Re-elect McIntyre and Shumate

So says The Black Chronicle, and anyone serious about school choice should agree.

Parents need school choices ...

... says Phillip W. Smith in this letter to the editor published in the Tulsa World.

School choice as social justice

In a speech delivered October 23, 2001 in Tulsa ('Why School Choice Is Compassionate'), Marvin Olasky said:

Brandon Dutcher wrote in The Daily Oklahoman, "It is immoral to keep kids trapped in schools where they aren't learning to read or compute. We need to offer them a way out." That's exactly right. As we fight a war internationally against something that ruins lives and destroys dreams, we need to do the same domestically. School choice is the compassionate choice for kids now in the grips of failing schools.

And in his current column in WORLD magazine, Olasky says school choice is a social-justice issue:

When children of impoverished parents have no choice but to go to a rotten public school, that's social injustice. ... "Social justice" has been so twisted by the left that it now offends many conservatives and older Christians, but the term can help many younger Christians focus on what is truly just or unjust in particular proposals. "Social justice" is worth a rescue attempt.

Langston liberates Deborah Brown School

This month Langston University took over as sponsor of the Deborah Brown Community School, a charter elementary school in downtown Tulsa, thus becoming the first to take advantage of a new law allowing colleges and universities to sponsor charter schools. DBCS's previous sponsor, Tulsa Public Schools, has a board majority that has been openly hostile to charter schools.

Langston U. President JoAnn Haysbert sees this as a learning opportunity not only for DBCS students, but for education majors at Langston, according to a story by Tulsa World education reporter April Marciszewski:

"We're going to revolutionize teaching and learning in this community," Haysbert said.

She wants interaction between Deborah Brown students and Langston's three campuses to be common, she said.

Langston education students will provide extra help and will gain more teaching experience in Deborah Brown classrooms.

The collaboration will ensure that Langston's education program teaches the latest techniques.

Harold Roberts, director of development for the charter school, said Langston students will benefit by learning Deborah Brown's education method, which he described as very disciplined, and take that method wherever they work.

What if he had more choices?

The Associated Press reports that a father in Cashion, Oklahoma believes the local school district is not providing a proper education for his 7-year-old autistic daughters.

School choice 'part of the total solution' for autistic kids

The state Senate's chief proponent of Nick's Law opposes school choice for autistic children (and I provide some fact-checking in the comments section at the bottom of the post). Meanwhile, none other than Nick's father -- blissfully unbeholden to the state's largest school-employee labor union -- says hey, school choice for autistic children "can be a part of the total solution for Oklahoma."

'Outrageous classroom moments'

The nation's largest school-employee labor union, apparently a little jumpy that the three-ring circus (including possible teacher misconduct) can now be broadcast worldwide, is asking teachers: "Have you been caught on YouTube?"

A student videotaped a teacher at Malibu High School who lost control of the class and raised his voice while students laughed at him. Another video showed an angry high school teacher forcing a student to stand for the National Anthem by yanking his chair out from under him. Outrageous classroom moments are being captured on cell phone cameras and broadcast on YouTube for the entire world to see. Has this happened to you or any of your colleagues? Share your story and be considered for an upcoming NEA Today article.

Back-door consolidation

The Alva Review-Courier reported yesterday ('OEA renews push for forced rural school consolidation'): "A state teacher's union is renewing its push for 'back-door consolidation' of rural schools, a state legislative leader warned today."

Kids deserve the choice to 'get away from it'

Two stories on the front page of the state's largest newspaper today help to explain why so many parents have lost confidence in Oklahoma's public schools.

In one story ('Providing direction for youths at risk'), The Oklahoman reports that

Miles recently graduated high school and McPherson and Ray go to different schools. All three said gangs, drugs and violence are problems at school.

Out of school "you know the areas to stay away from," McPherson said. "But at school, everything is so compact, you can't get away from it."

"This kid brought a Hefty bag to school of drugs, and he was just handing them out," Ray said. "You want to tell, but you look around and see all the gang members and you don't."

Another front-page story informs us that a former Harrah Junior High School librarian is accused of having sex with a 15-year-old student.

The resulting investigation led Detective Dawn Davis to conclude [the librarian], a married mother of two, is a "promiscuous woman (who) seems to befriend the young men of her church and school," according to her affidavit. [She] groomed a handful of students by getting them out of class early and buying them things, Davis wrote. She regularly communicated with them in text messages and on MySpace.com, Davis wrote. Investigators looked into reports [she] had sex with at least five other students and one former student, but none of them confirmed any inappropriate contact with her, the detective's affidavit states.

You may recall that a recent analysis by the Associated Press found that "sexual conduct plagues U.S. schools" and suggests that sexual misconduct among male schoolteachers is at least as common as among male priests. A 2004 U.S. Department of Education study found that one in 10 public school students is sexually harassed or abused by a teacher or other school employee at some point between kindergarten and 12th grade.

School choice on C-SPAN

Tomorrow morning from 7:30 to 8:30 CST, C-SPAN's Washington Journal will feature a segment called "African Americans and School Choice." Be sure to watch or, better yet, call in and make your voice heard.

'Enough is never enough'

The state's largest school-employee labor union is planning an initiative petition to amend the state constitution, The Oklahoman reports today. The union wants to require (you'll never guess!) more spending for public schools.

Rural lawmaker Jeff Hickman points out that the union's plan will result in the forced consolidation of rural schools. Budget leader Tad Jones adds: "The OEA's proposed constitutional amendment would result in at least one of the following outcomes: a massive tax increase at a time when gas prices are skyrocketing, consolidation of schools, or devastating cuts to vital government services such as roads and law enforcement."

OCPA has pointed out that Oklahoma taxpayers are already paying Casady prices for our public schools. Union officials know this but they don't want you to know it, which is why they refuse to debate OCPA on the matter. Not that it matters how much money we give them. As the state's largest newspaper has pointed out, "for the OEA, enough is never enough."

I don't expect the union's effort will be any more successful than their recent frivolous lawsuit (tax hikes are an absolute nonstarter, and you can ask Gov. Largent how popular rural school consolidation is), but it's worth keeping an eye on.

Virtual schooling in Oklahoma

In a letter to the editor published today in The Oklahoman, Jeff Elliott, president of Advanced Academics Inc., points out the benefits on online education. He writes:

"Small problem: Tiny schools face big challenges" (Our Views, July 7) states that rising costs may force up to 50 small school districts to consolidate in the coming year. Smaller school districts also face ongoing challenges in attracting and retaining quality instructors, as well as offering a wide selection of courses. One solution to these issues is online learning. As noted in "More state students are finding answers to their educational needs online" (news feature, June 30), growing numbers of Oklahoma public high school students already receive a flexible, quality education through virtual schools.

Virtual schools offer benefits to students, teachers and administrators. Students enrolled in virtual schools receive personalized attention from state-certified teachers and can concentrate their time on those areas in which they need the most help. Students enjoy robust course offerings, including electives and college preparatory classes that their local school may not offer. For teachers, virtual schools let them work one-on-one with students and customize the delivery of course material to each student's individual learning style, while the cost advantages of online education let administrators provide this option to their district at no additional cost.

Virtual schools aren't the answer for every district's problems. However, online learning is one way that smaller districts can offer a wide selection of academically rigorous courses within their budgetary constraints.

McCain in the lions' den

"After decades of hearing the same big promises from the public education establishment, and seeing the same poor results, it is surely time to shake off the old ways and to demand new reforms," John McCain told the NAACP this morning.

McCain's education plan is available here.