What Gov. Kate Brown meant during her education announcement:

• “There is clear evidence that children receiving instruction and support in school is far better for them academically … fosters our students’ social and emotional well-being, their overall health, and often their physical safety,” but …

• “Providing nurturing in-person relationships and learning to our youngest children is absolutely critical to developing the reading and language skills and social development necessary for their long-term success,” but …

•”Equity has to be at the forefront of our decision-making,” but …

• “I will push, I will cajole and I will demand nothing but excellence from our districts and our educators,” but …

• “Students are harmed by lost instructional time,” but …

• “Distance learning cannot fully replace in-person instruction, especially for our youngest students,” but …

• “We know that brain development and learning in the earliest years occurs primarily through nurturing and responsive interactions with adults and other children,” but …

• “Many families across Oregon will struggle to make that (online learning) work not because they don’t want to, but likely because all available adults work jobs with less flexible schedules, they are essential workers and or their work requires them to leave their home,” but …

• “As I’ve said before, all options are on the table to restrict the transmission of the virus, but it is really in the hands of Oregonians,” but …

“I will be closing schools and making unrealistic requirements for opening schools.”

Thank you for my first unit of study on our doublespeak governor.

Daniel Sharp

Hermiston