Lawson for Zone 3
Right now the stakes could not be higher for education. And the same is true for our outstanding community college, Lane Community College.
What we need during such tumultuous and uncertain times is a strong leader and a new voice. I have been inspired by the vision and leadership of Devon Lawson and his run for the LCC Board for Zone 3.
Lawson brings invaluable lived experience and a fresh perspective on how to make community college and higher education accessible to all learners and students. One of his top campaign priorities, which matters to me and many families, is to re-open LCC’s DEI office, which has been closed since 2023. This office will help ensure that all students get what they need to thrive and succeed. Lawson is committed to fighting for affordability in a time when the federal government is taking away opportunities like Pell Grants. He is also a leader who will fight to keep ICE off campus so education can be safe and welcoming for all community members.
As a parent of a prospective LCC student, I trust Lawson to put the needs of students, staff and community foremost and to lead with distinction. Please join me in voting for him this May special election.
Ericka Thessen
Eugene
Downtown Protest
Last Saturday (April 19), while I was downtown protesting the Trump administration, I was approached by a reporter from KEZI 9 News, who offered to interview me. I was glad to oblige. Proud of my eloquent response on the fly, I was disappointed when the story aired later that night. My response was reduced to a few short bits, leaving out the more controversial points I made about comparing Trump’s power grab to that seen in Nazi Germany, and my commentary about deporting anyone regardless of legal status or criminal background without due process.
During the protest, I was holding a sign that read, “No Nazis: Arrest Elon Musk” with a slash going through a picture of Elon Musk doing the Nazi salute. The reporter asked me to flip the poster around to reveal a more generic “Fight, Rebel, Resist,” stating he had to remain neutral. I would believe it is a reporter’s job to capture the full sentiments of their interviewees. While I understand the time constraints and the need for a short, concise clip, I also worry that the media is engaging in its own censorship to avoid becoming a future target. It is concerning that even though we still have our right to free speech, certain media companies already seem to be caving to outside political pressures. If the media and other institutions are unwilling to uphold the First Amendment out of fear of the consequences, democracy may very well be dead already.
Erica Lyon
Eugene
CAHOOTS will be Missed
To Mick Harty (EW Viewpoint, 4/17): I’m angry, too. I’m a retired home health psychiatric RN, so I didn’t run into you folks often, but when I did I was impressed. Thank you for treating people as human beings, not their diagnosis. You will be very missed. Thank you for those people you intervened with and stayed out of crisis. Just, thank you.
Leslie Gottshall-Decker
Cottage Grove
Hiura for Lane ESD Board
I’m endorsing Thomas Hiura for the Lane ESD Board because he’s smart, grounded and committed to making a real difference for students and families in Lane County.
Hiura and I first met when I interviewed him on my show (Spent the Rent podcast), and we’ve stayed in touch since. Over time, I’ve come to respect his steady, thoughtful approach to public service. He’s not in this for attention — he’s in it to do the work. He listens more than he talks, asks the right questions and follows through.
As a Springfield resident, I won’t see his name on my ballot, but if I could vote for him, I would. Hiura brings a mix of practical thinking and genuine care that’s sorely needed in education leadership. He understands both the big-picture challenges and the everyday realities schools are facing, and he doesn’t pretend to have all the answers — he just wants to help.
If you live in the district, I hope you’ll support him. Learn more at ThomasHiura.com.
Patty Rose
Springfield
EW on the Commission Vote
I knew that EW would slam Commissioners David Loveall and Ryan Ceniga over their “no” votes on county sanctuary for illegal migrants (Slant, 4/24).
However, theirs were the only responsible votes on the proposal. “How so?” you ask:
First, there’s Title 8, Chapter 1324(a) of Federal Code that makes it a felony to “conceal, harbor or shield from detection, or attempt to conceal, harbor or shield from detection” illegal immigrants.
That is exactly what Oregon and other sanctuary jurisdictions have been doing for years. This is one way Oregon has been incentivizing illegal immigration to our state for more than a decade.
That this law has been ignored for the past four years is a red flag for our current Dept. of Justice, which has already filed federal charges against Illinois, New York and has notified other sanctuary jurisdictions, including Oregon, of their policies being in violation. Gov. Tina Kotek was warned that “Such lawlessness subjects you and your subordinates to significant risk of criminal and civil liability.”
Next, we have the Article VI “Supremacy Clause” of the U.S. Constitution which clarifies that federal law supersedes state law in cases of conflict. That includes Oregon’s sanctuary policy.
Democrats are fond of saying “nobody is above the law.” EW apparently disagrees. Legal immigration is welcomed. Illegal immigration needs to be stopped.
All Lane County commissioners took an oath to uphold the law and the Constitution. Commissioners Loveall and Ceniga honored that oath and deserve commendation, not condemnation.
Jerry Ritter
Springfield
ONLINE EXTRA LETTERS!
Support the Student Workers
As someone who has been a part of higher education governance for nearly a decade and an advocate for student empowerment, I stand in solidarity with the student workers at University of Oregon, and I ask you to join me. Student workers are integral to both the higher education and Lane County communities. Public information suggests a UOSW (UO Student Workers) strike starting on Monday, April 28, with university administrators preparing for the labor action. Mediation sessions are scheduled ahead of an upcoming strike.
