland teachers: He was a leader in the effort to push back against the district’s proposed staffing cuts by helping to collect signatures from his fellow members of the BIPOC caucus. We look forward to continuing to work with Rep Nelson on this and other issues.

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 45: THUY TRAN

This is another race with two excellent candidates, but optometrist Thuy Tran has earned our endorsement. A former member of the Parkrose School Board, she has an excellent grasp of the current issues in education. We expect her to be an effective advocate in Salem for educators, as well as for the diverse community of Northeast Portland.

 

 

HOUSE DISTRICT 46: KHANH PHAM

As a long-time community advocate, Khanh Pham believes that the best policy work is accomplished with input from our communities. She is a working mom, a PPS parent, and a relentless advocate for the diverse communities of the Jade District. In Salem, she is a leader in Oregon's transition to a renewable economy, and will fight for the revenue reform we need to build a more just society.

 

 

 

SENATE DISTRICT 17: ELIZABETH STEINER HAYWARD

As a practicing family medicine physician, Sen Steiner Hayward has long been committed to improving access to affordable healthcare. She sees how issues like healthcare, education, racial justice, housing, and climate are all interconnected, and works to bridge all gaps so that Oregon can be the healthiest state in the US.

 

The PAT Political Action Committee continues to work hard to identify great candidates in this May’s primary election. The panel considered the following criteria while making their endorsements: support for collective bargaining; commitment to educator voice; knowledge of education issues such as standardized testing and disrupted learning; commitment to racial equity; advocacy for strong, fully-funded public schools; and electability.

The PAT PAC is funded entirely through member contributions, not through dues dollars. Learn more about the PAT PAC here.

Also, please check out OEA PAC’s endorsements for statewide candidates.

PPS School Board Endorsements May 2021

The Portland Association of Teachers Political Action Committee (PAT PAC) is proud to announce its endorsements for the May 18, 2021 school board election.

Herman Greene, in Zone 4, is a long time resident and advocate in North Portland. He is a father of four PPS graduates, and his daughter is a Roosevelt teacher (and PAT Member!)  At the core of his work is his passion for equity, unity and hope for his community. He believes in the power of public education, and at the sametime understands the disparities of Black and Brown children and other marginalized and undeserved youth in our schools. He will be a powerful and needed voice on the PPS School Board. Learn more here.

Gary Hollands, in Zone 5, is a PPS alumnus and parent. He has deep ties to the North/Northeast Portland community as a business owner and an Executive Director of the Albina Sports Program. He has previously served on the MESD Board and founded Interstate Trucking Academy.  Gary is a staunch advocate of CTW, and envisions a school system that supports the whole child – with healthy social environments, with diverse and varied learning opportunities, with safe, welcoming places, and mentorship.  Learn more here.

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November 2020 General Election Endorsements

The PAT PAC (Political Action Committee) is proud to endorse the following candidates in the November 2020 General Election:

Oregon State Legislature

HD 33: Maxine Dexter 

HD 36: Lisa Reynolds

HD 46: Khanh Pham

SD 21: Kathleen Taylor

Portland City Council Position 4: Chloe Eudaly

Metro Council District 5: Mary Nolan

The OEA PAC is proud to endorse the following candidates for state-wide races:

Oregon Secretary of State: Shemia Fagan

Oregon State Treasurer: Tobias Reed

Oregon Attorney General: Ellen Rosenblum

 

PAT Ballot Measure Endorsements

PAT is proud to endorse the following ballot measures on the November ballot which all play a part in building a more just, sustainable, and supportive city.

  •     Preschool for All Measure 26-214 has merged with the Universal Preschool for All campaign. The combined package will tax high earners in order to provide preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds in Multnomah County. The plan will also guarantee a living wage for all preschool teachers and assistants, and gives them the right to unionize.
  •     Multnomah County Library Bond Measure 26-211 will expand and modernize the library branches in the neighborhoods that need them most, and build a new flagship library in East County. 
  •     Portland Schools Bond: Measure 26-215 will invest in our schools with funds to modernize Jefferson High School, create the new Center for Black Student Excellence, update curriculum resources, and make needed safety and accessibility improvements.
  •     Let’s Get Moving: Metro Bond Measure 26-218 will improve 17 of our most dangerous and congested roadways, greatly improve public transit options, address climate and equity priorities, and provide free youth passes for everyone under 18.
  •     Portland Parks Levy Measure 26-213 will maintain our parks and natural areas and restore vital recreation services and community center offerings, while maintaining jobs.
  • The Real Police Accountability Measure 26-217will give our community a voice in police use-of-force incidents, ensuring that police live up to our community values. 

