When they are going to work, lobbying on behalf of Oklahoma Education Association (OEA), Jacob Abello Tharp wears a wool suit like so many of the lawmakers they talk to every day. It is an incongruous look for the singer and prospective attorney, who became known to local music fans for their audaciously crafted glam-pop […]
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In session
Long before an estimated 30,000 teachers marched at the state capitol for 10 days in April, educators met with their state representatives and urged them to enact legislation that would increase school funding. Oklahoma was ranked one of the lowest in the nation for per-pupil spending and teacher pay, and the damning statistics could be […]
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Walk, run
The moment Lauren Richter, a fifth-grade teacher in Shawnee, decided to run for office came during the fourth day of the statewide teacher walkout, when educators and their allies continued to demand additional funding for public schools. Educators filled the state Capitol to capacity. Thousands of teachers remained outside the building. “There was no one […]
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Degrading the grade
Most districts have opted not to release the grades until the State Board of Education certifies them at its Oct. 25 meeting. Board members voted last week to halt its issuance so agency officials could review the evaluation system, which many district superintendents claim is flawed. The one exception in the metro, Putnam City Schools, […]