Oklahoma PTA Opposes Senate Bill 1001, the "Parent Empowerment Act"
03/14/2013 10:21
The Oklahoma Education Coalition is asking all Oklahoma taxpayers,
school patrons, parents and educators to OPPOSE SB 1001. We stand
united against SB 1001 for the following reasons:
Mutual respect and collaboration between teachers, parents and districts
is the key to success in our schools. SB 1001 pits parents, teachers,
principals, and school districts against each other and creates
divisiveness in communities. For example, Section 5 of SB 1001 turns
the position of school principal and assistant principal into popularity
contests.
Section 3 of SB 1001 bases a parents' ability to trigger change on a
school site's grade on Oklahoma's A-F grading system that OU and OSU
researchers have declared “unsalvageable.” This inappropriate use of the
A-F system is neither wise public policy nor good for Oklahoma’s
children.
SB1001 transforms public school site(s) into privately operated charter
school(s) circumventing local taxpayers’ and local school board members’
authority to operate their school(s).
The Oklahoma Education Coalition has found no organized Oklahoma parent
group in support of SB 1001. The Oklahoma Education Coalition shares the
concerns of Oklahoma's various parent associations that SB 1001 is being
pushed by a special interest group NOT affiliated with our state. You can access the full text of SB 1001 here.
This urgent call to action is necessary as SB 1001 has passed the
Oklahoma Senate by a vote of 30 to 12. SB 1001 has been received in the
House of Representatives and could be heard as soon as next week in one
or both of the following House Committees. Therefore, ALL Oklahoma
taxpayers, school patrons, parents and educators are asked to:
Please call AND email:
State Representative Jason Nelson TODAY and ask him to withdraw SB 1001.
Capitol Phone: (405) 557-7335
Official Address: 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd, Room 301, Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Email: jason.nelson@okhouse.gov
