As someone who was raised by two teacher parents and someone who is currently pursuing a degree in English education, it is difficult for me to watch what the Oklahoma legislature has done to the public education system.
The past two years—mainly the past year—have been ridiculously hard for public schools and educators in Oklahoma. The budget cuts have been the biggest issue, and even though many people would say that it's nothing to worry about, they are absolutely wrong.
If you look at the 2017 Fiscal Year Budget, it shows there is a $38,221,784 decrease in the budget that is appropriated for Support of Public School Activities. That is a 29.36 percent decrease across the state.
The budget also shows that they cut $6,031,552 from the Financial Support of Public Schools. This may only seem like a 0.32 percent decrease, but it is a six million dollar decrease that will effect numerous schools within Oklahoma regardless.
Now, I could keep throwing numbers and budgets at you, and you could look at those and clearly see what is being done to the schools on paper, but that is not what is going to really tell you what is being done. I asked some Oklahoma teachers if they would like to comment on the budget cuts.
All names are being withheld for privacy reasons, but this is what they had to say.
"I have been using the same text books for 15 years. Budget cuts here and there force my admin to use money for other things. We test for national standardized testing in the spring. We have roughly 650 students and 40 computers to do all the testing on! Also, next year, thanks to budget cuts, we will not be allowed to hire subs when we need to miss. We have to get other teachers to cover our classes by each hour, using their lunch and planning times!" – High School
"I feel the budget cuts that have happened, and budget cuts that are to come, are a way to end public schools and promote the E-Learning, or online learning. This may be cheaper for the state government, but it is not beneficial to the students and families who cannot afford that type of education. If we do not make our education here in Oklahoma a priority, then what signal are we sending to our kids? If they see our legislature does not take their educations seriously, then they will not take it seriously either. We are not putting funds back into the classrooms that are needed and it can effect the way we teach. It has become a waterfall effect." – Elementary
"Every cut made to education takes away a piece of a student's future. It seems as if they want to keep our students uneducated so that the wealthy, the children of the same corporations they provide so many tax breaks for, can afford to go to school once all the public schools are closed." – High School
"My main concern with the money given to our schools is the requirements. The legislature keep adding more and more restrictions and more requirements to what they expect from the students. They keep adding on, but they are not providing the funds needed to achieve these requirements. There are some teachers who are buying their kids clothes and shoes because they can barely afford that. How are we expecting these families to give all this money to an education system that is crumbling? I would love to see the Oklahoma legislators go into one of these classrooms for a month or two and see how far they get with what they give us." – Middle School
The Oklahoma government expects so much from our teachers and students, but they do not want to give public schools the support they need to thrive.
You may not think you need to know what is happening within the Oklahoma education system, but if you are planning on having children of your own someday, it may effect their time in school.
Educate yourself on what is happening. It is so important.
