OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma Metropolis Public Colleges Board of Schooling voted to approve a decision in help of a lawsuit filed towards the State Board of Schooling concerning constitution college funding.
The State Board of Schooling voted final week to settle a lawsuit from 2017 from the State Constitution Colleges Affiliation that can give constitution faculties the identical stage of funding as public faculties.
State Superintendent Pleasure Hofmeister mentioned final week that it’s towards the legislation.
“That is unconstitutional as a result of it’s principally telling taxpayers, ‘We’re going to tax you and take your cash, however you’re not going to have the type of management of what these funds will likely be used for.’ That is protected within the Structure,” she mentioned.
Oklahoma Metropolis Public Colleges launched the next assertion:
“On March 31, 2023, OKCPS, as an intervening defendant, filed in Oklahoma County District Courtroom, a Petition for Cross Claims towards the Oklahoma State Board of Schooling. After no exercise within the case for a yr, the State Board took surprising, sudden and illegal motion on March 25 to hunt to equalize funding amongst constitution faculties, together with digital constitution faculties. A decision was handed which appeared to be an try and settle the lawsuit, though the 2 intervening events, OKCPS and TPS had been unaware of the proposed decision.
Tonight, April 2nd, the OKCPS Board of Schooling voted 7-0 to approve a decision supporting the litigation towards the State Board’s motion and calling for the Oklahoma State Board of Schooling to lawfully meet to rescind its March 25 motion and backbone. These current for the assembly, the chief part and the vote embody Board Chair Paula Lewis, Vice Chair Mark Mann and Members Rebecca Budd, Carrie Jacobs, Ruth Veales, Gloria Torres, and Meg McElhaney. Board Member Charles Henry didn’t attend or take part in tonight’s assembly.”
OKLAHOMA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
“When there’s any type of battle, which really is how this lawsuit started, then it’s one that would produce others who then object to going over the road in a very troubling method,” Hofmeister mentioned final week.
The Oklahoma Public Constitution Faculty Affiliation was happy with the Board’s resolution, saying final week it ranges the taking part in discipline.
“I feel as charters have been radically underfunded for a few years, this may assist to carry again to what nonetheless aren’t sufficient funding ranges,” mentioned Chris Brewster, president of the Oklahoma Public Constitution Faculty Affiliation. “We definitely would’ve by no means pursued this if we had believed it could be unconstitutional. However that’s after all for the courts to resolve in the event that they noticed match, and we’d yield to the legal guidelines of our land as we’d count on another public entity to do.”
Some teams, just like the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma Faculty Administration, say they plan on taking a legislative strategy towards the State Board’s vote.
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