Work Shouldn’t Hurt draws bipartisan support
A bipartisan bill backed by OSEA would ensure school employees working with students on a behavior management plan are no longer left in the dark.
House Bill (HB) 3318 would require that all school employees working with a student on a behavior management plan be included in its development and informed about how best to carry it out. It also requires districts to complete or revise existing behavioral intervention plans (BIP) within 60 days after an incident resulting in injury to staff or students. The bill has two chief sponsors and eight cosponsors. This common-sense legislation simply cannot wait, hence the broad support from both Democrats and Republicans from Hillsboro to Heppner.
“This isn’t an isolated issue in just one school or even one school district — it’s happening all across the state,” OSEA Government Relations Specialist Soren Metzger told the House Education Committee on Monday, April 3.
This is an issue that affects districts large and small, and can be accomplished with existing school resources.
“It would potentially save districts money,” Metzger said, citing pending workers’ compensation claims against school districts as well as the high cost of recruiting new school employees when existing workers leave the job out of frustration. “I don’t think safety of staff and students should be a separate line item.”
Rep. Jodi Hack, R-Salem, cited the experiences of her legislative assistant, a former instructional assistant who suffered a broken jaw after being injured by a student.
“I’ve seen firsthand the risk they put themselves in,” Hack said. “I also appreciate the bill’s content in allowing them to participate in the … behavioral planning piece.”
Jared Mason Gere, a lobbyist for the Oregon Education Association (OEA), said injuries to school staff are rising to the top of their members’ list of concerns.
“Our members are desperate for any tool to better manage the students they’re working with,” Gere said.
Rep. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, said students and staff can’t wait until the legislature is willing and able to fully fund schools.
“The bottom line is people are getting hurt, and students are losing part of that educational experience,” said Sollman, who is a cosponsor of the bill.
Chief sponsors of HB 3318 are Sen. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis; and Rep. Margaret Doherty, D-Tigard. Cosponsors include Reps. Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale; Susan McLain, D-Hillsboro; Bill Post, R-Keizer; Greg Smith, R-Heppner, Hack and Sollman. Senate sponsors are Michael Dembrow, D-Portland; Lew Frederick, D-Portland; Tim Knopp, R-Bend; and Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay.
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