Don't freak out, there's just no school funding

by Sara Ritsch
Staff Writer

As discussed in these last couple of weeks, Gov. Mary Fallin just cut $47 million out of Oklahoma’s budget for education – arguably one of the most important facets of our spending.

Aside from the obvious problem with this issue, we are faced with another: Republicans are telling us not to “panic” about the cuts. Not to panic about the growing student body that is suffering from less money to cover their school costs. Less paper, less pencils, less free lunches or less for lunch in general…but “don’t panic.”

So, the Oklahoma Democratic Party has a question in response to that logic:

“…just exactly when should we start to panic? Is it when the State Board of Education is forced to ‘strategically transfer’ or roll funding for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) into the general account? Or when schools can no longer afford to offer breakfast due to cuts to the school lunch program? Or should we wait until letters are sent home with our high school students notifying parents that due to budget cuts they can no longer offer AP classes because the district is committed to keeping the lights on and paying teachers and staff? Or must we wait until small and rural school districts are ‘consolidated’ into other larger, often distant districts?”

Then should we panic?

Oklahoma’s school board administrators and teachers are “cushioning the blow,” Sarah Baker, ODP Communications Director says. But the blow is strong – too strong. And it’s impacting the personal funds of teachers who try to fill the gap between what is offered and what is necessary.

In a strange, strange twist of thought-process and fate, “the Republicans [seem to] have no intention of properly funding our schools, but feel perfectly comfortable allowing Oklahoma to win the scholastic ‘race to the bottom,’” Baker says.

But how does it feel to you, Oklahoma? Because being the last in the race to top feels one way, but first in the race to the bottom…that somehow feels much worse.

So when the Republican Party comes out with a way to manage this problem or to absolve its issues – maybe a way to actually cushion the blow – they will be awaiting their applause, their votes and their pay.

But we cannot forget the children who are suffering due to their mess, or the teachers who are underpaid, underslept and trying their hardest to clean it up.

By all means though, try not to panic.

The Gayly – 1/13/2016 @ 1:58 p.m. CST