RtR Community,
We have partnered with the Lake Oswego Sustainability Network (LOSN) to create a questionnaire for the candidates in the May 20 school board election to see where they stand on issues of equity and sustainability. There are five candidates competing for three open positions on the school board. Candidate Lena Elbakshish is running for position 2 which has been held the past five years by incumbent, Neelam Gupta. Gupta is running for reelection. Incumbent, Brian Bills, is running unopposed for position 3. Candidates Kasey Adler and Katherine Lupton, are both
running for Liz Hartman's open seat, position 4. Here is a link to read full candidate responses, in verbatim, to our questionnaire.
One question focused on RtR's campaign to reinstate Ethnic Studies and make it a mandatory course. As you may remember, LOSD made the choice to cut Ethnic Studies before the beginning of this school year in part
due to lack of enrollment as an elective. In LO, a mandatory Ethnic Studies course might be the only engagement students have with deeper discussions on BIPOC histories and futures, as well as the skills to navigate more diverse atmospheres outside of LO. Please email the school board, and tell them to reinstate Ethnic Studies as a mandatory course. losdschoolboard@loswego.k12.or.us.
Below are copy and pasted answers of each candidate's response towards question #5 regarding the reinstatement of Ethnic Studies as a mandatory course:
Q: We’ve heard from current and former students that taking Ethnic Studies helps them feel better prepared to work with people from diverse backgrounds. Will you support reinstating Ethnic Studies and making it mandatory? If so, how
will you go about it? If not, why?
Candidate: Kasey Adler, Position 4
To go even broader, I believe Ethnic Studies should be incorporated into the whole fabric of our curriculum; embracing different cultures, how and why people are different, and how we can all support each other. We should consider a curriculum review and instructional roadmap, K-12, to see what gaps exist in these efforts, and work with the superintendent to ensure we’re addressing
deficiencies. We should also invite feedback from teachers and students on how we can supplement these efforts, and get students involved in sustainability-related projects early and often, both inside the buildings and in the community.
Candidate: Lena Elbakshish, Position 2
Yes, I support reinstating Ethnic Studies and making it a core graduation requirement. It prepares students to work in diverse environments and fosters empathy, understanding, and
critical thinking. To make it happen:
- Partner with educators and community members to design the curriculum. ● Provide training and support for teachers.
- Ensure it’s well-resourced and embedded into core subject areas.
Candidate: Katherine Lupton, Position 4
As a student of Education Policy at Johns Hopkins University, we focused heavily on equity work, protecting vulnerable students, and supporting voices from
all backgrounds and cultures. Both my degree and my experiences in Baltimore and in Salem prepared me well for classroom teaching and for leadership.
In our graduate work, we focused extensively on DEI and CRT best practices and techniques. After receiving my M.S.Ed. degree from Johns Hopkins University, I was able to apply the DEI and CRT practices from my degree program in my Baltimore classroom on a daily basis, to great success.
It is
important that all children feel included and honored, and can see themselves reflected in their curriculum. I am passionate about the importance of such programs, and I feel they should be included in public school curriculums.
Incumbent: Brian Bills, Position 3
Ethnic Studies plays an important role in developing civic awareness and cross-cultural competency. I’m pleased that LOSD currently integrates these themes across all grade
levels in developmentally appropriate ways. I support auditing the current scope and sequence of how these themes appear across the 9–12 curriculum and would welcome the opportunity to offer a more focused elective course for students seeking a deeper exploration.
That said, I do not support requiring a standalone Ethnic Studies course for graduation. As an IEC working with students applying to some of the most competitive college programs in the country, I see firsthand how limited
scheduling flexibility can affect opportunity. With recent graduation requirement changes from ODE, mandating an additional course could constrain students’ ability to take AP classes, world languages, or advanced electives aligned with their academic goals. We must be careful not to reduce a student’s access to opportunities in the name of expanding them.
Incumbent: Neelam Gupta, Position 2
I share your commitment to ensuring that all students engage
with diverse histories, perspectives, and experiences as part of their LOSD education. In 2024, the State Board of Education adopted updated social science standards that embed Ethnic Studies across all grade levels and content areas, replacing the previous multicultural standards.
These new standards require instruction that fosters safe, inclusive environments where students can explore topics such as equity, racism, discrimination, and identity. They also integrate content from SB 13
(Tribal History/Shared History) and SB 664 (Holocaust and Genocide Studies), creating a more comprehensive and inclusive curriculum.
All Oregon school districts must implement these standards by 2026, and Lake Oswego has already begun incorporating them into required K–12 history courses starting in 2024. My focus is on ensuring that these new required standards are being fully and effectively implemented across all grade levels, so that every student benefits from this important learning
throughout their entire educational journey. These standards offer a core understanding of the topics covered in an introductory Ethnic Studies class for all students. In addition, teachers can propose a new course to be added with unique content not already addressed in our curriculum, which would be offered if there was sufficient student interest.
