Thousands of teachers, educators march on Oregon Capitol to demand funding

One llama and a handful of dogs joined about 2,000 educators from Salem, Eugene and the Mid-Willamette Valley for a march on the state capitol to urge legislators to approve the Student Success Act and increase funding for Oregon schools.

Similar events took place around the state, with thousands more educators walking out of school in Portland, Beaverton and surrounding districts to protest.

Educators gathered in Riverfront Park to chant and listen to speakers before marching down State Street to the Capitol.

Rep. Barbara Smith Warner, a Portland-area Democrat who served on the legislature's Joint Committee for Student Success, said Oregon has for too long funded schools as if their only purpose is education, when many are de facto providers of meals, mental health care and other social services.

Read more: https://www.salemreporter.com/posts/755/thousands-of-teachers-educators-march-on-oregon-capitol-to-demand-funding