Sen. Dahm files education reform bills to disrupt status quo

OKLAHOMA CITY – On Wednesday, Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, filed a trio of education reform bills.

“Our education system is floundering,” Dahm said. “Parents are upset, teachers are leaving the profession, and students aren’t being taught what they need to know. And yet, the education establishment is very happy with the status quo.”

Senate Bill 1420 would provide any student in the state with a scholarship in the amount of their calculated state aid to attend the private school of their choice.

“I believe that our education dollars should fund students, not systems,” Dahm said. “In addition, I think parents should have options. This bill, coupled with the open transfer legislation signed into law last session, goes a long way toward realizing those goals.”

SB 1382 would amend the required reading materials for high school students, adding “The New England Primer,” and “The Law,” by Bastiat, among others.

 “These texts have significant historical importance to this country,” Dahm said. “The founders would’ve used ‘The New England Primer,’ which leaned heavily on themes from the Bible. ‘The Law’ emphasizes the idea that government’s only legitimate purpose is to protect the rights of life, liberty, and private property.”

SB 1402, the “Professional Teacher Charter,” would create a way for teachers to become professional education practitioners.

“Good teachers are pretty much the only thing keeping this bureaucratic mess of an education system afloat,” Dahm said. “Unfortunately, many teachers are quitting due to the stress, strain, and lack of administrative support. This bill provides them with a way out of the bureaucratic school system without leaving the profession they love. They can oversee their own practice, just like a doctor, CPA, or lawyer.”

If passed, the bills will take effect on July 1, 2022.

“These are all necessary reforms,” Dahm said. “They are innovative, they will disrupt the status quo, and the education establishment will fight tooth and nail to prevent any of them from passing. We as a legislature have a choice—we can either stand for students, parents, and education innovation, or we can simply bow to the pressure of the system and union bosses. I hope it’s the former.”

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For more information, contact:  Sen. Nathan Dahm, 405-521-5551 or Nathan.Dahm@oksenate.gov.