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November 4, 2012

SQ 758 and 766 bad for schools

The Norman Transcript

NORMAN — Editor, The Transcript:

I believe that the education of our children is an important task of our government comparable to assuring our safety. Our public education system has served us well in the past and will in the future if we keep it healthy.

Since 2003 our per-student funding in Oklahoma was reduced by more than 20 percent like in Alabama and Arizona, all three were much worse than the average.

Oklahoma did not suffer from the recession like Arizona or, for that matter, almost all the other states. Our school’s loss was largely self-inflicted.

SQ 758 and SQ 766 could well lead to additional reductions in school funding.

 Since an educated citizenry will lead to better and more jobs (just one of the many benefits) and we will all be dependent on our children at some time, we should be voting to support their education. So how should that affect your voting during this election?

 Carefully weigh how well you think the candidates on your ballot will support education and vote appropriately.

Remember that the severe cuts in education funding were caused by cuts in taxes voted in by a majority of our elected officials but not all. In general, we need to replace most of them.

SQ 758 and SQ 766 will reduce school funding with no compensating source of funding specified.

Vote no on both. Remember that the state questions on your ballot were placed there by our elected officials, not by initiative petition. Therefore, they are responsible for not including a compensation for the loss of funding for schools.

They could have passed a bill that would have included compensating funding to the schools when the questions passed if they were concerned about schools. And where are the protests of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Barresi for their not having included a mechanism for compensating funding?

 We can only assure that our schools are adequately funded by voting in those candidates that will support schools and vote against those measures that will reduce the funding.

CHADWICK COX

Norman

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