It is time to take a stand for Education

[brtinla]

Oklahoma educators are walking out on April 2nd. How that walk out ends is completely up to the people of Oklahoma. The first step is knowing who your legislators are and putting pressure on them to do the right thing. It is easy to do a search for who your state reps are:http://www.oklegislature.gov/FindMyLegislature.aspx . From there, search for how who voted on the Step Up Oklahoma plan. It was a reasonable bill backed by the vast majorities in both parties in the legislature. Only right wing and left wing zealots killed the plan. An easy search determined my rep in the house for the Jenks district. He is an ignorant and silly old fool named Scott McEachin. He needs to know he will have only one term if he does not shape up. As always though, be nice in your email or call or they will not consider your opinion if they think you are an unrecoverable voter. Don't call him an ignorant and silly old fool, even if he definitely is. For Senate, we have a hotshot named Joe Newhouse. He is in the reserves and my district got no representation last year because he was in the military on a call up. I respect his service, but it takes a special kind of F'd up arrogance to think thousands of people should be without representation while he goes in the military. Who is he? Rambo? Can no one else do his job? This asshole voted against Step up as well. Get his ass out of there. The only reason he has remained in the reserves is to be a prop for higher office. Again, be nice in your emails, letters and calls. then in November, make this Son of a Bitch get a REAL JOB!

 

[Ostatedchi]

My wife is a public school teacher and I'm against a walk out. They all signed a contract to work for these wages this year. The time to protest is when they offer you a new contract. If teachers across the state simply refused to work under the offered terms, they'd force a change. But at least that work stoppage would be the right way to do it.

That being said, I talk to both of my representatives weekly. My state senator is an ass. I was the campaign president for her opponent. I totally encourage them to pass legislation that fixes this issue. Get the budget somehow. Just don't do it on tobacco, alcohol, or fuel taxes.

The answer is to institute a sales tax on services. But no one will ever submit that legislative proposal.

 

[CBradSmith]

Oklahoma educators are walking out on April 2nd. How that walk out ends is completely up to the people of Oklahoma. The first step is knowing who your legislators are and putting pressure on them to do the right thing. It is easy to do a search for who your state reps are:http://www.oklegislature.gov/FindMyLegislature.aspx . From there, search for how who voted on the Step Up Oklahoma plan. It was a reasonable bill backed by the vast majorities in both parties in the legislature. Only right wing and left wing zealots killed the plan. An easy search determined my rep in the house for the Jenks district. He is an ignorant and silly old fool named Scott McEachin. He needs to know he will have only one term if he does not shape up. As always though, be nice in your email or call or they will not consider your opinion if they think you are an unrecoverable voter. Don't call him an ignorant and silly old fool, even if he definitely is. For Senate, we have a hotshot named Joe Newhouse. He is in the reserves and my district got no representation last year because he was in the military on a call up. I respect his service, but it takes a special kind of F'd up arrogance to think thousands of people should be without representation while he goes in the military. Who is he? Rambo? Can no one else do his job? This asshole voted against Step up as well. Get his ass out of there. The only reason he has remained in the reserves is to be a prop for higher office. Again, be nice in your emails, letters and calls. then in November, make this Son of a Bitch get a REAL JOB!

Use paragraphs.

I'd read it if you did.

Until then. .TL,DR

 

[brtinla]

What a crock of shit. You expected your ****ing wife to be a hero and reject the contract? And **** you Cbradsmith for liking this dribble.

 

[brtinla]

Oklahoma educators are walking out on April 2nd. How that walk out ends is completely up to the people of Oklahoma. The first step is knowing who your legislators are and putting pressure on them to do the right thing.

It is easy to do a search for who your state reps
are:http://www.oklegislature.gov/FindMyLegislature.aspx . From there, search for how who voted on the Step Up Oklahoma plan.

It was a reasonable bill backed by the vast majorities in both parties in the legislature. Only right wing and left wing zealots killed the plan.

An easy search determined my rep in the house for the Jenks district. He is an ignorant and silly old fool named Scott McEachin. He needs to know he will have only one term if he does not shape up.

As always though, be nice in your email or call or they will not consider your opinion if they think you are an unrecoverable voter. Don't call him an ignorant and silly old fool, even if he definitely is.

For Senate, we have a hotshot named Joe Newhouse. He is in the reserves and my district got no representation last year because he was in the military on a call up.

