Senate adopts resolution honoring Oklahoma’s teachers

The full Senate adopted a resolution Thursday recognizing the first week of May as Teacher Appreciation Week.

Authored by Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, Sen. J.J. Dossett, D-Owasso, and Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, all former educators, the resolution highlighted the hurdles Oklahoma teachers have faced while serving their students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During the pandemic, our educators have gone above and beyond to adapt to an ever-changing education landscape,” said the authors in a joint statement. “They creatively adjusted to remote learning and implemented new strategies to assist their students from afar. Oklahoma teachers deserve our recognition and appreciation, but also deserve to receive compensation that reflects the investment they make daily in the future of our state. We call on the legislature to show their gratitude to teachers by properly funding education and trusting our teachers to do their job without state overreach.”

There are more than 85,000 full-time equivalents in Oklahoma public schools, including 42,395 teachers, that teach more than 700,000 students enrolled in Pre-K through 12^th grade in the state.