In the last edition of the Wednesday STOPP Report, we broke the latest in the story of Oregon teacher, Bill Diss, who was bullied by Planned Parenthood and the Portland schools to the point of being escorted out of the school by police. The hearing last week, in which the school was to determine this exemplary, award-winning teacher’s “fitness to teach,” precipitated STOPP’s research into connections between Portland school officials, Planned Parenthood, and its political cohorts.
As we researched, we found multiple connections that go a long way in explaining why the nation’s largest abortion chain wields so much power in Portland schools that it could actually facilitate the dismissal and a “perp walk” of a teacher who exercised his First Amendment rights in speaking out about the abortion giant. Here is the summary of what we found:
(1) Board member Ruth Adkins aligned herself politically with Planned Parenthood in opposition to two Oregon ballot measures that the schools tied to school funding.
(2) Board member Pam Knowles is an attorney in the firm that sued the American Coalition of Life Activists, Dr. Monica Miller, and others—challenging the defendants’ First Amendment rights—on behalf of Planned Parenthood and Oregon abortionists. Knowles was the mentor of the lead lawyer for Planned Parenthood in the case. Knowles’ protégé, Carol Bernick, was so dedicated to stripping the defendants’ constitutional right to speak out against Planned Parenthood that she pursued the case on a pro bono basis. Bernick is reported to have said that, during two decades of practicing law, this is the case of which she is most proud. “It had the effect of curbing the behavior that we believed was a threat, and the jury agreed that it was a threat. It made you proud to be a lawyer.”
(3) Board member Matt Morton is a colleague of Nichole Maher in the Multicultural Affairs department at Reed College. Maher serves on the boards of Portland Schools Foundation and Planned Parenthood.
(4) Board director Bobbie Regan sits on the advisory board of the “mercy killing” organization Compassion & Choices of Oregon along with former Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette CEO David Greenberg. Per Compassion’s website, the organization is “a resource for Oregonians as they make end-of-life decisions and plan for a caring, gentle death according to their own values and beliefs. We provide terminally ill, mentally competent adults with a network of professionals, who inform, educate, and counsel them on the broad range of end-of-life options. We complement the implementation of The Oregon Death with Dignity Act by ensuring qualified Oregonians with safe and responsible access to use the Act.”
(5) Two board members, Martin Gonzalez and Trudy Sargent, were listed with Bobbie Regan, current board director, among supporters of Mary Nolan for city council along with NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon and Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon. Nolan cofounded Oregon NARAL.
(6) Current Portland schools director Bobbie Regan endorsed Charlie Hales for mayor. Hales said that his 25-year-old daughter, Caitlin, remains on his insurance because of Obama’s health reform law and is “happy to access preventive services without any cost sharing and also had access to a safe, legal abortion should she need one.” Hales continued, “I’m proud of Caitlin, and I’m proud that if she makes those choices, she gets to make them.”
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(7) Bobbie Regan also joined PP Action Fund in endorsing Suzanne Bonamici for Congress. Bonamici is a supporter of NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon. Regan also served as legislative assistant to U.S. Congressman Ed Markey, endorsed by Planned Parenthood PAC with a 100 percent favorable record.
With so many Planned Parenthood supporters and allies in high places in the school district, it is no wonder that the nation’s largest abortion chain is able to skate through years of persecuting and bullying Mr. Diss, ending with Mr. Diss’ eventual dismissal on silly, trumped-up charges over things like teaching multiplication tables and being “militaristic.”
An estimated 150 people showed up at last week’s hearing in support of Mr. Diss, although the great majority were kept from entering the hearing room, and many were even denied access to the elevator leading to the hearing room. Mr. Diss asks everyone to pray, especially those who are working at the school district, pending a decision on his hearing.
LifeNews.com Note: Rita Diller is the national director of American Life League’s Stop Planned Parenthood Project.