I respect his service, but it takes a special kind of F'd up arrogance to think thousands of people should be without representation while he goes in the military. Who is he? Rambo? Can no one else do his job?

This asshole voted against Step up as well. Get his ass out of there. The only reason he has remained in the reserves is to be a prop for higher office. Again, be nice in your emails, letters and calls. then in November, make this Son of a Bitch get a REAL JOB!

 

[brtinla]

y wife is a public school teacher and I'm against a walk out. They all signed a contract to work for these wages this year.

How often do you beat her? Can she speak only when spoken too? You are a complete and total asshole.

 

[brtinla]

No one is striking for this years wagers you dumbass. No one will benefit. It is that our state can survive.

 

[CBradSmith]

What a crock of shit. You expected your ****ing wife to be a hero and reject the contract? And **** you Cbradsmith for liking this dribble.

Check yourself Patsy. In current form, you're not persuasive.

 

[brtinla]

Check yourself Patsy. In current form, you're not persuasive.

I guess not, and our state weeps. Every day I cry. We are really in a state of collapse. We really don't have much time to fix it.

 

[Ostatedchi]

What a crock of shit. You expected your ****ing wife to be a hero and reject the contract? And **** you Cbradsmith for liking this dribble.

I expect my wife to honor the agreement she signed.

 

[CBradSmith]

I guess not, and our state weeps. Every day I cry. We are really in a state of collapse. We really don't have much time to fix it.

I'm sympathetic to the situation. Consolidation of district administration would be a good start.

 

[Ostatedchi]

I guess not, and our state weeps. Every day I cry. We are really in a state of collapse. We really don't have much time to fix it.

I agree with you in principle. I just disagree with the methods. I encourage my legislators to fix this mess. Like I said, I meet with them weekly.

 

[brtinla]

Consolidation of district administration is the standard bullshit that we are wasting money. Never mind that our percentages are in line with other states. God I HATE YOU!

 

[wyomingosualum]

How often do you beat her? Can she speak only when spoken too? You are a complete and total asshole.

I nominate the above quoted post as the most illogical post of the year. Granted, it’s still early, but I just don’t see anybody topping this one.

 

[Ostatedchi]

How often do you beat her? Can she speak only when spoken too? You are a complete and total asshole.

Okay, you lose.

 

[cableok]

My wife is a public school teacher and I'm against a walk out. They all signed a contract to work for these wages this year. The time to protest is when they offer you a new contract. If teachers across the state simply refused to work under the offered terms, they'd force a change. But at least that work stoppage would be the right way to do it.

That being said, I talk to both of my representatives weekly. My state senator is an ass. I was the campaign president for her opponent. I totally encourage them to pass legislation that fixes this issue. Get the budget somehow. Just don't do it on tobacco, alcohol, or fuel taxes.

The answer is to institute a sales tax on services. But no one will ever submit that legislative proposal.

+1000 ostatedchi Well said!

My wife is an educator as well. I am against a strike and she is even stronger against a strike. She feels a strike would be abdicating her responsibility and harming her young people. She personally hasn’t talked to any teachers at her school that are supportive of the OEA work stoppage idea.

Agree strongly that teachers have a contract for this school year. A better solution and timing would be to not report to work in August for next school year. You have same impact to force action at legislature, but would not being violating a contract. But more importantly you would be harming students nearly as much as striking in the middle of curriculum.

 

[brtinla]

A good start would be a 3 year 10000 year raise for certified teachers but that would only be that, a "good start". Only a 20000 year raise over 5 years would bring Oklahoma in line with area states. You do that by raising taxes. It depends on if you value children or not.

 

[PokeMBA]

A good start would be a 3 year 10000 year raise for certified teachers but that would only be that, a "good start". Only a 20000 year raise over 5 years would bring Oklahoma in line with area states. You do that by raising taxes. It depends on if you value children or not.

20,000 raise?
What world are you living in?

 

[brtinla]

I honestly do not know any Teacher at Jenks, BA, Union or Broken Arrow that is against the walkout. Everyone I know is fed up.

 

[brtinla]

20000 over 5 years would make Oklahoma competitive. That's the world WE live in.

 

[PokeMBA]

Oklahoma is 30th in teacher pay when adjusted for cost of living.

Teachers are in service 36-38 weeks during the year and have 1-2 weeks of "time off" they can use during the year. They effectively work 36 weeks a year on average.

