Portland's situation is by no means unique; it is just a school district that has reached that point. Many school districts will be in the same situation in the years to come. Take heed and learn. In many ways, I hope that the problems in Portland continue until the whole system is failed. It is a ruined system built on an antiquated system that reflects the industrial revolution--if I remember correctly, we are in what has been called by many to be the "digital revolution". So Portland fails, then what? That is just too much negativity for our kids in Portland. True. However, if this is not solved now with a serious solution, it will forever plague the city and the city's already tarnished name (yes, it is used as an example across the country--my own father-in-law, a principal in an eastcoast school, has had it come up in conversations). Band Aids and the quick fix will not fix this. I hope it falls to ruin and it is built back up by forward thinking revolutionaries. The public school is worth saving, but the system is not. How about a community based school? This problem will force people to come up with creative alturnatives and pragmatic solutions. Knight (Nike) has stepped in and Gates (Microsoft) has stepped in amongst countless others. You may fear a bueracratic (sp?) business overtake, but I say that the crap-does-not-sell attitude and experience of these companies can be useful models in how the new system is built. I say all of this knowing that my son will enter into the system this coming September and I hope for the best and have a strong interest in his schooling future be it in the public school or other. T$