Portland School District Pays $295K to Settle with Controversial Teacher Ousted for Insubordination

PORTLAND, Ore. — A teacher at the Harriet Tubman Middle School in Portland, fired in 2023 for insubordination and neglect of duty, has been awarded a $295,000 settlement by the school district after he filed a grievance with the Oregon Employment Relations Board.

School Board Decided to Settle to Avoid Ongoing Litigation

According to the settlement agreement, Bryan Chu agreed not to institute further claims against the school district which has denied any wrongdoing, and said that it decided to settle the matter to avoid ongoing litigation costs.

At the time of his dismissal, district investigators revealed that Chu had a history of intimidating and bullying fellow teachers, singling out women. They also claimed that Chu awarded his students A’s regardless of performance or effort.

Fellow educators described Chu as ‘backstabbing, heartless, and toxic towards colleagues, students, and supervisors.

Instead, Chu’s union-appointed attorney, Noah Barish, described Chu as an inspiring and passionate teacher who protected his students from a racist system.

Barish said Chu was facing unfair retaliation for his criticism of the school district’s ‘waffling’ over a new location. The Harriet Tubman Middle School abuts Interstate 5 and its toxic vehicle fumes.

Several former students from the school supported Barish’s description of Chu and testified on his behalf at school board meetings.

Chu was outspoken about social justice and racial equity in the classroom and was a frequent critic at school board meetings. He also openly criticized the former school district superintendent, Guadalupe Guerrero.

Before he was appointed as a social studies teacher at the Harriet Tubman Middle School where he earned $75,000 annually, Chu taught at Hosford and Lane middle schools in Southeast Portland.

His appointment was terminated in August 2023 when school board members voted 5-1. Abstaining from the vote was Eddie Wang, the current school board chairman.