Live from the Downtown "Anti-Betsy DeVos Walkout" Protest

UPDATE: MORE PICTURES

Pioneer Courthouse SquareDoug Brown

Students speaking out about education secretary Betsy DeVosDoug Brown

Doug Brown

StudentsDoug Brown

Doug Brown

A Portland teacherDoug Brown

Wilson High School teacher Hyung NamDoug Brown

Doug Brown

StudentsDoug Brown

Marching through downtownDoug Brown

Doug Brown

Marching through downtownDoug Brown

Student speeches at Tom McCall Waterfront ParkDoug Brown

Student speeches at Tom McCall Waterfront ParkDoug Brown

Doug Brown

Doug Brown

Marching through downtownDoug Brown

UPDATE 6:05 pm:

Student protest has ended next to a statue of Lincoln on the park blocks... "With malice toward none, charity for all.." -Abraham Lincoln pic.twitter.com/6Z0YB8mjSw
— Matt Rashleigh (@Matt_KOIN) January 20, 2017

UPDATE 5:30 pm:

Marching again pic.twitter.com/hwnsMxWbik
— doug brown (@dougbrown8) January 20, 2017

UPDATE 5:20 pm:

Now at waterfront. Student anti-DeVos speech pic.twitter.com/9MSdnaJQVg
— doug brown (@dougbrown8) January 20, 2017

UPDATE 5:05 pm:

Welp. Kid stood in front of a car. Old guy driving kept going for a bit with him on the hood pic.twitter.com/SQxSu64KBg
— doug brown (@dougbrown8) January 20, 2017

UPDATE 4:50 pm:

DeVos speeches done. Marching now pic.twitter.com/bSQxXoeCyD
— doug brown (@dougbrown8) January 20, 2017

UPDATE 4:20 pm: Speeches have begun.

Starting off with an anti-Devos speech. Going over her political donations, discrimination pic.twitter.com/o2UYycF92x
— doug brown (@dougbrown8) January 20, 2017

Doug Brown

At about 4 pm, the first major protest of Inaugural weekend will begin. It's the "Anti-Betsy DeVos Walkout" in which Portland students will walk out of class to rally against Donald Trump's appointment of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. If you haven't been keeping up with Betsy, I think it's fair to say that as potential education secretary, she's a fucking train wreck. Besides being a major booster of charter schools (to the exclusion of public education), she's also funded anti-gay conversion therapy, and during her hearing proclaimed that guns at school are needed to protect students from bear attacks (!?!), and apparently knows NOTHING about the public education system.

Here's what the "Anti-Betsy DeVos Walkout" organizers would like to add, from their event page:

DeVos has never attended or sent her kids to public school and has no experience as an educator. She is a corporate lobbyist who is unqualified to be Secretary of Education. We are urging U.S. Senators to vote against her confirmation and prevent long-term damage to millions of students. We instead call for a massive and equitable federal investment in public education that focuses on closing the opportunity gap and strengthens our public schools.

The plan is for students to meet outside their schools at 3:15 pm today, gather at Pioneer Courthouse Square at 4 pm for a rally and speeches, march at 5 pm, and "stop at 5:30 at Salmon Street Springs for more speeches." Our Doug Brown will be on the scene sending back reports, so follow him on Twitter or come back here often for updates.

As always, check our Resistance & Solidarity calendar for the latest protests, rallies, and political events.

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