Over the last week, there were several articles that need to be commented on.  One was about Webster High School – where 17-year-olds lament being too young to participate in the mid-term elections.

The teacher walkout earlier in the year caused students to want to learn more about conditions in Oklahoma’s public education, which were blamed on budget cuts and deteriorating conditions.

Metzli Bravo, a senior, said it’s hard to sit back and watch people vote against schools’ best interest as they did in 2016 when they rejected State Question 779, which sought to increase the sales tax to help fund education.  She went on students see what teachers go through on a daily basis.  They deserve something better.  They deserve so much more than what we’re giving them.

From these comments, it is obvious that no one discussed the merits of having the highest sales tax in the country had State Question 779 passed and what it might mean to our retail industry.

Take for instance the Florida governor’s race, where Democrat and Bernie Sanders supporter Andrew Gillum is proposing massive new expenditures.  An independent think tank reviewed his plan and determined that to pay for it the state would need raise the sales tax to 39 percent or pass an income tax.  What would Florida look like then?  Most of those who could leave probably would.

In the case of Webster High School, the students interviewed were Metzli, Bibiana and Jamine.  Gone are the names like Ann, Linda or Mary.  Webster’s students probably only hear one side of the discussion.  Do the teachers really deserve so much more?  Last year, Webster’s state grade was a “D.”  Recently, we learned that only 16 percent of Oklahoma students in the class of 2018 are college-ready in reading, science, English and math.  Certainly, not a robust record for our education and teaching ability.

In another Tulsa World Op-ed, David Boren says “Business leaders have to make decisions about where to grow their companies.  Investors who can create better jobs are rightfully selective about where to locate.  They are not going to select states with failing grades in healthcare and education.”

Former Gov. Boren is exactly right.  However, as has been pointed out, the main stakeholders in education each want someone else to solve their problems and leave them alone.  Let’s revisit the five primary stakeholders in education; the parents, students, teachers, communities, administrators and legislators.

In low-performing schools, the parents are all but absent.  Many don’t even see their responsibility to provide daily meals and leave it up to the schools.  Students are not motivated to learn and with little physical activity are in poor health.  The low academic performance of Oklahoma schools is not a good indicator of teacher proficiency and ability

Communities need to take responsibility for their own public education.  They need to tax themselves. A good start would have been State Question 801. Administrators need to admit Oklahoma has way too many school districts.  Low performing districts and dependent districts should be consolidated with their neighbors.  Lastly, the legislature has the power to make changes, if they so choose.  All stakeholders have avoided responsibility.  It’s time to handle your own problems and outcomes and stop asking the public to fund your losses.

Another area where the experts would want you to believe is out of control is with emergency certified teachers.  Yes, there are 2,600 emergency certified teachers in the classroom today.  Many have far better academic qualifications than our teachers who are – so they say -“trained.”

We also have 20,000 Oklahomans who have kept their teaching certificates but are not teaching in the classroom.  Why?  Now, here is a waste of talent.