A recent letter to the editor criticized a lawsuit I filed against Portland Public Schools, suggesting that challenging PPS’ race-based policies doesn’t represent our community’s values (“Readers respond: Lawsuit doesn’t represent Glencoe’s values,” Nov. 2). I respectfully disagree. Equality under law isn’t contrary to our values – it’s the bedrock upon which all other values must stand.

I never imagined suing PPS. But the district’s “equity funding” formula, which allocates additional money based in part on schools’ racial demographics, violates that fundamental principle. Black or Latino students at some schools receive fewer resources than at other schools with larger minority populations. This isn’t progress—it’s discrimination.

The district’s new fundraising policy, opposed by 1,250-plus parents, compounds this injustice. Previously, parents could support their schools directly. Now all donations flow through a central fund that also applies a racial lens to its distribution. Parent fundraising predictably collapsed by 80%, contributing to staff cuts and increased class sizes.

The U.S. Constitution and courts exist precisely for moments like these—when good intentions lead to discrimination. We can address educational inequities without abandoning equal treatment under law. We can support struggling students without assuming needs based on race. We can build inclusive communities without dividing children by skin color.

This lawsuit represents our community’s deepest value: that the government must treat all people equally, regardless of race. That principle inspired and fueled the civil rights movement. It remains essential today.

I formed Families for Fair School Funding because families—across all demographics—share these concerns. Our children deserve better than discrimination repackaged as progress.

Richard Raseley, Portland

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