Last night I found a remarkable letter by an 11 year old girl...to the Governor! She is the precious daughter of one of MY students. I've met Mira, I love her mom, and I am grateful they allowed me to share Mira's letter with you.
"Please look me, an 11 year old student, and explain why we are not worth investing in anymore? Why are our teachers who you called heroes, are not worth investing in anymore? When did you and state leaders decide that reflecting pools, state leaders pay raises are more important than education?"
I'll be at the #LetsFixThis march and rally today. I will bring Mira's letter to share. She's who we're fighting for. She's why we must have a fair budget that supports working families and their children.
The Office of Governor Mary Fallin
Oklahoma State Capitol
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 212
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 212
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Dear Mrs. Fallin,
My name is Mira and I’m 11 years old. I’m writing you today,
because I just don’t understand what you and the other state leaders are
thinking. So, I hope maybe you can give me some answers.
I attend school at Briarwood Elementary. That’s in Moore. That name
may sound familiar to you because it was one of the two schools affected by the
May 20, 2013 tornado. I remember that day better than any other day in my life.
I was in my classroom art closest with my 2nd grade teacher Mrs.
Glasgow. I remember at the last minute when the teachers decided to move us
from under our desks to the bathrooms and art closest. Come to find out, they
did that because there was only one wall to protect us from the tornado. ONE
WALL!!!!
Each day I wake up I’m thankful for my teacher. I think about the
“What if”. Some students did not make it home that day to hug their mom and
dad. That morning was the last time their parents saw them. Their teacher was
there to try and protect them.
I remember watching you on TV making promises about storm shelters
in schools and about how our teachers where heroes that day and then you decide
the State can not afford shelters in all schools and that it is up to the
districts to decide how to get them. You remember when you called our teachers
heroes??? I do. I know they are because I was there. I’m still here. I see our
teachers everyday and I’m reminded of what happened. We are healing and will
continue to heal. However, the people you called heroes that day, you have
kicked down to pad your pockets!!!
Moore Public Schools is hit with a $10 million budget cut. I know
this because I read the letter that went home to my mom. Thank goodness I can
read right! Yeah, I passed that test in 3rd grade. Thank you. By
what your office and other State Leaders are doing is killing public education.
I’ve heard you speak about how kids are the future of Oklahoma but yet you and
all the state leaders keep cutting school budgets!! Why???? Do you really need
a reflecting pool so bad that it was worth cutting education for and not making
us your future anymore?
Do you realize that by all the crazy state school testing, you
have created students (me included) who love school, not want to go because we
are so stressed out over stupid testing. I say stupid because it is. I know
it’s not nice to say, but it is stupid. Really, it is. Our teachers (remember,
heroes) work so many extra hours preparing us for these test that they are
stressed too. Now with the budget cuts, we will have less teachers but a lot
more students in a class.
Oh, and don’t forget our teachers have to do more
work for less money. They pay out of their own pockets for some supplies in
their class room. That’s crazy. Teachers only make $35,000 a year. Ok, I know
the salary may be a little off, but not by much. You and state leaders are
excepting teachers (remember, heroes) to live off of $35,000 a year? Wait, and
pay for food, housing, insurance, and whatever else they need. Oh wait, I
forgot you want them to pay for SUPPLIES
TO TEACH!!!
So, I guess my question is what are you doing??? When did students
(remember, “Future of Oklahoma”) and our teachers (heroes) and education became
a stepping stone for you guys? I’m 11 years old and I know something is not
right. I really think that instead of you and state leaders fighting for the 10
Commandants to be put on the capitol grounds, you should put them on your desk
and read them every day and actually comprehend (big word, I know) what they
really mean.
Please look me, an 11 year old student, and explain why we are not
worth investing in anymore? Why are our teachers who you called heroes, are not
worth investing in anymore? When did you and state leaders decide that
reflecting pools, state leaders pay raises are more
important than education?
Sincerely,
Mira
5th grade
student
Briarwood Elementary
good job Mira. Thank you
ReplyDeleteMira, A+ writing! You stayed on-topic, organized your thoughts, and used your voice well! Kudos to your teachers, parents, and your love of learning. You ARE the future of Oklahoma and we believe in you, even if Governor Fallin doesn't.
