Longtime Portland school board member Sarah Thompson ends bid for reelection

Oct. 5—Sarah Thompson, a longtime Portland school board member, announced Tuesday she is ending her bid for re-election in November citing divisiveness in city politics and on the school board.

"It's so different from when I first ran for the school board even up until two years ago," said Thompson, who has served on the board since 2006. "When I've served before it was people respecting one another's opinions. We talk about wanting public input and hearing from more people, but there are people putting on social media how they're going to vote before we even have public comment on a particular topic. It used to be much more of a team approach and that's changed a lot in my mind."

Thompson's decision to drop out of the race leaves her opponent, Nyalat Biliew, running uncontested in the race for an at-large seat on the school board. There are no other contested school board races in the Nov. 2 election as current board members Emily Figdor and Abusana "Micky" Bondo are also running unopposed.

It also comes amid a number of high-profile departures from city government. Three incumbent city councilors are not seeking re-election and the city manager and police chief are also departing. Thompson said she feels as if the changes are coming as the city becomes increasingly progressive and politics are becoming more divisive.

"No longer are you a liberal Democrat even though you think you are and you're registered as a Democrat," said Thompson, 51. "You're now looked at as, 'Whoa, you're conservative.' I think if you ask more liberal Democrats, they'll tell you the same thing. That's what I continually heard when I was out talking to people."

Recently, Thompson said the school board hasn't had the same types of collaborative discussions as in the past and members more often approach issues with their opinions already settled before public comment or board discussion. She pointed to the decision to remove school resource officers last year amid a national call for police accountability as an example. Thompson had offered a proposal that the board spend more time researching the issue before making a decision, but it was rejected on the way to a 7-2 vote to remove officers from the district's high schools.

"When I offered a resolution, it was, 'Let's talk about it and find out what's going on and then make a decision,'" she said. "That wasn't acceptable. It was like, 'Nope. They're gone tomorrow.' That's an example of how we used to have conversations about things... As soon as someone like myself and other community members brought up opposition to jamming things through like (what) happened, then watch out. You're on the other side now and you're automatically the enemy."

School board Chair Emily Figdor rejected the idea the atmosphere on the board has grown more divisive and said that, amid keeping schools open during the coronavirus pandemic, they've still worked together to accomplish several initiatives including overhauling and updating the district's discipline policies, expanding access to pre-K and adjusting start and end times to the school day to better align with student sleep schedules.

"I think the proof is in the pudding in terms of our being able to work together and get things done," Figdor said. "In the last 2.5 years, I think it's been unprecedented the amount we've been able to get done together and with a ton of community support. Many of our initiatives and policies have come from intense community dialogue, whether it's new discipline policies, new policies around preventing sexual harassment, assault and discrimination or the switch to solar power. These are solutions coming to us from the community as the result of collaboration, intense research and dialogue."

Figdor said she was surprised to hear of Thompson's decision and grateful for her commitment the last 15 years. "It sounds like it was what feels right for her," Figdor said. "Fifteen years of service to the district and the community is a lot."

At the same time, Figdor had endorsed Thompson's opponent, Biliew, in the race. A 2013 Deering High School alum who is also a first-generation Sudanese immigrant, Biliew finished third in a three-way race for an at-large seat last year and is running on a platform that includes ensuring students of color have a safe space to learn and have their voices heard. She did not respond to a phone message or email Tuesday.

Figdor said she supports Biliew because she was happy to see a young person eager to get involved in the equity work that is the primary focus of the district.

"Having more diverse perspectives and life experiences on the school board strengthens our work," Figdor said. "Nyalat is an immigrant and recent graduate of our schools. I'm thrilled she is a young person willing to step up and serve her community. I think her voice and her perspective will really strengthen our work."

Thompson, meanwhile, said she feels her many years on the board and the knowledge she has accrued over that time are no longer valued by some members of the community.

"It's completely fine," she said of Figdor's endorsement. "It's not that I wanted it, but when stuff like that happens it's like, I was chair for two years, I've chaired almost every committee, I built schools, I've been a long-time Portlander and you think that would be of some value."

She said her decision points to a broader dynamic in city politics that isn't healthy. One example Thompson pointed to was a widely denounced political mailer last spring that encouraged people to oppose certain candidates in the race for the city charter commission, including Cheryl Leeman and Steve DiMillo, both of whom are Republicans.

"They're both Republicans. So what?" Thompson said. "So you put out a mailer condemning them? The civil discourse is just sad... I'm not saying that happened to me during this campaign, but the environment is sick."

Thompson was first elected to the school board 15 years ago when her daughters were in sixth grade at King Middle School and third grade at the former Hall Elementary School. She survived a recall effort shortly into her first term that came at the confluence of a $2 million deficit and a controversial debate over access to birth control pills at King and went on to chair the board for two years in 2014 and 2015. She said the decision to step away was a difficult one, but one that will benefit her mental health.

"It was really very hard for me to come to the conclusion I did but I just find it's taking more of a toll on me," Thompson said. "Is it worth my health? I do care so deeply and do love the work but (with) the negativity and public rancor among elected officials, I don't know who would want to serve in office. Now we're going to have people serving in office that are all like minds and where does that get us? If we're all doing the same thing and all agreeing on the same things we're not representing the community as a whole."