This letter is in response to your editorial “Much too Costly” in which you stated that we can’t afford additional funding for education. Your opinion and mine differ considerably on this issue.
I just added up all my school receipts. The horrible truth- $537.42 — what in the world could a teacher buy for her classroom that could cost that much? It is so easy-a colorful rug for group meetings, bulletin board materials, name tags, stickers, computer ink, individual white boards, a chair for my reading table, sentence strips, professional books, new children’s books, baskets for books, and many other miscellaneous needs!
I have spent approximately 60 hours working in my classroom the last couple of weeks and will probably spend the rest of this week there. I spend countless hours on the computer researching and reading professional literature. I am constantly trying to better myself as a professional. Am I an odditiy? No, I am the norm! Most of the teachers I know in this district practice this kind of behavior, trying to make our classrooms welcoming, reading professional books and attending professional workshops. So, when I read your opinion in the paper today, I did agree with one statement you made-“It is the quality of the teacher that makes a difference.” But the rest of your article made me sad. I cannot be a quality teacher with 25-30 students in the classroom. I cannot give them the attention they need and want. I cannot work with them one on one. I will be spending a lot more time on classroom management than I will be on teaching. I will be physically and mentally exhausted. No one can do their job effectively when they are in this condition.
I have been in education for 21 years. I was on the capitol steps when HB 1017 was passed. HB 1017 was an education reform bill, which raised beginning teachers’ salaries, limited class size, jumpstarted the pre-K program and equalized contributions between rich and poor schools. HB 1017 was the last state tax increase to be passed and that was 20 years ago. We have made so many gains in education. Now we are sliding backwards. The children in Oklahoma deserve only the best — we need to be leading the way — not trailing behind every other state. It is time to put education first! Oklahoma kids deserve the best!
Rosemarie Bushong,
Shawnee
