Author

Bartoo-Smith, Underscore News and ICT

Nika Bartoo-Smith is an Indigenous affairs reporter for Underscore News and ICT. Recently, she was the health and social services reporter at The Columbian. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Oregon with a degree in journalism and worked as a Snowden Intern at The News-Review in Roseburg. A descendant of the Osage and Oneida Nations and was born and raised in Portland.

Hundreds of educators, parents and students joined a rally Nov. 1. 2023 at Roosevelt High School in northeast Portland to support striking teachers who want better pay, smaller class sizes and more planning time among other demands. (Alex Baumhardt/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

At issue in Portland teachers strike is a policy that harms Native students

By: Bartoo-Smith, Underscore News and ICT - November 14, 2023

Entering into the third week of no school in the Portland Public School District, the main points of contention in the historic Portland teachers strike are wages and class sizes. But teachers and the district are also wrestling over another contract provision — a policy that results in dramatically higher rates of suspension for Native […]

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