Benson Polytechnic High School was on Police Lockdown and (almost) Nobody Knew it.
And the reason being given was to protect the school from Lincoln High School students?
For the last two days, rumors have been spreading on Facebook that Benson Polytechnic High School was under police lockdown on September 7th while Lincoln High School students staged a walkout protest over school funding.
On Sept 7th a Facebook user shared this photo of police standing in front of the school.
We called Benson Polytechnic High School to verify the lockdown rumored to have occurred on Sept 7th while other students were staging a walkout protest. The person who answered the phone verified that it did occur. After two more transfers another person answered the phone, referred us to the PPS Communications office, refused to provide their name and when asked if the lockdown was related to the student protests they hung up on us. Still waiting for hear from the PPS Communications people
Many parents of Benson students say they were not notified of the incident and Portland Public Schools has issued no statement about why a dozen or more police officers locking down the school. The few parents who did learn of the incident via social media claim they would be arrested if they set foot on the campus.
Is this another “don’t play rap music on the bus” incident for PPS?
The student body at Benson is 28% African-American, 20% Latino, 23% Asian/Pacific Islander and 20% White. This makes Benson PolyTechnic High School on of the few schools in Portland, or Oregon for that matter, were a majority of students are non-white.
The student body of Lincoln High School is 74% white. It’s students were allowed to participate in a walkout to protest insufficient school funding and in support of a proposed $750 million school bond measure. The Portland Public School Board, still reeling from the Lead in the Water Scandal, has decided not to put the bond measure on the November ballot.
Just weeks ago PPS faced a backlash over its memo to bus drivers banning them from playing rap music on school buses. The decision to ban rap music was seen by many as racist and PPS quickly changed course.
Were Lincoln Students a Threat to Benson PolyTechnic High School?
There has been almost no local coverage from corporate owned media outlets. The story below from KPTV contains the only mention located so far . It states that Portland Police locked down the school because it faced an immediate threat….from Lincoln High School Students?
Students said they planned to march to the Portland Public Schools offices in north Portland. The group made it to Benson High School in northeast Portland by 11:30 a.m. Portland police officers responded to the school, which was placed on lockout during the demonstration. — from the KPTV article
In what way did Lincoln High School students constitute such an “immediate threat” that over a dozen Portland Police Officers had to block all exits and ban anyone from leaving the school. Were they going to harm the students? Or ask them to join the protests?
Why has PPS not issued a statement on this very serious issue and why did the staff at Benson hang up on us after refusing to provide any details?
Stay tuned…