ReplyDeleteVERY well written Mira! You have eloquently expressed your thoughts over what many adults are so angry and disheartened about that we cannot find the words.
ReplyDeleteWe adults could learn a lot from this 11-year-old girl. Most of all: Stand up and be counted!
ReplyDeleteCan Mary Fallin print money? Good on this girl but let's take it to the logical conclusion. The money is not there. I hear this line of reasoning all the time from teachers but they always stop short of stating how to fix the problem. Instead of these appeals to emotion why not state what you're implying? Raise taxes on everyone. You can talk about ending business credits which is debatable if they are really job investments. The education budget was half of the state budget. I'd like to hear about solutions.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to share some links with you...and I believe we'll have to disagree about tax cuts. They do not help the average family. I donated my tax cut back to my school to help pay kids' cafeteria bills. Oklahoma Policy Institute has good information on how much our state has lost for that tiny tax cut.
Deletehttp://okpolicy.org/tax-cuts-now-reducing-state-revenues-1-billion-per-year/
Oklahoma Watch also has a good article on companies who pay no taxes in OK, and yet they get tax credits. We could start by ending the tax cuts...I know, that is now nigh on to impossible, but it should be done. Then, close the loop holes in all the corporate tax credits...the Legislature was certainly high minded about taking the Earned Income Tax Credit away from working poor, but much less willing to really make a difference for our state.
Deletehttp://okpolicy.org/tax-cuts-now-reducing-state-revenues-1-billion-per-year/
A guest post by the state Treasurer.
Deletehttp://okpolicy.org/revenue-stupid-guest-post-ken-miller/
Scroll down about half way here...according to Ballotopedia, OK spends about 16% on common education. 23% on higher education. Since they've been systematically slashing common education since 2008, long before the current oil crisis, less money goes to common ed. And since the current legislature slashed higher ed, we will see that drop also.
DeleteAre you saying an investment in education is not appropriate?
Other states have weathered this predictable downturn in oil and gas prices by taxing the industry, and taking care of the funds in good times, to use in bad times. We did not do that. And we are now suffering.
One more...there were multiple solutions suggested (and ignored)
Deletehttp://okpolicy.org/balanced-solutions-to-oklahomas-budget-shortfall/
Claudia I think you misread my comment. I was advocating for a raise in taxes. My point is that instead of trying shame Mary Fallin(of which I'm not fan) teachers would be better served offering up specific solutions to their legislators. Clearly the executive branch has offered solutions to bridge the gap. In my community actual solutions are rarely offered instead of finger pointing.
DeleteI think I did too...raising taxes is my second choice, right after scaling back on the credits for corporations. Sorry for going postal! :)
DeleteHere is a solution the state is giving money to collages who charge u an arm and a leg to go to . Instead of that the money should be going to public schools I also just read where 132 million dollars was just paid by the Indian ran casinos to the state this year that should be given to the schools also. Insted of spend 700 million dollars on a turnpike that nobody qants anyways we need to take care of our heros and the Future of Oklahoma.We also need to fire every member of the state Government and put some real Oklahomans in there.
ReplyDeleteHere is a solution the state is giving money to collages who charge u an arm and a leg to go to . Instead of that the money should be going to public schools I also just read where 132 million dollars was just paid by the Indian ran casinos to the state this year that should be given to the schools also. Insted of spend 700 million dollars on a turnpike that nobody qants anyways we need to take care of our heros and the Future of Oklahoma.We also need to fire every member of the state Government and put some real Oklahomans in there.
ReplyDeleteHere is a solution the state is giving money to collages who charge u an arm and a leg to go to . Instead of that the money should be going to public schools I also just read where 132 million dollars was just paid by the Indian ran casinos to the state this year that should be given to the schools also. Insted of spend 700 million dollars on a turnpike that nobody wants anyways we need to take care of our heros and the Future of Oklahoma.We also need to fire every member of the state Government and put some real Oklahomans in there.
ReplyDelete