George Middle School and the CBWTPSF

As a summer field trip, and to get out of our south Portland box, me and Todd drove up north to take in the food carts and the architecture. We stopped for lunch at the excellent soul food lot on NE MLK and Jarrett, just north of Killingsworth. Wings World is amazing and I got the fried chicken with Texas toast and macaroni salad. Todd got ribs at Bernie’s Little Kicker BBQ. 

Next a drive to George Middle School. I had read about the school in the Willamette Week, as an example of one of the poorest schools in the district. Ostensibly all PPS schools have the same per student budget, but in practice this does not happen. Whiter and better performing schools get more money then Black and Latino schools. No Child Left Behind, ironically named because it's whole purpose is to leave underperforming students behind, no doubt "justifies" these inequalities. The door was open so we just walked in.

A few years ago Portland floated a $400 million bond to improve school infrastructure. Other then lead pipes George seems more or less functional from a materials point of view, albeit barren and prison like. Why do they never pass huge bonds to hire more and better teachers? By requiring a masters degree, then paying sub average wages, is not a recipe for high quality teachers.

Just down the street from George is the Columbia Boulevard Wastewater Treatment Plant Support Facility, a boondoggle of eco friendly construction. Whilst our kids are suffering through poor infrastructure and frazzled teachers, our wastewater overlords are working in style.