Save Benson Polytechnic High School--Not a Skills Center!

Save Benson Polytechnic High School!

Audience: Portland Public School Board

From Benson's Website: Within an environment that fosters diversity, Benson's mission is to integrate hands-on career technical education and core academics today for the innovations of tomorrow.

Benson Polytechnic High School (BHS) has provided a unique, diverse and valuable educational opportunity to the students of Portland for over 100 years. The impact of BHS would be significantly diluted if converted from a High School to a Skills Center.

The Career and Technical Education programs are much more than the entry-level courses offered at other PPS high schools. Majors are progressive, with Freshman introductory courses followed by increasingly specific and intensive education over the next three years. These courses of study make BHS students competitive for technical college programs and apprenticeships for well-paying careers. It would be impossible to provide the same expertise within a two-year Skills Center.

The city-wide reach of Benson provides the most diverse educational experience in the city. Outside of the technical classrooms, BHS students work together to solve math problems, debate current events, and discover great literature. They eat lunch, play sports, and work through challenges with kids that they would never have met at their neighborhood schools. Bringing high school kids with different backgrounds to learn, share, and now, fight for their school together, builds cross-cultural awareness that is a major step toward reducing racism and other forms of bigotry. "Tech Pride" is our way of expressing the closeness and esprit de corps that students and parents alike feel for the community. A half-day, two-year Skills Center would also serve a diverse population, but the unmatched opportunity for community that Benson provides would be lost.

The Benson Polytechnic High School model is contrary to the constant news that the American educational system is failing our children. BHS students with technical, creative minds who may not be supported in a traditional school thrive in the hands-on, practical education provided at their school. The internships and job opportunities while at BHS prepare students for professional life before graduation. BHS graduation rates are better than other PPS high schools when adjusting for the disproportionate number of underserved students educated here, and college application rates are among the highest in PPS. BHS students go on to college or apprenticeships in well-paying careers and are well prepared to not only participate in, but also to create, careers of the future.

While we appreciate that the PPS Board would like to offer the opportunities provided at BHS to more students, we implore you to keep our community strong by not changing the structure of the program.

We, the undersigned, implore Portland Public School District to keep Benson Polytechnic High School intact as a four year, Magnet High School.

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