RANT! (question #744)

[BadgeBunny]

Many jurisdictions use property taxes as a source of funding for the schools by district. The statewide average is approximately 82% for public education (70% K-12, 12% CareerTech). Another 12% or so is used for county operations, and the rest to other projects.

I knew that ... I just figured that money was factored into the total they say they spend per student. I know, I know ...

This stuff makes my head hurt ...

 

[RETOKSQUID]

I just can't vote for this one, too many what if's, and where's. Now if they could have said just what the money would be used for, and where the heck it was going to come from, that might have been a bit different.

One thing the our state needs to do is cut the number of high paid school board supers, and then do some district consolidation, standardization (getting back to the basics), and modernization in all of our schools. Hold the Student, Parents and Teachers accountable for lousy performance, and stop passing Johnny Dumbass to the next grade just to get rid of him, or because he plays Football.

 

[Kid Glock]

What little I've read and heard about it, I'm not voting for it and I'm in favor of "quality" education. To top it off, I know some teachers and they're not for it simply because OEA is supporting it. In other words they're not OEA fans and they know more about OEA/NEA than I do.

 

[Bruno2]

My mom taught school for almost 40 yrs here in Tulsa. When she retired a couple of yrs ago she was making a little over $35k a yr and that was for a Masters degree with hrs toward her PHD. Along with teaching qualifications that were required to teach the special needs kids. I have a GED and make a little over $50k and dont work a full 40 hrs a week either. You guys can say what you want about the teachers unions and the quality of the teachers we have . If it wasnt for their union the state of OK would pay them minimum wage. Everybody keeps bitchin about the teachers in our public schools and for the life of me I cant figure out why. If they made any less money all we would have would be illegal mexicans teaching our kids.

I think the troopers should take the hit for the team and odot also for that matter. Their jobs arent as important as an educators. Sorry BB no offense intended thats just how I feel about it.

 

[BluRaySS]

It's not more money that they need. They need to give teachers back the power to get a students attention, remove those that refuse, and stop punishing the schools for removing those disrupting classrooms.

Then smack the parents that don't correct those kids!!!

All we needed was a book, a notebook, pencil/pen, and a FRIGGIN INSTRUCTOR!!!!!

 

[SoonerBorn]

I'm voting no. No question.

 

[vvvvvvv]

I knew that ... I just figured that money was factored into the total they say they spend per student. I know, I know ...

Nope. The figures they give are how much comes from the STATE budget, and also don't include what the state spends in "aid" for building projects. If that was included, that $8,008 quoted by the OEA would grow closer to $10,000. When you include local taxes, that number grows to as high as $12,000 in some districts.

By the way, you know why schools are so eager to push bond issues? If they can maintain a minimum of 85% debt-to-credit-limit ratio, they are exempt from most state (and some federal) mandates. I don't agree with the mandates (i.e. class sizes), but I disagree even more with encouraging public debt.

I actually didn't learn that until recently. I was having a debate with a friend of my wife's who is a teacher in the Tulsa area (I don't know what school). She had said that her administration told them that class size limits were suspended by the legislature this year, and that's why they weren't adhering. The debate pretty much ended when I showed where a bill was introduced last year (2009), but gained no traction. I also found the laws spelling out the exceptions to the rule (such as how the so-called limit of 20 students really comes out to 32-36 depending on scheduling), and she agreed that her district met more than one of the exceptions. I had never looked very deep into the laws governing our public schools before - I've mostly stuck with Titles 21, 22, 41, and 47.

 

[Bill of Rights]

Voting no...

More money down the black hole of public education? No thanks. I'd keep the troopers.

 

[Harley1953]

I find it real interesting that this is just another deal to throw more money at education. First let me say education of our kids SHOULD be way high on our list of priorities. But this question MANDATING a certain amount each and every year based on what our neighboring states do???. There is only so much revenue available to the state of Oklahoma. WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM???? I believe that I have read somewhere that almost 1/2 of the total Oklahoma budget NOW goes to education.....

While I will agree wholeheartedly that funding is an issue and teachers are underpaid for the job they do, this state question is absolutely the wrong way to go...

Correct me if my memory is wrong on this but liquor by the drink, parimutuel betting and state lottery were all passed so "WE CAN PROPERLY FUND EDUCATION"

Throwing more money at education is not going to fix the problems and passage of 744 WILL result in either massive cuts in other agencies or huge TAX increases...(Probably BOTH)

I am voting NO......

AND again just my opinion on the issue..

 

[vvvvvvv]

I don't think funding is an issue. Its money mismanagement.

Our public schools spend 50-75% more per pupil than private schools.

And before someone brings up Superintendent salaries as a "major" issue, while it is a big issue, it accounts for ~1% of the mismanagement problem.