Click to visit OSBA's home page.
  • Ask OSBA
  • Contact us
  • Team Viewer
for help call: 1.800.578.OSBA
  • Programs

    Let us help
    • Board development
    • Charter schools and authorizers
    • Communications
    • Labor relations
    • Legislative
    • Litigation
    • PACE
    • Policy services
    • Recruitment & jobs
  • Topics

    I need to look up information
    • Ask OSBA
    • Board operations
    • Bonds
    • Budget & finance
    • Charter schools
    • Community engagement
    • Equity
    • Labor & negotiations
    • Legal
    • Legislative & advocacy
    • PERS
    • Policy
    • Public meetings & records
    • Student achievement & graduation
  • Training & Events

    Learning opportunities
    • Upcoming events
    • Previous events
    • Upcoming meetings
    • Previous meetings
    • Online training
    • Advocacy Opportunities
    • Training workshops
    • PACE trainings
    • Webinar archive
  • News Center

    Latest information
    • News stories
    • Legislative Highlights
    • OREdNews archive
    • Media releases
    • Social media
    • Education notes
    • Sounding Boards podcast
  • About OSBA

    Our association
    • Staff
    • Board of directors
    • Board members of color caucus
    • Legislative Policy Committee
    • Oregon school board member of the year
    • Governance documents
    • Election center
    • Finances
    • Membership
    • Jobs at OSBA
    • RFPs and equipment
  • My OSBA

    Your account
    • Member resources
    • New portal login
  • Home
  • News Center
  • Ed notes
  • OSBA letter on the need for leadership

OSBA letter on the need for leadership

Friday, September 10, 2021

Download the letter

Sept. 10, 2021

To Oregon School Board Members,

Before joining an Oregon school board, each and every appointed or elected individual is required to take an oath of office. The wording can vary by district, but generally follows this template: “I …do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, the constitution and laws of the state of Oregon, and the policies of (my district).

During my term, I will faithfully and impartially discharge the responsibilities of the office to the best of my ability.” Powerful words, but pretty simple ones, too: I will obey the law, and I will do my very best. Yet at a time when Oregon’s school boards have never been more tested, we are also lamentably seeing a remarkable number of board members doing their very best to ignore the law or openly defy it.

Such behavior is simply unacceptable. We are duly elected leaders of our communities. We set examples for young people. We are sworn to follow the law – whether we like that law or not. Whether the issue involves court-sanctioned health safeguards during a deadly pandemic or constitutionally protected forms of speech, our oaths bind us. We must do better, even in the face of divided and sometimes hostile communities.

Our actions should be centered on positive outcomes for students. Creating even bigger divisions in our schools and communities does not serve that end. We call on Oregon’s more than 1,400 school board members to carefully weigh the consequences of your actions, to heed your oaths, and to lead by example.

Our children deserve nothing less.

Jim Green
Executive Director

Maureen Wolf
President

Sami Al-Abdrabbuh
OSBMCC President

Popular Content

  • Ask OSBA
  • OSBA Staff
  • Online Store
  • Contact us
  • Feedback
  • Help
  • Legal notice / disclaimer
  • Links
  • Sitemap
  • Subscribe

1201 Court Street NE, Suite 400, Salem, Oregon 97301
  • 1-800-578-6722
  • (503) 588-2800
  • FAX fax: (503) 588-2813