Oregon Congressman tours campus and meets with students and staff

 Posted Oct. 20, 2022

By Kim Phan and Mila Romero

Opinions Editor & Entertainment Editor

        Congressman Earl Blumenauer met with administrators then toured the high school on Oct.18, before finally meeting with students in room 168 where he answered questions and heard concerns. 

Blumenauer started the conversation with the students lightheartedly, reminiscing on his high school years at nearby Centennial High School, before delving into deeper issues. 

“This week I had the opportunity to catch up with the leadership and students at David Douglas High school,” said Blumenauer. “They have had to overcome significant challenges to provide quality education by managing rapidly changing district demographics and a dramatic increase in resource needs. While David Douglas High School continues to be Oregon’s largest high school, the district only covers 12 square miles in East Portland, which severely limits the tax base to make needed improvements.”

Blumenauer reflected on the diverse population of the David Douglas student body,  claiming that it would be unheard of many years before. Yet, it shows how far people have progressed as a society. Clearly, it represents what a diverse image of America should look like and give attention to those who haven’t been represented enough historically. Emphasized by how highly he thought of young minds, Blumenauer repeatedly encouraged students to voice their opinions and thoughts by participating in voting as soon as they turned 18. 

Blumenauer acknowledges about how his generation of politicians and their leadership  have basically failed the future generations. 

For instance, students expressed their concerns on climate change.

“I’m a firm believer in bikes," Blumenauer said.  "Burn calories instead of fossil fuels.” 

He continued to advocate for electrification in the near future. Citizens have seen the rise in electric vehicles on the streets and by his hopes, it continues to just progress from there.  When asked about what ways and tools Congress will use to address climate change,  he believes the answer is to reduce the products of carbon emissions. He hit on the carbon pollution that large scale farms in the United States produced, creating and turning to developing buildings that are instead energy efficient. 

Blumenauer has previously advocated and has passed bills to support the renewable energy industry but making a change is a waiting game. He strongly believes in providing citizens transport choices through increased mass transit, sidewalks, and bike lanes as well as supporting a carbon tax on the nation's strongest polluters. 

Another common topic of the meeting were the effects of negative mental health on society. Gun control is a major issue in schools throughout the United States and it roots from mental issues and the easy accessibility to own guns. Blumenauer believes that thorough background checks are crucial to decreasing gun violence. He feels that the ability to purchase a rifle is incredibly dangerous. He calls it a machine built to kill people rather than to hunt or to use for the sake of defense. Blumenauer has previously stated a comprehensive plan to decrease gun violence which would require states to establish reporting systems for mental health professions and amends the federal criminal code to make it unlawful for an individual to sell a firearm or ammunition to a person knowing they've been committed for mental illness. 

In addition to addressing students' concerns, Blumenauer wants to pass a bond where schools within the district would enhance career planning as well as improving school structures. He encourages voters to vote YES on Bond Measure 26-227. The bond would make improvements to schools around the district as well as build a new Future Careers Center at David Douglas High School. Projects totaling up to nearly $95 million would improve student safety and security, upgrades to air, plumbing and electrical systems, and repairs to roofs, siding, windows, and other areas with structural wear or damage. The Future Careers Center would become a facility for sciences, technology, engineering and even more vocations. If the bond passes, it would trigger a grant from the State of Oregon providing an additional $8 million in funding.

“I could tell from these students’ questions about everything from the time we start school on a daily basis, to gun violence prevention, racial justice and curbing climate chaos that these bright young people are well worth the investment,” Blumenauer said.