Until They Listen, We Will Enjoy the Rally Signs

I've marched before...for HB 1017, even when I was concerned that marching would be a wedge issue between educators. I marched. I rallied before, that Spring Break several years ago, when Legialators ran for the cover of Chambers, and refused to meet with us. I have visits the Capitol with parents, with retired educators, with National Board Certified Teachers. I'llbe up there soon...with letters and notes. I'm not going away.

I missed this march and rally, but sitting in Norman, I acted, I hope, as Command Central, monitoring Facebook posts and tweets on Twitter. I reposted, I retweeted. I saved images and cross posted....I tried to flood my newsfeed and my Twitter feed with real-time news about this latest march. The response was great...lots of shares and retweets...we did create interest. We did stand together, even if we weren't at the Capitol.

I remember the optimism...the  collegiality...the fellowship. I remember being swept up in the knowledge that these people with me GOT IT. 

Unfortunately, too many either don't get it, or simply don't care. Not even a day after our rally, the Senate went forward with plans for a tax cut. Now politicians are bemoaning transportation's loss of funding, to make up for the record-breaking education cuts in OK. Now politicians have dug up self-serving stats that show schools are adequately funded....they don't tell us that figure includes ALL local funding as well....disingenuous at best. Lying with numbers if I feel cynical.

The truth is grim: Oklahoma has cut education funding more than any state in the Union. The state invests $17 per day in our children. I've already explored this subject.

When will they listen? Obviously they are listening to someone...not educators. Not parents. 

Until we are forced to March again, I am sharing my favorite images from this march and rally. Hopefully my work at Command Central was helpful.

Lousy layout due to my lack of editing expertise....didn't say Command Central ran perfectly!