“This is about our future, this is about the world we want to live in”
[Portland, OR] – On the heels of yesterday’s news that students are struggling to recover from the learning disruptions brought on by the pandemic, Tina Kotek met with a handful of local students to hear directly from them about what they need to succeed – and what they want to see from Oregon’s next governor.
Oscar Ponteri, a Portland-area high school student who founded “Teens for Tina,” said Oregon needs to make sure schools are maximizing the funding from the Student Success Act, which both of Tina’s opponents oppose.
“In a time when students need so much support, it’s crazy that Christine Drazan and Betsy Johnson are actively working against students,” Oscar said. “We need a governor who’s going to work for us, that’s for sure.”
The students spoke powerfully about the need to invest in more mental health resources in schools as well.
“I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that it’s been a really traumatizing and tough time for students,” said Oscar Calvert, a Portland Community College student. “We need mental health support. We needed it before COVID, but COVID really helped us realize how much we need it now.”
When it comes to the future of Oregon, climate change and gun violence are issues the students are very passionate about.
Aishiki Nag, a high school student from Tigard, spoke about her experiences with gun violence:
“In the 8th grade, the last day of middle school, it happened again. The biggest decision anyone should have to make that day is who is going to sign your yearbook or what type of outfit are you going to wear. But, that day we received a school shooting threat and we had to make the decision of whether or not to go to school. I made that decision and it was one of the most anxiety-provoking days of my life.”
Byronie McMahon, a high school student from Portland talked about the stakes of this election when it comes to preventing gun violence:
“For me, it is very scary. I just turned 17, I can register but I cannot vote. And so, when you see who is in this race alongside you, and they’re backed by the NRA and they’ve made all of these choices and they’ve put their personal interest above their constituents and their community, it’s frightening … it just makes me feel even stronger that we need Tina for Oregon.”
On climate change, the students very clearly understand the need for action, and are sick and tired of leaders who refuse to put people over politics. Oscar Ponteri said:
“This is about our future, this is about the world we want to live in. Over and over again, politicians share platitudes and then they turn their backs on us and stop progress as much as they can, and that’s Betsy Johnson and Christine Drazan. Over and over again, they have shown us that they are not ready to deal with this crisis … What I want in my next governor is someone who is going to stand up, show up and look out for us.”