EUGENE–For the first time, three of Oregon’s larger school districts have joined forces to improve their efforts to create inclusive learning environments.

More than 1,000 administrators, teachers, students, parents and staff have been invited to attend "Inclusive Learning Communities," a series of three forums Feb. 27—March 1. The forums will be hosted by the Portland, Hillsboro and Eugene public school districts in partnership with the University of Oregon College of Education’s Institute for Leadership and Diversity Issues in Education.

"Schools are the gathering place where children acquire respect, civility and appreciation for not only the diversity of each individual, but also the values and beliefs they share in common," says Phil McCullum, director of the UO institute.

As schools become increasingly diverse, he says, differences in origin, race, religion, disability and sexual orientation among students often are reduced to labels. Such labels can prevent individuals from feeling a sense of belonging in an inclusive, respectful learning community.

Presenter Kesho Scott, professor of American studies at Grinnell College in Iowa, will address each forum on fostering a climate of respect and culture of belonging in schools.

The Portland Public Schools’ forum will train 240 administrators from all three districts in methods to "unlearn" racism and foster these practices in their schools.

The Hillsboro School District 1J forum will train teams of high school students from the Portland, Hillsboro and Eugene districts in cultivating climates of respect and cultures of belonging.

The Eugene School District 4J forum will help school administrators, teachers, staff and parents to strengthen leadership skills and design plans to foster inclusive learning climates.

The UO College of Education hosted 32 Oregon school districts in the 2000 diversity forum. For more information, call McCullum at the UO College of Education, (541) 346-0804.

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