Ever Expanding Love
And school board stuff and spring.
I had a neighbor growing up, an older man named Glen Dobbs. Nearly every day I’d say, “Good morning Mr. Dobbs! How are you?” And he’d say, “Ashley, every day I wake up is a good day to be alive.”
I’ve been so deep into the strange, discouraging, aggressive (like these words from our new State Superintendent of Public Education) world of Oklahoma (including Tulsa Public Schools obstructionist board members) education politics that I noticed lately when asked how I am, I make a grim face with big eyes and a shrug. It’s hard to balance what I’m learning and experiencing with the part of me that is light and happy to be alive. I remembered something a therapist friend of mine told me once. She said we are made up of parts. Part of me can be mired in absurd, racist behavior of our leaders, and other parts of me can be just glad the sun came up again.
All that said, I feel an alarm in my belly. There is so much to say, but here is a start.
Current Need 1: Elect Stacey Woolley TPS District 1 on APRIL 4
Most importantly, if you are in Tulsa, please determine if you live in TPS District 1, and if you do, mark your calendars for APRIL 4 to vote for Stacey Woolley. If you do not, tell all of your friends to check, mark calendars and vote. Stacey is the current board president.
Her opponent is friends with TPS school board member E’Lena Ashley who has voted down paying TPS electric bills, allowing social work and counseling graduate students to train in our schools, working with Reading Partners, and more. Stacey’s opponent has the full support of the Tulsa and Oklahoma GOP. Let me know if you’d like to help with her campaign. Donate here.
LISTEN, IS IT TOO MUCH TO WANT A BOARD MEMBER WHO VOTES TO PAY THE ELECTRIC BILLS? This vote is as important as wanting the lights on for our kids.
Current Need 2: Attend the TPS Board Meeting Monday night, March 20th at 6:30 pm.
The board is supposed to finally appoint a District 2 replacement board member. We need good people baring witness. It would ideally be one of the candidates who already applied. Here is some of the story on why this vote is taking place. Basically, Judith Perez was the D2 representative, she stepped down, and board member Marshall encouraged a quick appointment of Perez’s seat per how it has been done in the past and to maintain representation for D2. Then as the first round of applicants narrowed, Marshall seemed partial to applicant Quinten Brown. It was found out that he had a felony and was banned from TPS campuses in the past few years, so he got cut out of the running, and now Marshall, Ashley and Griffin are dragging their feet to appoint. Why, if Marshall wanted a quick turnaround, would she not work to get one appointed from all the other very qualified candidates? I think Brown was her candidate, and she is resistant to anyone but her favorite. The current situation is that they opened applications again for a few days, will interview new people this Thursday night, and then will make a vote on Monday, March 20 at 6:30pm.
Some Current Resources
One explanation of vouchers and the current GOP trend of legislation by some of my favorite experts on public education, Jennifer Berkshire and Jack Schneider
Berkshire and Schneider’s book “Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door: the Dismantling of Public Education and the Future of School taught me so much. Their podcast is AMAZING.
Oklahoma and Tulsa Education News
Ryan Walters removes the word “diverse” from computer science curriculum standards, questions if kids should go to college
The Oklahoma GOP trying to make vouchers seem like “a grassroots movement.”
Peace be with you. Don’t forget the part of you that is just glad you woke up today. I’m glad you did too.
Ashley