Oklahoma teachers continued to rally Tuesday, shuttering many schools for a second day to demand higher pay and education funding, in an effort that has also recently engulfed West Virginia, Kentucky and Arizona.þþOklahoma teachers won raises last week of 15% to 18% — the first pay increase for some educators in a decade — under legislation signed by Gov. Mary Fallin.þþBut that wasn’t enough to prevent a walkout Monday that brought about 20,000 teachers, students and other supporters to the Oklahoma state capitol. The rallies closed the 10 largest school districts in the state, with a combined 234,000 students. Those schools remained closed Tuesday.þþ“If I didn’t have a second job, I’d be on food stamps,” said Rae Lovelace, a third-grade teacher and single mother in northwest Oklahoma who works 30 to 40 hours a week at a second job.þþFallin, a Republican, warned Monday that the state budget was tight and there are other priorities besides education.þþ“We must be responsible not to neglect other areas of need in the state such as corrections and health and human services as we continue to consider additional education funding measures,” Fallin said.þþOklahoma’s average teacher salary of $45,276 ranks 49th among states and the District of Columbia before the raises, according to the National Education Association. The state also ranked 47th in public school revenue per student, according to the teachers’ union.þþWith the schools closed, parents scrambled to place their children elsewhere. The state's largest district, Oklahoma City Public Schools, is providing free meals at more than 100 locations for anyone 18 and younger. Churches and organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club and Girl Scouts are offering daycare or camp-style accommodations.
Source: USA Today
