The Edmond Sun

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OK
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Feb
05 Bernie Sanders reveals Ho
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2020

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teacher union goals for Oklahoma mo
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Clip n a recent column published Oklahoma teacher unions — as the expansion of charter Price

resized by The Oklahoman, U.S. falling “heavily on working schools.” elect

52% Sen. Bernie Sanders, a self-
described socialist, declared
himself connected at the hip
with Oklahoma teacher
unions. There’s good reason to
take that claim seriously — the
Oklahoma Education
Association’s national parent,
the National Education
Association, has given Sanders
an “A” rating for years — so
y one should take seriously
Sanders’ agenda as one shared
by his teacher union com-
rades.
It’s an agenda that means
more money for the govern-
ment and less money for
working Oklahoma families —
even though Sanders tries to
pretend otherwise. And it’s an
agenda that would limit edu-
cational opportunity for
Oklahoma children.
Over two years Oklahoma
lawmakers have increased K-12
school appropriations by 20
- percent, funneling $638 million
more into the system for
teacher pay raises and class-
room funding. Much of that
funding came from more than
$1 billion in tax increases and
other revenue measures passed
since 2015.
Sanders says those tax
increases have “not been nearly
enough” and calls for even
more taxes. But Sanders decries
Oklahoma’s recent tax increases
— explicitly demanded by
families.” And he argues Never mind that every dollar Sin
W
Oklahoma school problems spent on a student at EPIC — Sa
were caused by state “tax cuts which is a public school —
favoring the would have been spent on Th
wealthy and those same students in other pa
W
large profitable public brick-and-mortar To
corporations.” schools, so there’s no diver- ww
Since 2005 sion of funding from educa- cli
Oklahoma’s tion at all. And never mind tio
income tax was that charter schools dispro-
En
cut from 6.65 portionately serve low-income Re
percent to 5 and minority students who m
percent. That would otherwise not get a Ar
tax cut kicks in quality education. Sanders an
Jonathan at $8,700 of and his teacher union allies
Small taxable income are willing to sacrifice those
for single filers. children simply out of ideo- Sou
OCPA President Who knew that logical pique.
earning $8,700 In 2019 Gov. Kevin Stitt and
made one legislative leaders chose a dif-
“wealthy”? ferent path than the 2018
So Sanders is teacher-walkout model that
in the odd position of praising Sanders praises. Instead of
unions for forcing Oklahoma raising taxes, they increased
tax increases on working fami- state savings — something the W
lies, even as he decries those OEA opposed, even though th
tax increases, and then argues those savings will protect su
that tax cuts that benefitted schools from budget cuts in Le
ac
those working families were a future downturns. Su
mistake. Make of that what Let’s hope saner heads con- ho
you will. tinue to prevail in 2020, ap
And Sanders says he now because if Sanders and his let
ap
wants additional tax increases teacher-union allies prevail, iss
— on the “wealthy,” of course. the tax-increase drubbing an
Sanders also took aim at Oklahomans took in 2018 will be
EPIC charter schools, an become the rule, not the pr
online provider, saying that exception. Le
dis
school is “draining” $112 mil- pe
lion from public schools, and JONATHAN SMALL serves as presi- m
declared as president he dent of the Oklahoma Council of Public ph
would put “a moratorium on Affairs (www.ocpathink.org). fo
an
rig
cla
wh
lib

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Clip
Feb 2020 Page resized
05 A004 61%

Yukon Review

Sanders reveals teacher union goals

By JONATHAN SMALL school appropriations
by 20 percent, funnel-
ing $638 million more
In a recent column into the system for
published by The teacher pay raises and
Oklahoman, U.S. Sen. classroom funding.
Bernie Sanders, a Much of that funding
came from more than
self-described socialist,
$1 billion in tax
declared himself con-
increases and other
nected at the hip with
revenue measures
Oklahoma teacher
passed since 2015.
unions. Sanders says those
There’s good reason
tax increases have “not
to take that claim seri- been nearly enough”
ously — the Oklahoma
and calls for even more
Education Asso- taxes.
ciation’s national par-
But Sanders decries
ent, the National Oklahoma’s recent tax
Education Association,
increases —explicitly
has given Sanders an
demanded by
“A” rating for years —
Oklahoma teacher
so one should take seri-
unions — as falling
ously Sanders’ agenda “heavily on working
as one shared by his families.”
teacher union com- And he argues
rades. Oklahoma school prob-
It’s an agenda that lems were caused by
means more money for state “tax cuts favoring
the government and the wealthy and large
less money for working profitable corpora-
Oklahoma families — tions.”
even though Sanders Since 2005,
tries to pretend other- Oklahoma’s income tax
wise. was cut from 6.65 per-
And it’s an agenda cent to 5 percent. That
that would limit educa- tax cut kicks in at
tional opportunity for $8,700 of taxable income
Oklahoma children. for single filers. Who
Over two years, knew that earning
Oklahoma lawmakers $8,700 made one
have increased K-12 “wealthy”?
So Sanders is in the
odd position of praising
unions for forcing
Oklahoma tax increas-
es on working families,
even as he decries
those tax increases, and
then argues that tax
cuts that benefitted
those working families
were a mistake.
Make of that what
you will.
And Sanders says he
now wants additional
tax increases — on the
“wealthy,” of course.
Sanders also took
aim at Epic charter
schools, an online pro-
vider, saying that
school is “draining”
$112 million from pub-
lic schools, and
declared as president
he would put “a mora-
torium on the expan-
sion of charter
schools.”
Never mind that
every dollar spent on a
student at Epic —
which is a public
school — would have
been spent on those
same students in other
public brick-and-mor-
tar schools, so there’s
no diversion of funding
from education at all.
And never mind that
charter schools dispro-
portionately serve
low-income and minori-
ty students who would
otherwise not get a
quality education.
Sanders and his
teacher union allies are
willing to sacrifice
those children simply
out of ideological pique.
In 2019, Gov. Kevin
Stitt and legislative
leaders chose a differ-
ent path than the 2018
teacher-walkout model
that Sanders praises.
Instead of raising
taxes, they increased
state savings — some-
thing the OEA opposed,
even though those sav-
ings will protect
schools from budget
cuts in future down-
turns.
Let’s hope saner
heads continue to pre-
vail in 2020, because if
Sanders and his
teacher-union allies
prevail, the tax-in-
crease drubbing
Oklahomans took in
2018 will become the
rule, not the exception.
Jonathan Small
serves as president of
the Oklahoma Council
of Public Affairs (www.
ocpathink.org).

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.