Some Oklahoma school districts have resumed classes and the crowds have dwindled somewhat, but many of the state’s teachers continue to pack the state capitol, pushing for increased education funding. Oklahoma lawmakers have passed a significant amount of new education funding in response to the teacher activism, though short of the teachers’ demands. But that’s not the only outcome of this walkout: several teachers are running for office.
"I had the opportunity to meet my representative, and I was highly disappointed in that meeting and the lack of support I felt as a public educator," said [Jennifer] Youngberg, who is running as a Democrat for House District 80, the seat currently held by Republican Rep. Mike Ritze, just south of Tulsa. [...]
"The teacher walkout has really inspired me," said Renee Jerden, a middle school choir teacher from Norman, who also filed for office. "Then there was the general uncaring attitude of a lot of our legislators, it made me feel even more like this is something I have to do."
Jerden is running as a Democrat for Senate District 24 and said the challenge for teacher candidates will be to keep the public focus on education until the November elections.
The teachers have won significant victories already. Keeping up the push for education funding and teacher power through the elections would be a great way to cap it.