Angela Bonilla, president of the Portland Association of Teachers, said the union has pushed for more training of specialized staff to intervene in student conflicts. But it’s also important to employ enough staff, including counselors, to monitor students and help struggling students work out their problems non-violently. “This is the issue in our public schools when we don’t have appropriate funding and appropriate staffing,” Bonilla said. “Like when did this conflict start? Who knew about it? Are there enough counselors on staff to have someone that this student can talk to?”
>>Like when did this conflict start? [It started when the student with noise canceling earbuds walked down the hall and someone who she did not know decided to attack her.]
>>But it’s also important to employ enough staff, including counselors, to monitor students and help struggling students work out their problems non-violently. [Because you need to babysit high school students]
Angela Bonilla @ABonillaPAT She/They/Ella. Afro-Latina. Portland by way of NYC.
