Expulsion Suspension

Our Committee

Our committee is a coalition of Multnomah County early childhood organizations. Our work focuses primarily on Multnomah County, drawing on research, successful practices, and consultations across the State of Oregon and the nation.

Our committee operates with the understanding that:

All children are doing what is necessary to get their needs met. Educators are doing their best to meet children’s needs with the resources that they have. Families are doing their best for their children, and are the #1 expert on their child. However, children are still being excluded from their community services. The root of this exclusion lies in the historical and predictable inequities experienced by children of color and children with disabilities. It is incumbent upon us to reevaluate and dismantle these inequitable systems that have been in place throughout the history of the United States. Our society as a whole, must do more to deliver children, families and educators the services and support they need to meet their highest potential.

Our Goals: 

Propose legislation that will:

1.     Put a ban on expulsion of children ages 0-5 years old into statue in the State of Oregon

2.     Include funding to provide adequate resources and the supports listed below as necessary to allow child care providers and early learning programs to keep children in care.

·      Understand child development and how it impacts behavior

·      Understand their own culture and values, and how those affect their teaching practice and their expectations of children, families and colleagues

·      Gain intercultural communication skills

·      Implement behavior guidance practices rooted in cultural responsiveness, brain science, and positivity

·      Develop personal resilience as a worker in an underserved profession

·      Provide trauma-informed care

·      Include non-neurotypical children equitable in their educational setting

·      Communicate the value of inclusive education to families in child care settings

·      Develop relationships with others in their field, including leading affinity groups based on interests, needs, race, language and culture

In our committee, we focus on children of color. Statistics show that African-American, Latinx, Native American and Pacific Islander children are many more times likely to be suspended or expelled from early childhood programs than their white peers.