Federal Standards Place 15 Schools on Watch List, Designating Parrish Middle School in Salem Persistently Dangerous

McNary, McKay, South Salem, and North Salem placed on state’s watch list.

No Child Left Behind reinstitutes the type caste system in America, and marks the first time in history that a presidential administration has reached into our local schools

(SALEM) - State Schools Superintendent Susan Castillo announced Monday that fifteen Oregon public schools have been placed on a “watch list,” under the school safety provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. One school, Parrish Middle School in Salem, was designated as a “persistently dangerous school” for making the list for three consecutive years.

Third year:

Salem-Keizer SD 24J - Parrish Middle School

Second Year:

Salem-Keizer SD 24J - McKay High School and South Salem High School

First Year:

Eagle Point SD 9 - Eagle Point High School

Jefferson County SD 509J - Jefferson County Middle School

Klamath County SD - Brixner Junior High School and Chiloquin High

School Medford SD 549C - Medford Opportunity High School

Ontario SD 8C - Ontario High School

Portland SD 1J - Renaissance Arts Academy and Tubman Middle School

St Helens SD 502 - Columbia County Education Campus

Salem-Keizer SD 24J - McNary High School and North Salem High School

Three Rivers/Josephine County SD - North Valley High School and Illinois Valley High School

“Oregon schools are safe because our educators are working hard to prevent violent behavior,” Castillo said. “The report is more evidence that school districts take accountability and public reporting seriously, and the ‘watch list’ helps us identify schools that need assistance and target resources to them.”

In Oregon, a public elementary or secondary school is defined as “persistently dangerous” if one or more of the following conditions exist (at the rates noted below) for three-consecutive school years:

Expulsions for weapons (ORS 339.250(6)) and/or

Expulsions for violent behavior and/or

Expulsions for students arrested for any of the following violent criminal offenses on school grounds, on school sponsored transportation and/or school sponsored activities:

Assault (ORS 163.160, ORS 163.165, ORS 163.175, ORS 163.185)

Manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance (ORS 475.992 (1-3))

Sexual crimes using force, threatened use of force or against incapacitated person (ORS 163.375, ORS 163.395, ORS 163.411, ORS 163.427)

Arson (ORS 164.315, ORS 164.325)

Robbery (ORS 164.395, ORS 164.405, ORS 164.415),

Hate/Bias Crime (ORS 166.155, ORS 166.165)

Coercion (ORS 163.275),

Kidnapping (ORS 163.225, ORS 163.235).

The total number of expulsions for these combined categories must meet or exceed one of the following rates per year: (school with fewer than 500 students) 5 expulsions; (larger school) one expulsion for every 100 enrolled students or fraction thereof.

According to Salem-Keizer School District officials because of the designation, the district will now have to allow students to transfer to another school.