Attack on the Teachers (and why many want to quit)

This week the battle between Governor Stitt and Oklahoma’s public education escalated further, the State Election Board released the annual voter registration tally, and the bill filing deadline has officially passed.Let’s start with the numbers. According to the State Election Board, as of January 15th, 2022 Oklahoma had 2,218,374 registered voters, which is actually 54,000 fewer voters than we had a year ago. On Tuesday Governor Stitt issued an executive order authorizing all state employees to serve as substitute teachers in an effort to keep schools open. Good use of state resources or bad use of state resources?Also on Tuesday, national public education advocacy organization, Stand for Children, released the results of their latest nationwide teacher survey and it’s not good news. The topline result: 3 out of 10 teachers nationwide say they may quit the profession this year due to the political attacks on teachers and education. Other interesting takeaways from this survey: 92% say students should be able to learn about historical truths, even when they are uncomfortable.94% say schools should ensure that no students feel unsafe, invisible, or unheard.93% agree with the statement: “So that children can thrive in diverse workplaces, it is essential for schools to help children learn to value and respect the humanity of every person and to recognize and reject racism.”93% agreed with the statement: “Students deserve a thorough and accurate account of American history, including the hard parts, not a whitewashed version, because knowing the full story of the past empowers students to create a better future.”Bill filings, including Senator Tom Duggar’s Open Records Act bill Rep Jose Cruz resignsThe McGirt case