School Board Members Weigh In on Teacher Union’s Palestine Advocacy

Last week, a city candidate endorsed by the Portland Association of Teachers asked the union to stop using the phrase “From the River to the Sea” at its events. Jesse Cornett, a District 3 candidate for Portland City Council, called on PAT president Angela Bonilla to prohibit its use in official union settings after teachers at a union event passed out shirts emblazoned with the slogan.

But as WW reported last week, neither Cornett nor the union will say what came of the ensuing discussions.

He says Bonilla responded to his email, but he declined to share what she said: “I feel strongly that I should not.” Cornett is keeping the union’s endorsement, saying he believes “those using the hateful phrase are a teeny fraction of the membership.”

Bonilla didn’t respond to WW’s requests for comment.

The contentious phrase has long been a subject of debate, even more so amid protests against the Israel-Hamas War. Some regard it as a call for Palestinian liberation while others, including portions of the Jewish community, see it as an antisemitic call for Israel’s destruction.

The PAT’s use of the slogan extends a news cycle of controversy over the union’s advocacy for Palestine, which began at the end of May when WW and other news organizations reported on a handbook maintaining the rights of teachers to advocate for Gaza at school. WW then reported that members had asked City Council hopefuls about Gaza in endorsement interviews, and focused more on social issues than education, candidates told WW.

Since Cornett went public with his appeal to the union, most Portland political figures have avoided wading into the matter.

One noteworthy exception: On Sunday, the Portland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America issued a statement condemning Cornett (a longtime progressive and aide on the presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders) and supporting PAT’s use of the slogan.

“This phrase long precedes the events of the past eight months,” the DSA wrote. “Attempts to claim that the phrase is evidence of bigoted beliefs are either misinformed or made in bad faith. Not only does Cornett’s attack smear generations of Palestinians struggling under occupation, it erases the nearly 40,000 Palestinians killed in Israel’s assault on Gaza.”

The views of Portland Public Schools Board members are also relevant here. The union and the board butted heads last November as teachers went on strike, costing students 11 days of school. And the union’s advocacy for Gaza has a direct connection to what is taught in classrooms.

We asked board members what they thought about the PAT distributing the “From the River to the Sea” shirts.

Julia Brim-Edwards: “From my perspective, it is not appropriate for PAT to distribute these shirts to wear in our schools. It is a statement that is interpreted by many to call for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. They create an unwelcoming and unsafe environment for many of our staff, students and families.”

Michelle DePass: Declined to comment.

Herman Greene: Didn’t respond to request for comment.

Gary Hollands: Declined to comment.

Andrew Scott: “The Anti-Defamation League notes that this is an antisemitic slogan. Regardless of PAT’s intent, it’s shocking to me that they seem to care so little about the harmful impact their words and actions are having on our community.”

Patte Sullivan: Didn’t respond to request for comment.

Eddie Wang: Declined to comment directly on the shirts. “I do think it is important to stress that curriculum is adopted and implemented by the district office, not the teachers’ union. There has been a lot of concern among parents about how this affects their schools’ curriculum. I believe a previous Willamette Week article did mention this. Also, our teachers are diverse just like the general population, and will have diverse opinions on the matter. Most of our teachers are highly qualified and hold master’s degrees as well, and I know most educational degrees center how to teach and support critical thinking. I trust our teachers will do what’s best for our students.

“As for the union’s actions, I don’t have any comment.”