Even though most hours for teachers require 7-4 let's just assume 10 hour days for their benefit for 36 weeks is 1,800 hours worked.

$42,000 annual average salary not including benefits and retirement plans.

Converting to per hour basis is $23/hour. This is the same pay as an entry level RN nurse which requires much more technical skills and training plus liability and has an equal importance to society.

 

[PokeMBA]

20000 over 5 years would make Oklahoma competitive. That's the world WE live in.

20,000 would make oklahoma the highest paid state for teachers when adjusted for cost of living.

Sounds awesome. Are you paying?

 

[Ostatedchi]

That Step Up Oklahoma plan sucked. It had very targeted and regressive taxation. That's why I'm for a sales tax on services. It doesn't punish those who can least afford to pay it.

 

[brtinla]

It has to be done now. Those advocating for waiting for August clearly do not understand how the state fiscal year works. And those stating "they signed a contract" act as if they had a choice. We make a stand now. It worked in West Virginia, it will work here.

 

[cableok]

I honestly do not know any Teacher at Jenks, BA, Union or Broken Arrow that is against the walkout. Everyone I know is fed up.

Then you don’t know many teachers.

 

[brtinla]

Every tax plan sucks. Step Up Oklahoma had bi partisan support. Zealots on the right and left killed it. I want them gone. Never let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

 

[Ostatedchi]

Every tax plan sucks. Step Up Oklahoma had bi partisan support. Zealots on the right and left killed it. I want them gone. Never let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

I agree with the 'don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good'. I just think that Step Up Oklahoma plan wasn't even good.

Sales tax on services.

 

[brtinla]

I think I probably know more teachers than anyone on this board. I haven't talked to anyone who was against a walkout.

 

[Ostatedchi]

I think I probably know more teachers than anyone on this board.

Come on now... My wife has been a teacher for 20 years, her mother and grandmother were teachers in Oklahoma. Your opinion is no more valid than any of ours.

 

[brtinla]

Besides someone's (battered?) wife.

 

[PokeMBA]

I think I probably know more teachers than anyone on this board. I haven't talked to anyone who was against a walkout.

I'll vote for a raise for teachers as soon as we start consolidating school districts.

I feel comfortable with being the 30th highest paying state in the US for public school teachers.

But if you did pay for their $20k raises do you think they would teach better or worse than they are currently? Or will it have no effect?

 

[Ostatedchi]

Besides someone's (battered?) wife.

You got me. I physically and mentally abuse my loving school teacher wife. Guilty as charged

 

[PokeMBA]

Besides someone's (battered?) wife.

You have a big mouth for someone who got into it on twitter with a recruits 16 year old sister.

 

[Ostatedchi]

How often do you beat her? Can she speak only when spoken too? You are a complete and total asshole.

I also make her walk 3 feet behind me.

 

[Ostatedchi]

I'm sympathetic to the situation. Consolidation of district administration would be a good start.

I've actually seen some studies that show the money saved really isn't all that much with school district administration consolidation.

There are other ways to make school more efficient in order to save money. But it will take a money to implement the digital transformation.

 

[BIGOSUFAN]

I chuckled when I read that OKC had submitted a bid for the second Amazon headquarters. What company, and what professional couples with young kids, would ever want to move to a state where teachers are underpaid and the good ones are leaving in groves for greener pastures. This is a big deal for a supposed “business-friendly” state. They need to rectify this quickly. A good teacher is worth their weight in gold.

 

[long-duc-dong]

Besides someone's (battered?) wife.

You have issues man, but everyone already knew that. Think I’ll call my rep and let him/her know they’re doing a fine job and to keep it up.

 

[GunsOfFrankEaton]

I chuckled when I read that OKC had submitted a bid for the second Amazon headquarters. What company, and what professional couples with young kids, would ever want to move to a state where teachers are underpaid and the good ones are leaving in groves for greener pastures. This is a big deal for a supposed “business-friendly” state. They need to rectify this quickly. A good teacher is worth their weight in gold.

I agree.

 

[davidallen]

How often do you beat her? Can she speak only when spoken too? You are a complete and total asshole.

Is there someone we should call to help you find your meds?

 

[HighStickHarry]

Why are we advocating for raises for all teachers? Any additional money needs to go to poor districts or reward teachers with the best evaluations.