Oklahoma teachers walk out for 2nd day in red-state revolt

[DonViejo]

Source: Associated Press




By SEAN MURPHY and BRUCE SCHREINER
43 minutes ago

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Many schools will remain closed for a second day in Oklahoma Tuesday as teachers rally for higher pay and education funding in a rebellion that has hit several Republican-led states across the country.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signed legislation last week granting 15 to 18 percent higher salaries to teachers. But some educators — who haven’t seen a pay increase in 10 years — say that isn’t good enough and walked out.

“If I didn’t have a second job, I’d be on food stamps,” said Rae Lovelace, a single mom and a third-grade teacher at Leedey Public Schools in northwest Oklahoma who works 30 to 40 hours a week at a second job teaching online courses for a charter school.

Oklahoma’s three largest school districts, Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Edmond, will remain closed Tuesday to honor the walkout. Some schools are offering free meals to students aged 18 or younger, while various churches, faith organizations and charitable agencies are providing free day-care services. Spring break was last week in many Oklahoma districts.

Read more: https://www.apnews.com/d402da32fe364dd292b908676f71cf9c/Oklahoma-teachers-walk-out-for-2nd-day-in-red-state-revolt

[lkinwi]

1. Teacher Solidarity Matters!

✊🏻✊🏻✊🏻

[Honeycombe8]

2. No pay increase in 10 years? YIKES! How did that happen?

Is OK in financial trouble?

This is what happens when you don't want to pay taxes. However, I'm in a high tax state, and our education funding is about to be cut, BECAUSE OF HUGE CORPORATE TAX CUTS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, which sent the state into deep debt. Now the state is raising taxes on ordinary citizens and cutting budgets. But we ordinary citizens can't make up for those huge tax cuts to the rich corporations.

[Ohiogal]

3. I have relatives in Oklahoma

About 15 years ago when they came to Ohio to visit, they seemed rather smug about the fact that their state's economy would always be good, due to their oil and gas industry. The teen nieces and nephews asked my kids why all our school buildings were so old and decrepit, because theirs were all brand new.

Now, the shoe is on the other foot. Not that Ohio has any bragging rights in regards to public school funding, but gosh, their state is absolutely abysmal. What happened to all their big oil money? I wonder.

[Runningdawg]

4. Obama happened

and teachers became communists who wanted to indoctrinate your children, convert them to Islam and take your guns. They can find all the money they need to pass unconstitutional religious laws or to make sure that HS football team are the state champs, but teachers? Let them get the money from their sugar-daddy Soros.

[LeftInTX]

7. Exactly...Tea Party take over of state governments

[mpcamb]

5. Media usage: Working class- 'has a job' Middle class 'gets a living wage'

This one started under Bush1 and is now in popular coinage.

These red state teachers are, sadly, working class.
As Democrats we need to jump in and end this.

[OKNancy]

6. This was yesterday - pretty cool

http://kfor.com/2018/04/03/video-of-oklahoma-band-teachers-performing-were-not-gonna-take-it-at-capitol-is-going-viral/

OKLAHOMA CITY – Video of Oklahoma band teachers performing “We’re Not Gonna Take It” at the Capitol is going viral on social media.

Over the past several years, budget cuts have negatively impacted numerous state agencies, including the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

Despite having less money in the budget, the Oklahoma State Department of Education says that student enrollment continues to rise.

Teachers say their classroom sizes are too big and that some don’t even have enough textbooks for students.

Monday, teachers across the state gathered at the Oklahoma State Capitol to put pressure on state legislatures to increase education funding.

During the rally at the Capitol, band teachers from across the state gathered together to perform “We’re Not Gonna Take It.”

Video of the performance is going viral, with one video receiving more than 500,000 views.

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It's a facebook video so you have to go to link to view it on the news site