May 2020 Primary Endorsements

Portland Association of Teachers PAC Endorsements for the May Primary 

Endorsements for Local Races

Even in the best of times, local politics have a deep impact on the success of our schools, the well-being of our students, and the strength and fairness of our economy. Considering the public-health crisis that we are facing in our community and around the world, it is more important than ever that we have elected leaders who are committed to working with impacted communities to solve problems, rethink systems that perpetuate inequity, and take action to support our public schools, workers, and the public services that so many of our students depend on. 

Endorsement for Oregon Legislature

This year, the issues of keeping promises and respecting workers have been of central importance to the PAT PAC Board, and to all our PAT PAC members. The passage of SB1049 last summer-- which reallocates a portion of public employees’ compensation away from workers’ retirement savings, to use it to pay down the state’s debt-- was deeply troubling to teachers and all public employees. A vote for this bill represents a lawmakers’ willingness to forgo agreements made in trust, and force public workers to pay for the state's programs.

Nonetheless, we gave every candidate an opportunity to discuss their vote with us. Some answers horrified us- not only do some of our elected officials show no remorse for their vote, some said they'd do further cuts if needed.

This primary season, the PAT PAC is not endorsing, or giving money to, any candidate who voted for SB1049. We are hopeful that moving forward, our Oregon Legislators will be bold champions for workers, public education, and the revenue reform to allow our state to meet the needs of all our state’s children, families, and community members. 

Read More about the Candidates


 

Portland City Commissioner Position 1: Carmen Rubio

Carmen Rubio is a champion in the non-profit community and is running to ensure that the leaders making hard decisions are truly representative of everyone in our city. She has been the Executive Director of the Latino Network since 2009, and her priorities are addressing homelessness and housing affordability, climate action, and responsive government. She will be a valuable voice on the city council. Sign up to volunteer for Carmen's campaign!


 

Portland City Commissioner Position 2: Julia DeGraw 

Julia Degraw has spent her career bringing diverse groups together to fight for the common good. Worker’s rights, environmental justice, and housing have always been central to her work.

She led the fight to prevent Nestlé from bottling our public water in the Columbia River Gorge – and won; and she has brought to the forefront the conversation about reforming the Portland City Council’s at-large election and commission systems. Sign up to help get Julia's elected!

 

 

Portland City Commissioner Position 4: Chloe Eudaly

Chloe Eudaly ran for the CIty Council 4 years ago to get a renter’s perspective on the City Council. Since then, she has passed historic tenant protection policies, and advanced initiatives addressing climate change, air pollution, immigration removal defense, transportation justice, and racial equity. We look forward to continuing to work with her to make sure our city works for all our community members, especially those who have been under-served. Sign up to volunteer for Chloe's campaign!

 

 

District Attorney: Mike Schmidt 

We are lucky to have two highly qualified candidates in this race. Mike Schmidt’s focus on criminal justice reform, and his vision for re-thinking the systems that replicate inequity make him the ideal candidate in this race. His role as executive director of the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, as well as leadership in national justice organizations, position him to spearhead 21st century justice reform in our state. Sign up here to help make Mike Schmidt our next DA!

 

 

Metro Council District 5: Mary Nolan

Mary Nolan has proved herself to be a powerful ally to workers and schools, in numerous roles in the past. During her twelve years in the Oregon Legislature, including as the majority leader in the House, she was a steadfast advocate for keeping the state’s promises to workers. She has a long history of advocating for women, public transportation, and environmental protections. In her role at Metro, she is committed to collaborating with unions to make sure that public sector projects embody a commitment to increasing stable, living-wage jobs in our community. Read more about Mary here.

 

 

Metro Council District 6: Bob Stacey

Bob Stacey has served on the Metro Council since 2013. He is committed to advancing affordable housing throughout the metro region, and expanding transportation options throughout the region. He continues to work to make sure families in all parts of the region have access to natural spaces, clean air, and efficient transportation options. Learn more about Bob Stacey here.

 

 

Multnomah County Commissioner District 1: Sharon Meieran

As an emergency room doctor, community health advocate, and mother of two children in Portland Public Schools, Sharon is committed to  addressing homelessness, addictions, and mental illness, and improving access to meaningful healthcare. Although being a County Commissioner is a full-time job, she continues to work shifts in the emergency room because of her belief in centering front-line workers in decision-making. Learn more about Sharon Meieran's campaign here.

 

 

Multnomah County Commissioner District 3: Jessica Vega Pederson

At Multnomah County, Commissioner Vega Pederson has championed the County’s efforts to combat climate change, increase access to public transportation, and has focused on expanding access to early childhood education. Before being elected to the County Commission, she was the first Latina elected to the Oregon House of Representatives. Sign up here to get involved with Jessica's campaign!

 

 

House District 33: Christina Stephenson

As a civil rights attorney, Christina has centered her career around protecting workers. She is a fierce advocate for labor rights, housing affordability, school funding, and the revenue reform we need to make Oregon a place where all our community members can thrive. As the mom of a kindergartener in PPS, she sees first-hand how direly our schools need the resources to lower class sizes and offer all the supports that our students need. Help elect Christina here!

