FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Bob Sullivan 918-625-9434

AUGUST 23, 2006 Denna Armstrong 405-361-2109

 OK SCHOOL BOARDS USE TAX MONEY TO SUE
TO KEEP FROM HAVING TO PUT TAX MONEY INTO OK CLASSROOMS

FRIVOLOUS LAWSUIT TO KEEP OKLAHOMA DEAD LAST
IN GETTING MONEY INTO THE CLASSROOM

OKLAHOMA CITY – In a desperate move to keep from having to spend more of its taxpayer money actually teaching Oklahoma students, the Oklahoma School Board Association today launched a legal “Hail Mary” challenging the First Class Education for Oklahoma citizens initiative. The Oklahoma School Board Association, which is 100% taxpayer funded through school districts paying dues, filed suit in the State Supreme Court, saying the First Class Education for Oklahoma citizens petition violated a requirement for single subject. The single-page initiative sets as a goal that school districts spend at least 65% of their operational budgets on classroom instruction.

Said First Class Education Campaign Chairman Bob Sullivan,

“This is the height of arrogance by the Oklahoma School Board Association and makes the point why Oklahoma needs the 65% Goal immediately. The School Boards are going to use your taxpayer education money that is supposed to be spent educating your kids rather on lawyers filing frivolous lawsuits in order to stop from having to spend more of our taxpayer education money actually educating our kids. Simply put, they'll spend the money on their lawyers because they don't want to spend the money on your teachers and students.”

According to a July report by the United States Census Bureau, only 56% of Oklahoma K-12 education funding reaches the classroom, ranking the state dead last among all 50 states. Under the First Class Education for Oklahoma initiative that percentage would need to be increased over time to 65% -- a percentage already reached by several other states and about a fourth of all school districts nationally. In just the last year, four states, ( Louisiana , Texas , Kansas and Georgia ) have set 65% instruction goals for their school districts. Governors and/or gubernatorial candidates in Colorado , Florida , Minnesota , Missouri , New Mexico , Ohio , and Wisconsin are backing the accountability measure for their states. Colorado voters will see the measure on their November ballots.

Concluded Sullivan,

“This week families throughout Oklahoma will be asked to send crayons, pencils and paper to school. Teachers will spend money out of their pockets for basic supplies. But Oklahoma School Board lawyers will have plenty of your tax money to fight your right to vote to make your classrooms, your teachers and your students come first. That's wrong and the School Boards should be ashamed. And that's exactly why we need to ensure at least 65% of our education money is set aside for classrooms, teachers and kids…not lawyers, lobbyists and public relations consultants.

# # #