When Oregon’s Democrat governor announced her state would defy President Donald Trump’s ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion, she said she was doing it for a good reason: the kids.
“Since the start of the new federal administration, I promised Oregonians that I would not back down from a fight when it comes to safeguarding Oregon values,” Tina Kotek said Thursday. “Making sure every child has the opportunity to meet their future promise with a strong public education is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of government and one of my top priorities as Governor.”
That’s ironic. Because, under Kotek’s leadership, Oregon’s students are struggling to get by.
Nearly half of Oregon fourth graders scored below “basic” levels in reading, meaning they lack important reading comprehension skills like being able to determine the main idea of a text. In math, about a third of fourth graders scored below basic,
