Oklahoma lawmakers rush to hear bills, including teacher pay

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KTUL) — Oklahoma lawmakers are rushing to decide whether or not bills will move forward into the House and Senate this week. Today, the Senate voted on a number of issues, including 22 bills pertaining to education. One bill, which would give teachers a raise, is headed to the House for consideration.

Oklahoma is losing teachers, creating a shortage, but lawmakers and teachers both agree that a salary increase could help fix the problem.

“If I was a teacher out there or principal or superintendent I think I saw TPS is bracing for cuts. It is a shame that we have not come up with anything to try to help them with that,” said State Rep. Monroe Nichols.

The first-year lawmaker says he and others campaigned on improving education, an issue more complicated with problems and a shortage of money.

“We have all these needs. We know we have. But we have not come up with any revenue solutions to that,” said Nichols.

State Sen. Gary Stanislawski presented a bill to give teachers a raise, but that would also raise fuel tax for consumers.

“But we are all striving for some type of funding source to give some type of pay raise to teachers this year,” said Stanislawski.

The state of schools drew these fraternity brothers from Alpha Phi Alpha to the Capitol asking for help to start an after school program to help those that matter the most -- the children.

“The state of our schools Is in a bad state, a bad position and if we don’t do it, who will?” asked Darron Lampkin, president of Class Matters Incorporated.

Lampkin says the fraternity will sponsor the program and they hope to eventually open a school for boys in Oklahoma City.