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Seven former and current members of the Portland Public Schools Board released a letter Wednesday morning across social media warning that former board member Julia Brim-Edwards is not fit to serve as Multnomah County chair.
Brim-Edwards, who is currently a county commissioner, launched her bid for chair in February. She served on the School Board for three terms, first in 2001–2005, and then for two consecutive terms from 2017 to 2025. She was elected to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners in 2023.
Signatories of the letter include two of the board’s most prominent members, Chair Eddie Wang and Michelle DePass, who just wrapped up a term as the board’s vice chair. Both Wang and DePass are listed as endorsers of County Commissioner Shannon Singleton’s campaign for county chair. All seven board members served terms that overlapped with Brim-Edwards’ board service. (The other signatories are Scott Bailey, Amy Kohnstamm, Eilidh Lowery, Rita Moore and Andrew Scott.)
The letter, which is currently featured across its signatories’ personal social media accounts on platforms such as Facebook and BlueSky, outlines concerns about Brim-Edwards’ leadership abilities, which they characterize as “ineffective,” noting she struggled to make hard decisions.
“We served in leadership roles alongside Julia Brim-Edwards on the Portland School Board,” it reads. “We are deeply concerned about Ms. Brim-Edwards’ readiness to serve as Multnomah County Chair, and we believe it is important for voters to be aware of these concerns when deciding who should lead the county.”
In a statement on Wednesday in response to the letter, Brim-Edwards said her record on the board “speaks for itself.” She cited some of her achievements as better learning outcomes for students, additional funding for teachers and classroom time, and extra assistance for struggling students.
“I worked hand-in-hand with principals, teachers, nutrition workers, bus drivers, coaches, students, parents, and board members to make these meaningful improvements for our students—that will stand the test of time," she said in the statement.
Brim-Edwards’ website lists endorsements by a handful of former School Board members, some of whom she served alongside, namely Mike Rosen and Julie Esparza Brown. Her campaign staff says that in addition to what’s listed on her website, Brim-Edwards has been endorsed by former co-board members Herman Greene and Gary Hollands. She has so far raised the most money in the race, and received endorsements from all six mayors in Multnomah County.
In a comment to WW at the time of her mayoral endorsement sweep, Brim-Edwards said the endorsements were a reflection of her leadership. “I have always approached my work by bringing as many people to the table as possible to work through problems and take action together,” she said then.
The letter alleges much of the opposite. The seven current and former board members suggest Brim-Edwards struggled to collaborate and engage in honest communication with fellow board members, citing an instance in 2019 when she took a temporary position in the Secretary of State’s Office while that same office was conducting an audit of PPS. She hid this role from district officials and board members, the letter alleges; they found out about it from the media. She would often withhold crucial information until the last minute, the letter adds, slowing down processes.
It also alleges that while Brim-Edwards often stressed the importance of oversight, that often bled into micromanagement, which fueled a “toxic” environment at PPS.
“Ms. Brim-Edwards has claimed to be a champion of data-driven accountability to produce improved outcomes, yet she regularly struggled to understand how to use data effectively to monitor progress toward goals and make necessary adjustments along the way. Policy makers do not need to be data experts or program specialists, but it is crucial that they understand the mechanisms of effective oversight.”
It adds: “Time and again, Ms. Brim-Edwards aligned herself with the most politically expedient path, even when data and long-term student outcomes suggested a different course.”
Moore, a School Board member from 2017 to 2021, tells WW the group wants to “refocus the public debate onto the candidates’ ability to govern if elected.” She says she hopes the perspective will come in handy as many individuals and organizations consider endorsements in the race.
Moore says that while the group did not discuss the letter with Brim-Edwards before releasing it, all its signatories have provided Brim-Edwards with direct feedback over the years.
“None of the concerns expressed in our letter will be new to her,” Moore says. “Though they may be new to those who have not worked directly with her before.”
