OKC may add time to school day

Oklahoma City Public Schools will add one hour to each remaining day if teachers vote to end their participation in a nearly two-week walkout and schools reopen Monday, the district’s acting leader said Thursday.

If schools are closed Monday, students would have to go to school for one extra hour each day and one day longer to make up for missed instruction time, meaning the school year would end June 1 instead of May 31.

Regardless of the vote, the decision to open schools ultimately rests with acting Superintendent Rebecca Kaye.

Members of the union that represents the district’s 2,600 teachers and other certified workers are scheduled to vote Friday, according to Ed Allen, president of the American Federation of Teachers.

“The Oklahoma Education Association has its own process for ending the walkout; we have ours,” Allen said in a statement. “The Oklahoma City AFT went out with a vote, and we will go back in based on a vote.”

Earlier Thursday, Oklahoma Education Association President Alicia Priest called for an end to the 11-day walkout.

Prior to the OEA announcement, the Norman and Putnam City school districts announced classes would resume Monday.

School districts in Moore and Shawnee resumed classes Thursday, while Chickasha Public Schools announced plans to reopen Friday.

El Reno Public Schools also plans to re-open Monday. Priest said a survey found 77 percent of her members indicated they were doubtful a continuation of the walkout would lead to any more funding gains.

With nearly 40,000 members, the Oklahoma Education Association represents many of the state’s teachers, but not those employed by Oklahoma City Public Schools.

“We believe teachers have found their voices,” Allen said. “They know there are things worth standing up for and they will remember in November.”

Teachers who attended Thursday night’s school board meeting vowed to continue fighting for increased education funding. One shamed the Legislature.

Parmelee Elementary School teacher Shelby Davis was among those who thanked the school board “for all of the support you have shown us these past two weeks.”

“You have made us feel valued and made sure our voices were heard,” Davis said. “These past nine days have been tough, but we can’t stop now.

“We want to be able to look our students in the eyes and tell them we did everything we could and fought the good fight instead of telling them we’re sorry we failed them.”

Heidi Nead, who teaches English language learners at Capitol Hill Elementary School, said the fight for funding is far from over.

“We’re not done yet,” she told the board. “This is going to be a two-act play and this is the intermission.”

Kaye addressed the disappointment felt by educators in the room that the walkout was coming to an end.

“What what I want educators to know is this mattered,” she said. “Your voices made a difference. And the fight for education funding is not over.”

You have made us feel valued and made sure our voices were heard. These past nine days have been tough, but we can’t stop now. We want to be able to look our students in the eyes and tell them we did everything we could and fought the good fight instead of telling them we’re sorry we failed them.” Shelby Davis, Parmelee Elementary School teacher