Portland School Board Authorizes Independent Signal Inquiry

The Portland School Board unanimously authorized an independent inquiry into district leaders’ use of Signal and other messaging platforms not approved by Portland Public Schools. The inquiry follows reports and screenshots indicating that Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong and other leaders discussed district business on Signal, including through its disappearing-messages feature; the district says Signal is not approved for official communications, but its use alone does not establish a policy or legal violation. Outside counsel will examine who used or directed the use of these platforms, whether messages were public records, and whether they were preserved or can be recovered. The board expects a report by Dec. 11, with a final report to be made public after the inquiry.