Oklahoma Education Advocates Marching To Capitol Again To Talk Budget Concerns (KGOU)
Parents, students, and educators are rallying at the state Capitol Wednesday because of dissatisfaction with Oklahoma’s $6.8 billion budget deal. They want to see more money go to education.
The group Let’s Fix This has been planning the demonstration at the statehouse for weeks. Its original intention was to protest cuts to education. But since lawmakers revealed their budget proposal Tuesday, their plan changed.
May 26, 2016
By Emily Wendler
Parents, students, and educators are rallying at the state Capitol Wednesday because of dissatisfaction with Oklahoma’s $6.8 billion budget deal. They want to see more money go to education.
The group Let’s Fix This has been planning the demonstration at the statehouse for weeks. Its original intention was to protest cuts to education. But since lawmakers revealed their budget proposal Tuesday, their plan changed.
“I think there’s a lot of us that was to have face-to-face conversations with our legislators about what’s proposed, what’s been done, and what hasn’t been done,” said the even’t sorganizer, Andy Moore.
Moore wants to see more funding go to education because cuts from last year’s revenue failures were not restored in the budget the Senate passed Wednesday. Allocations to the State Department of Education were 2.34 percent less than the original appropriation in Fiscal Year 2016, although they’re almost 1 percent higher than the revised mid-year budget after two revenue failures.
Moore says there are several revenue-boosting measures lawmakers still need to consider. He’s encouraging participants to bring apples to their Representatives as a symbolic gesture for each teacher lost to budget cuts.
http://kgou.org/post/oklahoma-education-advocates-marching-capitol-again-talk-budget-concerns
Capitol protesters urge lawmakers to reject budget, better fund schools (KOCO)
OKLAHOMA CITY — More than 100 parents, students, and educators marched from Douglass High School to the state Capitol on Thursday morning.
The group urged lawmakers to scrap the proposed budget and come up with a better plan to fund schools.
May 26, 2016
By Crystal Price
OKLAHOMA CITY — More than 100 parents, students, and educators marched from Douglass High School to the state Capitol on Thursday morning.
The group urged lawmakers to scrap the proposed budget and come up with a better plan to fund schools.
Families from all over the state met at Douglass High School on Thursday to begin the walk.
After making posters and saying a quick prayer, the group began its journey on Northeast 8th Street toward the Capitol.
“The budget the Senate passed yesterday is one that shifts the burden of cuts from public education to higher education, and these are institutions that go hand in hand,” said Kara Joy McKee, an outreach and advocacy specialist for the Oklahoma Policy Institute.
In addition to cuts to higher education, parents said the proposal does not call for additional funding for common education.
Anna King said the school that her niece attends has cut almost a dozen teachers and an assistant principal this year.
“I made a poster that says, ‘I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired,’” King said. “Our legislators need to know that they need to put our kids first.”
Paula Lewis, OKCPS board member for District 4, said that even though the state budget proposal doesn’t call for any more cuts to common education, it’s unknown if the more than 200 teaching positions that have been cut will be saved.
“I haven’t seen anything come through our district that says we’ve got some more money back,” Lewis said. “As far as I know, we’re still at a $30 million loss in the city of Oklahoma City.”
After the walk, the group met in the rotunda and held a rally inside the Capitol.
Protesters continue to rally against state budget cuts, demand change at state capitol (KFOR)
OKLAHOMA - Its summer break for a lot of students but, instead of relaxing, some kids chose to stand up for their education at a rally.
Parents and students met at Douglass High School in northeast Oklahoma City Thursday and marched to the state capitol.
May 26, 2016
By Ashley Kringen
OKLAHOMA - Its summer break for a lot of students but, instead of relaxing, some kids chose to stand up for their education at a rally.
Parents and students met at Douglass High School in northeast Oklahoma City Thursday and marched to the state capitol.
It was about a 2.5 mile walk, taking about an hour.
The protesters' goal was to tell lawmakers it’s not too late to do something about education funding.
"Right now, we've fired teachers. We've shut down school classes," said Kara Joy Mckee, Oklahoma Policy Institute.
Decked out in "red for publiced," the protectors are demanding change.
"This is a disaster, and we can fix this if we choose wise revenue options," Mckee said.
Its nonpartisan political movements like 'Let's Fix This' and the Oklahoma Policy Institute standing up against the state's billion dollar budget hole.
Even a 14-year-old is concerned.
"I think it's crazy. In North Dakota, they've set away like $2 billion for something similar like this to happen and, in Oklahoma, we've only set away a fraction of that," Mcquistion said.
He recently discovered his passion for debate.
"I decided to try it and absolutely loved it. Then, the budget crisis happened, and he got fired," Mcquistion said.
He's upset, just as many parents are.
"My son is super into art, so cutting those things, they don't always have those opportunities," said Ashli Cox.
The protesters have some lawmakers’ attention.
