Oklahoma highlighted for poor education funding
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Like a broken record, Oklahoma is yet again in a negative spotlight for education funding.
"Here we are again," said John Waldron, a teacher at Booker T. Washington and a candidate for House seat 77.
"My campaign is riding a tide of righteous indignation right now," he said.
Adding fuel to the fire, a report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities showing that Oklahoma is funding education at a level that's more than 28% less than it did in 2008.
"As a public school teacher I think I can best refute legislators who say that we're not cutting funding to education, that the kids are fine, that there's other solutions to the problem than "throwing money" at the problem, as if we'd know, we haven't thrown money at this problem in years," he said.
According to the report, Oklahoma leads the nation when it comes to lagging behind 2008 state funding levels, a distinction Waldron is hoping to one day change.
"I've been watching this happen for years and it's all because the legislators down in Oklahoma City don't want to do the right thing by the people of Oklahoma. And if they're not going to look after teachers, and they're not going to look after kids, guess what folks, they're coming after you next," he said.
