Recall Brian Shannon

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On September 16th, 2021, citizens of Newberg and Dundee, Oregon, filed paperwork with the Yamhill County Clerk to recall Newberg School Board Director and Vice-Chair, Brian Shannon. Shannon, the self-described "main driver" of the August 10th, 2021 motion to ban BLM and Pride symbols from classrooms within the Newberg School District, is the architect of an effort by the four-member, conservative majority of the Newberg School Board to undo district policies designed to protect students who belong to minority groups.

The Petition to Recall Brian Shannon will require 2,547 signatures to be placed on the ballot. Signatures must come from registered voters residing within the Newberg School District and must be submitted by 5pm on December 15th, 2021. If the Yamhill County Clerk accepts the signatures, Brian Shannon will have 5 days to resign, or face a recall election in the last two weeks of January, 2022.

Ban on Black Lives Matter and Pride Symbols

The ban on BLM and Pride symbols was enacted on August 10th, 2021, in a contentious Newberg School Board meeting that saw hundreds of Newberg/Dundee citizens submit emails and comment-requests, the vast majority of which were critical of the ban. Newberg Graphic reporter, Ryan Clarke, revealed on twitter roughly one month later that Shannon's cohort, Board Chair, Dave Brown, had attempted to manipulate the speakers' list at the August 10th meeting, ostensibly to obscure the unpopularity of the ban.

Newberg School Board Directors Shannon, Dave Brown, Trevor DeHart and Renee Powell voted to ban on BLM / Pride. Directors Brandy Penner, Rebecca Piros and Ines Pena voted against the ban.

Aftermath

Because Shannon was forced to clarify in the August 10th meeting that his ban did not apply to students, Newberg School District students immediately took to displaying BLM and Pride symbols on their computers and lockers.

In late August, 2021, the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce condemned the Newberg School Board's decision over the economic damage it stood to visit upon the area, stating "this is not a proud moment for our community."

Newberg Schools Superintendent, Joe Morelock, had informed the Board in the August 10th, 2021 meeting that the ban, as worded, was likely illegal and, as such, he would refuse to enforce it pending review by the School District's attorney's of record.

Morelock was correct. On August 23rd, 2021, as a result of the ban on BLM and Pride symbols, the Newberg School District received a tort claim notice filed by members of the Newberg Teachers' Union, a local within the Oregon Teachers' Union.

The Oregon chapter of the ACLU has also threatened legal action.

Tyler Smith Controversy

At the August 24th, 2021, Newberg School Board meeting, a non-public "executive session" was interrupted by a motion by Brian Shannon to retain attorney, Tyler Smith, as "counsel to the board." The public had not been notified of the agenda item dealing with the hiring of outside counsel and news of the surprise maneuver by Shannon came via tweet by local reporter, Ryan Clarke.

Director Brandy Penner, stated during the meeting: "So all four of you knew that this attorney was in the waiting room to be let into this meeting. All four of you knew how much this is going to cost the district prior to this meeting. And all four of you know this is not a publicly noticed action by the Board."

When pressed by Director Rebecca Piros about her prior knowledge of Tyler Smith's involvement, Director Renee Powell (Shannon's cohort), responded "I have no comment at this time."

Rewording of the Ban on BLM and Pride Symbols

In light of the legal jeopardy his original wording of the Ban created for the Newberg School District, Shannon and his three ideological cohorts - Brown, DeHart and Powell - drafted a new version of the ban, based on language written for them by attorney, Tyler Smith.

The new wording bans Newberg schools from the display of any sign or symbols which might be deemed "political, quasi-political or controversial."

Petition Filing

References

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