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Gresham‑Barlow teachers warn doubled elementary PE classes are unsafe and inequitable
Summary
Multiple district physical‑education and specials teachers told the school board that combining classes to meet PE minutes is harming instruction, safety and student access to culturally relevant content and that larger schools need additional staffing to meet mandated minutes.
Several Gresham‑Barlow School District teachers told the board March 5 that doubling up elementary specials — most notably physical education — has produced safety problems, reduced instructional quality and an uneven experience between larger and smaller schools.
Tawny Craig, music teacher at North Gresham Elementary, told the board, “Doubling up classes means I can't use my music room because it's too small. Instead, I teach outside or in the cafeteria where I have no access to technology or other classroom materials.” Craig said the district’s approach to meeting required PE minutes has left some students still not meeting the requirement despite extra classes and has led to injuries: “Every Wednesday, we send kids to the office with bumps and bruises from dance class.”
The issue recurred during public comment. Eun Cho, a…
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