A six-foot-tall pencil costume is making the rounds in Portland to spotlight Oregon's last-place ranking in fourth-grade reading scores. J. Schuberth, the person inside the costume, is running as a write-in candidate for governor to draw attention to the state's struggling schools.
Schuberth, a former college professor and literacy advocate, began campaigning earlier this year after building the pencil outfit. On April 23, the candidate greeted voters at a downtown Portland farmer's market, handing out flyers that read, Oregon's education system is failing our kids, but together we can FIX it! Schuberth said the effort aims to send a message to leaders about the need for change.
