Grant is woven into the fabric of Portland history and Eastside life. Grant is one of Portland's few success stories and one of the two top performing high schools in the city.

PPS will make a grave error in dismantling Grant. Theoretical concepts are not stand ins for what the Eastside community has created in Grant that has taken years and generations to achieve.

I don't think I could take another "major" change, or trendy boondogle from PPS — there are still kids in my daughter's fifth grade class that can't write a complete sentence. There are encyclopedia's dated 1971 in her class. The teachers have no contract. There is no support for it's brightest students, only a "TAG" designation — no differentiated curriculum, no support for students desirous of more than the schools "teaching to the middle" and pushing kids through that can't read, write or understand math or civics.

We will pay for these "failures" either now or later. There is no way children can go into the future with this level of low functioning. What a crime this is! Let me say that children are not failures here, the cirriculum and the execution of it by PPS design is a failure. Class sizes are to big to give the kids that need help the extra attention so they are pushed though.

PPS needs to "redesign" the quality of their education now, today. They need to stick to teaching the fundamentals and core education that is reading, writing, math, civics and give their students a chance at a productive life vis a vis an underclass of the discontented that could have had more if they had the education.

PPS has asked way, way to much of parents — our time, our money, our volunteer hours, our classroom time, without presenting the simple basics of success in return — a quality, basic education for Portland's kids…

God help them if they dismantle Grant. What an ugly symbol of stupidity and failure.

And I will join that charter school to get my daughter out of this failing system. It's not the "inequality" across the city PPS should be concerned about, it's the sub-standard cirriculum across the board that doesn't even provide the basic foundation of learning.

FOR SHAME, PPS!

Clearly, some of that was family income, but many of us came from very low income homes, worked all the way through hs and have attained some degree of community leadership.

The point is: neither the school board nor district administrators can make a school great…or ungreat. It comes from the neighborhoods , the school leadership (remember Colton Meek and our great vice-principals) and the commitment of the students.

It is my understanding that this same commitment still exixts and is reflected in the awards Grant High School continues to attain.

However, I was agast at the comment by the Vice-Principal about the lack of a PA system and that that should be a basis of mesurement. No wonder the district has problems. Grant is nearly 100 years old and has survived without a PA system. There are lots of other options available if it is that important.

My grand daughter is scheduled to go to Grant because her parents view Grant with the same respect I do.

It appears you do not seem to be able to replecate what is great at Grant in other Portland HS, so you want to tear Grant apart. That sounds like the grasshopper and ant story.

My second question: Will the board support a charter school in the Grant district? It would provide the students and parents choice and make your live a little less uncomfortable.