 

 

House District 36: Laurie Wimmer

We are fortunate to have a strong field of progressive candidates for the HD 36 seat, but Laurie Wimmer surpasses all with her in-depth knowledge of the issues and policies that are most important to educators and families. Her decades of experience as an OEA lobbyist, advocating in Salem for educators and students, give her the political know-how to get things done.Above all, Laurie’s passion for public education, economic justice, racial equity, and collective bargaining position her to be a champion for PAT members, students, and working families. Volunteer to help get Laurie elected here!

 

 

House District 42: Paige Kreisman

Paige Kreisman deeply believes in fully funding public schools, strengthening workers’ rights, and providing needed human services to all Oregonians. Her background as an organizer and advocate for the Portland Democratic Socialists of America demonstrated a willingness to take a stand and fight for crucial issues. Although she is not an educator, she gave a firm commitment to collaborate with educators and the PAT on education legislation. Sign up here to get involved with Paige's campaign!

 

 

House District 46: Khanh Pham

Khanh Pham brings an organizer’s spirit to the constituents of House District 46. She is a working mom, and long-time community organizer, policymaker, and advocate for the diverse communities of the district. A long-time organizer for environmental and economic justice, she will be a leader in Oregon's transition to a renewable economy. Join the force working to elect Khanh here!

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Senate District 18: Ben Bowman

Ben Bowman has been advocating for public education since childhood, when he walked picket lines with his mother, a teacher and union leader. With a background in education policy, Ben has a deep understanding of the challenges that Oregon’s teachers and students are facing, as well as what’s needed to solve them. He is also deeply committed to issues of social justice and economic inequality. As a school board member, he has been an ally to our colleagues in the Tigard-Tualatin School District; in Salem, he will be an ally to educators across the state. Get involved with Ben's campaign here!

 

 

Senate District 21: Kathleen Taylor

Senator Taylor’s record on public education and labor rights speaks for itself. Not only was she a vocal advocate for the Student Success Act, she has consistently voiced the need for structural revenue reform in Oregon so that we can fully fund education, social services, healthcare, and all the things kids and families in Oregon need. She voted no on SB 1049, rejecting the notion that workers' retirement accounts be raided to pay down the state's debt, so our support for her is PERSonal. Sign up here to volunteer with Kathleen's campaign!

OEA PAC Endorsements for Oregon Statewide Races

Attorney General: Ellen Rosenblum 

Secretary of State: Shemia Fagan

Treasurer: Tobias Read

OEA PAC Recommendations for Federal Races

US Senate: Jeff Merkley

Congressional District 1: Suzanne Bonamici 

Congressional District 3: Earl Blumenauer 

Congressional District 4: Peter DeFazio 

Congressional District 5: Kurt Schrader 

 

May 2019 School Board Endorsements

The Portland Association of Teachers Political Action Committee (PAT PAC) is proud to announce its endorsements for the May 2019 school board election.

The PAT PAC endorsement panel consisted of 8 educators along with OEA staff. The panel considered the following criteria while making their endorsements: support for collective bargaining; commitment to educator voice; knowledge of education issues such as standardized testing and disrupted learning; commitment to racial equity; advocacy for strong, fully-funded public schools; and electability.

We look forward to working with these candidates to improve our school district.

Michelle DePass, in Zone 2, has deep roots in PPS and the Portland community, and brings expertise and skills that will be huge assets to the board. She is experienced in engaging communities and addressing systemic inequity through her work as the Community Engagement Coordinator for the Portland Housing Bureau. Having managed large construction projects, she will have a crucial role as the board works to keep bond projects on time and on budget. She is committed to creating safe and healthy environments for students, which include social-emotional supports and time for outdoor play.

Amy Kohnstamm, in Zone 3, will provide needed consistency to the board in a time of continued turn-over among district leaders. In her work on the District’s bargaining team, she demonstrates a commitment to honoring our contract, and will be the only remaining member of the District's original Interest-Based Bargaining team. Amy believes that corporations should not have undue influence on our state legislature, and has committed to working us to fight for funding from the state.

Eilidh Lowery, in Zone 7, is a longtime volunteer and supporter of public schools. She has served on the Citizen’s Budget Review Committee, and seeks to disrupt systems of inequality that are evident across the District. She is a strong supporter of unions, understands the value of teacher voice, and has been actively standing with us to demand that the legislature fully fund our schools.

Andrew Scott, in Zone 1, has the experience and expertise to be a successful PPS Board Member. As the Budget Director for the City of Portland & Deputy Chief Operating Officer of Metro, he has a proven record of making the government work better for its people. He is a strong advocate for teachers and students, and is committed to working with us to increase funding for our schools. He is also a PPS parent.

Learn more about the PAT PAC here.