5 Questions On #OKEd with Rep. Mike Turner

With debates on education reaching a fevered pitch at 23rd & Lincoln, we asked Rep. Mike Turner his thoughts on Monday’s rally and his thoughts on Common Core.

1. You recently blogged about those attending Monday’s rally want the legislature to address a funding crisis in Oklahoma education. What do you think is the biggest issue facing Oklahoma education?

The biggest education issue at this time is return on investment for all the money we spend. Dumping more and more money into the same broken system is insanity. Oklahomans need more choice, including vouchers and tax credits, so parents have the ability to place kids in the best environment for them whether that’s public, charter, private or homeschool.

We also need to create quality standards and place well-paid highly qualified teachers in the classroom.

The answers that are getting thrown around the most on these issues are keep Common Core with little oversight and blindly throwing money to school districts and administrators. Neither option is a responsible option.

2. And how do we solve it?

Children are our state’s most precious asset, and for them to have a better future, they need a quality education.

We need to create a pay structure that rewards teachers for the progress they make in the classroom. Our kids need instructors that can do the job and are motivated. We lose great teachers all the time because the only way they get a raise is through time served or leaving the classroom to become an administrator.

When it comes to standards, we need to have input from teachers, higher education and career technology institutions. We need to design standards that encourage free thought and promote the knowledge and skills children need to succeed. Let’s fund the programs and standards that work and stop wasting time and money on questionable measures.

3. As a legislator, how do you react to groups like those rallying on Monday?

The education of children is a noble cause and appropriate funding is a serious issue, but what I’m against is fiscal abuse. It is illegal to use tax funds, your money, for illegal lobbying efforts. If school districts and administrators are abusing tax dollars for illegal lobbying, what else are they spending money on that may not be ethical or legal? It puts a serious damper on the conversation of education funding and takes serious credit away from their message.

I am also against the political bullying that’s taking place in our schools against teachers who have different opinions from the unions and the education bureaucrats. If a teacher is against nationalized standards, wants less bureaucracy and more fiscal responsibility, the hammer will come down on them at work.

That says it’s the union way or no way.

We need to have a serious conversation with teachers and school districts about education without the union bullying and the political pressure in the classrooms. Let’s do things the right way and work to make Oklahoma a positive example for the rest of the country.

4. Another point of contention among legislators in the controversial A-F grading system. Do you think A-F is working, and if not, what’s the alternative to fix it?

A-F is a step towards a worthy goal but poorly implemented. There must be more to the overall solution than just slapping a letter on schools’ performance. Without real choice through vouchers and credits, you won’t be able to drive the tough changes that are needed and give kids the best opportunities to succeed.

5. The debate on Common Core has reached a fever-pitch at the Capitol in the last few weeks. Why should non-political types care and what impact will Common Core have on student achievement in Oklahoma?

Parents should be extremely concerned. The United States is sinking in education and Common Core does little to prepare them for the modern job market.

Common Core does not properly equip our kids in the areas of Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM). Common Core’s leading mathematics standards writer, Jason Zimbia, admitted Common Core is not directed towards STEM achievement.

In the Wall Street Journal, Zimbia was quoted s, “If you want to take calculus your freshman year in college, you will need to take more mathematics than is in the Common Core.” (Wall Street Journal, Jan. 2, 2014)

The lead math standards writer’s own words tell me this is not a curriculum that will allow America to lead the way into the 21st century.

Common Core also abandons classic literature in favor of informational texts. The classics teach us to think independently and question your surroundings. I want our kids to be leaders and innovators, not followers.