Newberg district rescinds policy on ‘controversial’ symbols following lawsuit settlement

Union representing teachers says ruling protects marginalized students
The union representing teachers in the Newberg School District has reached a settlement in a lawsuit over a school board policy banning “controversial” symbols.

The Newberg Education Association called the settlement a “bittersweet victory” in a Facebook post shared last month, four days before the final order was signed in U.S. District Court.

Another lawsuit filed by the ACLU and a staff member in the district was resolved back in September. In that case, a Yamhill County Circuit Court judge ruled that the school board’s policy was unconstitutional.

The school board voted to rescind the policy at its Jan. 10 meeting, effective immediately.

According to the union, the terms of the settlement, first reported by the Newberg Graphic, included directives to the school board that they wouldn’t appeal the decision in the ACLU case and that they would amend or rescind the policy on controversial symbols.

“The policy will not be amended or changed, it is gone,” Newberg superintendent Stephen Phillips said in an email to OPB.