In challenging times, unity and support are paramount. Recent events underscore the significance of actively engaging with history, rather than being mere observers. Attacks on the student community in the national political dialogue on top of fighting for a fair contract is an uphill fight for anyone. Let’s unite in solidarity, amplifying our voices for students in our community.
It’s crucial for the community to stand united with these student workers. They embody the future workforce, and a strong workforce is one that is knowledgeable about their labor rights. Let’s support these students as they fight for fair working conditions. And use social hashtags #Solidarity and #StudentWorkers.
Austin Fölnagy
Vida
Newman for 4J Board
Judy Newman is a steady, calm and experienced 4J board member. She has utilized her extensive knowledge of educational programs and brought strong, consistent leadership to the board. With so much potential change from the federal government ahead of us, now more than ever is a time when all these skills are needed.
We met Newman when we served as presidents of the Eugene Education Association, the local teachers’ union, and she was the director of the Early Childhood CARES Program at the University of Oregon. Newman showed both her dedication to providing top notch care for students but also providing that same care for the staff. She has shown that same type of dedication to being on the 4J board and will continue to do so if elected to the board for a third term.
This is clearly a time when continuity and true leadership is needed on the board. Please join us in voting for Newman for the 4J board.
Paul Duchin and Merri Steele
Eugene
Endorsing a Former Student
As a teacher at our local community college, I will say that nothing is more gratifying than to see a former student do well for themselves and their community. Recently, I learned that a former student of mine, Amber Langworthy, is running for the Springfield School Board. While I can’t vote in that district, I wanted to share with EW readers what I know of Langworthy and why I support her candidacy.
Langworthy is a clear and passionate communicator, and this will serve her well on the Springfield board. A successful product herself of public education, she is dedicated to supporting Springfield’s district’s motto of “Every Student, Every Day.” She understands that to meet that commitment, educators need support and she plans to give it.
As a teacher in the humanities, I am heartened to know that Langworthy supports the full spectrum of learning for our future leaders in sciences, humanities, music, athletics, technical vocations and the arts. She believes that a well-rounded K-12 education creates a healthy community where young people pursue their passion, know how to navigate a complex world, and find ways of contributing to our vibrant culture and healthy economy.
I have only known Langworthy for a couple years, but my understanding of her commitment, her clear thinking and communication and her passion for young people in our community lead me to support her strongly in her pursuit of a position on the Springfield School Board.
Anne McGrail
Eugene
Silently Missing. What Happened?
CAHOOTS was silently taken from us. Who, how and why did this travesty happen in our own beloved community? It seems that White Bird has literally flown the coop, abandoning the very population they were created to serve.
First they closed Front Room while promising to continue their mission. Now CAHOOTS? Wasn’t there supposed to be a public hearing about this? Quoting from White Bird announcement of closure of Front Room last November: “While this change is challenging, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing the support and care our community relies on. No services are ending; they will continue through our programs, such as CAHOOTS, NEST and our Harm Reduction Treatment Center.” Can anyone please explain what happened?
Kathie Knowles
Eugene
Vote for Competence
I am new to Eugene, but I am not new to community colleges, having spent 30 of my 45-year community college career in senior leadership positions. I do not know any of the candidates for LCC’s Board of Education. However, I do know what makes an effective board member, and I am deeply saddened by the dysfunction that appears to exist on the LCC board, as reported by Jim Arnold in a viewpoint (EW, 4/17).
Effective board members understand their role is to establish policy, overall direction and priorities for the college. This is called policy governance. It is not their role to micromanage administrative, operational, academic or HR decisions. The board’s job is to hire a well-qualified CEO to run the college, and then to advise and support their leadership. In fact, accrediting bodies evaluate the CEO-board relationship and the board’s commitment to policy governance and collegiality as conditions for accreditation. In my decades as a consultant-evaluator for a regional accrediting body, I have witnessed several institutions put on probation for the dysfunction cited by Arnold.
I appeal to all who value LCC’s continuing to be a high-performing college to go to the polls on May 20 and vote for candidates who understand the appropriate role of board members and are capable of acting collegially. A high quality and effective board, coupled with a talented and experienced president, can continue LCC as the highly successful community college this community deserves and needs.
Don Doucette
Eugene
Think Critically
Dear People, stupid! This is what Donald Trump and his cronies want you to be. You and especially your children. This is what the attack on higher education and the dismantling of the Department of Education is about. A poorly educated populace is much easier to control, manipulate and lie to than a population that can critically think. Don’t be stupid. Read, listen and know the difference between truth and lies. Think! Don’t let them dumb us out. Learn, think, teach.
David Marks
Leaburg
To Despair
To those of us despairing about the fascist takeover, I am deeply despairing with you. Congress has been neutered, the courts are too slow and have no enforcement mechanism if their orders are not followed, and the civil servants in government are being hollowed out. So, I want to point out a few valuable resources to fight back with.
Nonviolent civil resistance has been a powerful tool for people since the days of Gandhi. It was successful in India, in the American South during the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and ’60s. Also, in South Africa, overcoming apartheid. In Poland with the Solidarity Party overcoming the Communist government. In Chile getting rid of Augusto Pinochet. Detailed studies have shown that in the period 1900-2006, 50 percent of nonviolent revolutions have succeeded in overcoming/overthrowing authoritarian regimes, whereas only 25 percent of violent revolutions have succeeded.
Watch the documentary (ironically, funded by USAID in 1999) called “A Force More Powerful,” available free on YouTube, and see how it can change how you’re feeling and what you can do.