"We will have better results come out of this building if more people are engaged," said Senator David Holt, District 30.
Holt voted in favor of the $6.8 billion state budget plan for fiscal year 2017.
He said there's no easy solution.
"There is no room full of money that we can go open up. We have to make really tough choices, and we have people that come to this building as well that say 'Don't raise my taxes, don't do this, don't do that,'" Holt said.
"Any mom can balance a budget. We all do it, and we all can stretch a penny. They need to figure out how to do it like a mom would," Cox said.
Now that the state budget plan passed the Senate, the bill goes to the House.
If the bill fails in the House, lawmakers go into special session.
The Legislative session is supposed to end Friday.
http://kfor.com/2016/05/26/protestors-continue-to-rally-against-state-budget-cuts-demand-change-at-state-capitol/
Capitol protesters: Scrap budget deal, fund public schools (AP)
OKLAHOMA CITY — (AP) -- More than 100 protesters at the Oklahoma state Capitol have called for the Legislature to scrap a proposed budget deal and designate more state money for public education.
May 26, 2016
By Associated Press and Jasmine Anderson
OKLAHOMA CITY — (AP) -- More than 100 protesters at the Oklahoma state Capitol have called for the Legislature to scrap a proposed budget deal and designate more state money for public education.
Members of the protest group on Thursday marched from a nearby high school and rallied in the Capitol rotunda, telling lawmakers to call a special session.
Leaders in the Legislature have been hammering out a budget deal that covers about $969 million of a $1.3 billion projected budget shortfall, requiring state agencies to absorb about $360 million in cuts from last year's appropriations.
House Rep. Mike Shelton, a Democrat, says lawmakers for years have not properly funded public education. Former legislator and governor candidate Joe Dorman says lawmakers need to look at the revenue enhancements and tax increases to come up with a solution that will work to fix the problem and not just put a bandage over it.
"It's a one year fix. They haven't done any work what so ever to come up with a long term solution," Dorman said.
Parent George Mcquiston just hoped to have his voice heard.
"I hope it moves the needle but there are a lot of people in nice fancy suits backed by organizations with acronyms who I think have a lot more power than we do," Mcquiston said.
Supporters of the budget say it does enough through revenue increases and bond measures to prevent devastating cuts to core services, including education.
http://okcfox.com/news/local/capitol-protesters-scrap-budget-deal-fund-public-schools
Press Release - Students and Parents Plan Rally at Capitol Over Cuts to Public Education
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 23, 2016) — As the current legislative session comes to its projected close and on the heels of several student organized walk-outs; a group of parents, students and educators are planning a large rally at the State Capitol on Thursday May 26 at 10:00a. "Let's Fix This," a nonpartisan political movement encouraging citizens to meet with their legislators, helped organize the rally along with the Oklahoma Parents and Educators for Public Education (OPEPE), the Douglass High School PTSA, and the Oklahoma Policy Institute.
Students and Parents Plan Rally at Capitol Over Cuts to Public Education
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 23, 2016) — As the current legislative session comes to its projected close and on the heels of several student organized walk-outs; a group of parents, students and educators are planning a large rally at the State Capitol on Thursday May 26 at 10:00a. "Let's Fix This," a nonpartisan political movement encouraging citizens to meet with their legislators, helped organize the rally along with the Oklahoma Parents and Educators for Public Education (OPEPE), the Douglass High School PTSA, and the Oklahoma Policy Institute.
Groups of students and parents from schools across the state will be meeting at Douglass High School at 9:00a to march to the Capitol, where they will gather inside to visit with legislators in hopes of encouraging them that it's not too late to do something for education funding. Participants are being encouraged to "Wear Red for Public Ed" and to bring apples for their representatives as a symbolic gesture for each teacher lost to budget cuts.
Douglass PTSA recognizes the importance of the parent’s voice and was instrumental in organizing parent groups for this rally. “It was important that we work together to demonstrate that every child deserves a quality education not only in Oklahoma City but across the state,” says Henderson Harris, Douglass PTSA President.
Angela Clark Little, co-founder of OPEPE, hopes that many will join the rally to show support, "Schools are currently being starved for resources,” she continues, "We are not headed for a crisis, we are in one. It's imperative that we stand up for our children and the educators who pour into their lives each day." As a public school parent, Clark Little co-leads OPEPE's group of 24,000 parents and educators from around the state. Their mission is to improve the level and accuracy of dialogue regarding public education. “This is our opportunity to show Oklahoma legislators how many of their constituents are aware they’re not making public education a priority in this state. They will see the faces of those whose lives they are altering with bad policy and continuous cuts to this core service.”
Andy Moore, organizer of the “Let’s Fix This” movement, recommends that those new to the process visit dosomethingok.org prior to the march; to familiarize and prepare for conversations about revenue recommendations the state can take to avoid harmful budget cuts.
For more information on the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/558764144284337/
Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LetsFixThisOK/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/letsfixthisok
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