
Oklahoma supporters of Senate Bill 441 are hoping to return all students in the state to a five-day school week unless districts can provide sufficient justification for maintaining a shorter schedule. Currently there are 208 schools in 92 districts that are teaching four days a week…mostly due to budget concerns.
As I read the pros and cons of each schedule I can’t help thinking that we never solve the problem- THE REAL PROBLEM- that created this controversy in the first place, is the basis of nearly every educational “controversy” in the state’s history and that will undoubtedly confront us in the future.
The problem is MONEY, or lack of it. Always has been, and always will be as long as education remains at the bottom of our list of priorities.
I can show you our sad history from our own local archives:
August 30, 1901
Remember that the free school begins Monday…It behooves every parent now to see that their children are properly enrolled and kept in school this session.
February 28, 1902
The Caddo public schools closed last Thursday on account of the money giving out…
February 17, 1911
As the seating capacity of the primary department of the Caddo Public School is too limited to accommodate the large number in regular attendance, we are compelled to divide the work by daily alternating the attendance of each pupil. While we prefer the half-day sessions, yet there are some thirty pupils who come from the country accompanied by older brothers and sisters, we do not feel disposed to compel the little fellows to go to and from school alone. E. O. Shaw, superintendent
I could give you examples of budget problems from almost any year. This is from a local school in 1935: “We have started Oklahoma History, but we haven’t enough readers to start reading.” Sadly, I doubt that you need my examples because you have plenty of your own. Lack of supplies, inadequate buildings, teacher shortages…
I’m not a great accountant. Math is not my forte. I studied school finance in college, but I can’t recall a lot about those classes. When I attempt to understand how we got into this mess I get dizzy. However, some questions continue to haunt me and I wish someone would provide the answers for me.
In a country where giant sports stadiums astound fans with their innovative technology, why do we still have schools that are safety hazards for our children?
Why do we spend millions and millions of dollars several times a year praising and rewarding entertainers who are already earning millions and millions of dollars doing their job? Why don’t we spend some of that money praising and rewarding our children? We could reward them with better classrooms, more supplies, and greater safety.
Why are parents willing to pay extra money for sports equipment, dance lessons, art classes, “show” livestock, video games, etc. but say “no” to bond issues for school improvements?
Why are students punished because of where they live? There is such disparity between school districts! Many children who live in poverty also go to schools that barely have enough money to keep their doors open. Schools on the “other side of town” often have the money for extra-curricular luxuries like swimming pools. (I know…property taxes. Let’s devise a new system.)
Why is education usually the last item considered on the state budget? Promises are made…seldom kept.
I’m anxious to see how this debate over the difference of a “day” turns out.
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