Newberg school employee goes to work in blackface, is put on leave – OPB

An employee at a school in Newberg went to work in blackface last week and has been placed on administrative leave, according to a message from the district.The Newberg School District wrote in a release, “It is important to remember how Blackface has been used to misrepresent Black communities and do harm. We acknowledge the violence this represents and the trauma it evokes regardless of intention.”According to a staff member who spoke to the Newberg Graphic on condition of anonymity, the school employee claimed to be wearing blackface to protest Oregon’s COVID-19 vaccination mandates, and was attempting to look like civil rights icon Rosa Parks.The school employee’s racist action comes a week after the district acknowledged at least one Newberg High School student was part of a Snapchat group engaged in racist and threatening speech. The so-called “Slave Trade” group posted images of Black students associated with dollar values.The school board has scheduled a special meeting Wednesday night to take public comment on their “recent actions, tabled motions, and upcoming decisions that may include the ban on political or controversial displays, changes to the Anti-Racism Resolution 2020-04 language.”In August the school board voted to ban pride flags, flags reading Black…
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