Treating students equally

You’re not really a parent until you’ve told your child, “Life is not fair.”

It’s usually in response to a bad attitude or unfortunate events.

But sometimes we say it because we have no better explanation for a child denied what they deserve. Such is the case with my daughter’s education.

After weighing my fifth-grader’s unique needs, I knew a public charter school would offer the best chance for success. I was right. I am grateful her teachers are never more than a phone call away. I am grateful her classmates with special needs can learn alongside their peers, supported rather than separated. I am grateful that my daughter is thriving under the individualized education and attentive teaching. Seeing this success sharpens my disappointment over the continued inequitable funding charter schools receive. We all agree Oklahoma’s kids are equal, so why does funding suggest my child is worth around $4,000 less than a child attending a traditional school?

While I applaud my daughter and her school for upholding the same standards as their traditional counterparts without equal funding, I advocate for them to be funded like the public schools they are. Life isn’t fair, but as a parent, taxpayer and supporter of Oklahoma public education, I believe educational funding should be.

Vicky Primeaux, Oklahoma City