Oregon Public Broadcasting

Portland school board members got an earful of opposition Monday night to an idea to close a neighborhood school, so that the district's four-year career magnet could use the building. Rob Manning reports.

Board members asked district staff to explore an alternative to turning Benson High into a two-year drop-in program.

The idea is to instead move Benson's career-technical programs to Jefferson High and end Jefferson's 100-year history as a neighborhood school. Jefferson is Portland's only majority African-American high school.

Last night was the first chance for the school community to react to the new idea.

Tony Hopson runs the education non-profit, Self-Enhancement, Inc., and is a Jefferson graduate. He says the latest idea to save Benson would be the latest injustice to Jefferson. 

Tony Hopson: "The school district has systematically raped Jefferson High School over the past 40 years. What's happened at Jefferson isn't your fault – you weren't even part of the decisions then. But it is your responsibility as elected school board members to make it right." 

Board members said the superintendent's recommendation is still the only formal high school proposal. That plan keeps Jefferson as a neighborhood school.