Many teachers in the state may be walking out to demand a pay increase.
Oklahoma legislators have not passed a pay increase for teachers in a decade. Many teachers set April 1 as a deadline for the state legislature to raise teacher pay. If a pay raise is not passed by this date, many school districts across the state have made plans to close.
The walkout is scheduled for April 2. Some district officials plan to close for just one week, while others plan to remain closed indefinitely.
“I will definitely be rallying with the teachers if the walkout does happen,” said Sierra Paul, education/theater performance sophomore. “We should be embarrassed that we treat the educators of our country’s future with such contempt.”
The protest is in response to public school teacher’s pay, while a pay increase for college professors would be a separate issue. The Oklahoma Education Association demanded a $10,000 raise to be implemented over three years. If it passes, public school teachers will make more than some professors at community colleges.
Luke Eddy, instructor of movement and acting, said he does not know of any OCU faculty planning to participate in the walkout but knows some from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater who are.
The Oklahoma Senate passed a bill March 14 supporting pay raises for teachers that was contingent on a revenue bill passing to provide funding for the pay raises, but the revenue bill failed.
The university sent out a survey March 12 to students and faculty to gauge how the walkout would impact the school.
“Childcare issues for students and employees with children in metro public schools and student teacher assignments for OCU education students are the primary concerns,” said Leslie Berger, senior director of university communications.
“Employees and supervisors were encouraged to begin discussing flexible scheduling in the event that area public schools suspend classes.”
Legislators revealed a potential plan that would raise state gross production, cigarette, and fuel taxes to bring in about $922 million. Teachers and state employees would get $670 million toward a pay increase, school supplies and healthcare. This would leave around $252 million in additional revenue for the state.
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