The Forest Grove School Board met for a regular business meeting Tuesday, Sept. 23, their first since a district teacher sparked an uproar after saying the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk "brightened up" his day.
Toward the beginning of the meeting, several school board members and Superintendent Suzanne West spoke on the ongoing investigation into Neil Armstrong Middle School teacher John Colgan.
Colgan, formerly a Cornelius City Councilor prior to his resignation over his remarks, has been on paid administrative leave since Sept. 12 while the school district investigates.
"The investigation is not predetermined so we do not have a set timeline," Forest Grove School District spokesperson David Warner said in an email to News in the Grove on Tuesday, Sept. 16. Warner said the investigation would be conducted internally by the district's human resources department.
During Tuesday's school board meeting, Sup. West said the district would conduct a full investigation before taking any actions, and urged those calling for immediate action to recognize the need for a due process and the reality of Oregon's employment laws and union agreements that define how a teacher is disciplined.
"I want to acknowledge that there's a lot of strong feelings in the community. I think between the board members, and myself, and the administration team at Neil Armstrong Middle School, we've heard those perspectives load and clear."
West said the district had received different perspectives from community members.
"I also want to be clear, that as a licensed educator, he has rights to due process," West said.
"I recognize again the wide range of viewpoints, and I need to state publicly that personnel decisions are guided [by] district policy, contractual obligations, and the rights afforded under Oregon employment law," West said. "When our investigation is complete, we will communicate the outcome with our community. Until then, we ask for your patience and trust as we follow through the process," she said.
"Finally I want to reiterate what we said multiple times from the beginning of this situation," West concluded. "We remain unwavering in our commitment to our students in ensuring that their education continues without interruption," West said.
Union contract approved
The Forest Grove School Board unanimously voted to approve the 2025-2028 agreement between the district and the Forest Grove Education Association, the union that represents licensed educators in the district.
Meetings to draft the agreement began Feb. 13, according to Forest Grove Education Association Bargaining Chair Serena Fitz. They concluded June 30, and association members voted to approve the contract in August.
The new contract includes a salary increase of 3.75% in contract year 2025-26, 4.25% for contract year 2026-27, and 4% for contract year 2027-28.
Forest Grove School Board Chair Kristy Kottkey praised those involved in contract negotiations and district staff.
Read highlights of the new contract in a board packet starting on page 74.
