(ETH) – Oregon Governor Kate Brown has quietly signed a bill last month that removed the requirement for graduating high school children in the state to be proficient in reading, writing, and math, in an effort to aid “students of color.”
According to a report from RT News, Brown signed Senate Bill 744 on July 14, but did not issue a press release or hold a ceremony to mark the occasion, instead opting to pass the bill into law as quietly as possible, according to The Oregonian. The bill also wasn’t entered into a legislative database until two weeks after its signing – an abnormality, as bills are typically entered on the same day.
Though Brown was quiet about the bill, the governor’s deputy communications director, Charles Boyle, told the Oregonian that suspending the reading, writing, and math proficiency requirements would benefit “students of color” while the state comes up with a new set of “equitable” graduation standards.
Until then, the suspension will apparently help those who are “Black, Latino, Latina, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, [or] Tribal.” According to the NYP, The Oregonian reported that the governor has seemed to avoid discussing Senate Bill 744. Her move to sign the bill was “not public until recently because her office did not hold a signing ceremony or issue a press release.”
The paper also pointed out that the bill was first signed on July 14 but not added into the state’s database until July 29 due to a glitch in the system. Brown’s office did not immediately respond to an after-hours email from Fox News. In June, state lawmakers voted to approve the bill that suspended the requirements for students for three years, KATU reported.
Foundations for a Better Oregon said in a statement at the time that the bill is intended to “truly reflect what every student needs to thrive in the 21st century.” Supporters of the bill insist that considering math and reading essential skills has been an unfair challenge for students who do not test well. The report said the requirement was first suspended at the start of the pandemic.
