Teachers Make Signs For Planned Walkout

A group of teachers in Oklahoma City worked to express their thoughts in the space of a single poster, Thursday afternoon.

“Students, parents, teachers are doing their job,” said one educator, explaining her sign. “Legislators are starting to do their job, but they need to step up and do more.”

The signs were being created at the OKC American Federation of Teachers (AFT) office for a planned march on April 2.

“Heroes – which stands for help educators reach our extraordinary students,” Telannia Norfar said about her sign.

Barbara Thomas is an art teacher.

“It’s been a really, really hard year,” she said.

Like so many others, she has spent a significant amount of her own money on supplies. And she’s seen too many teachers leave the state.

“I have a daughter in Texas,” Thomas told News 9. “I would go in a heartbeat if it weren’t for the obligations I have here.”

OKC AFT members voted to accept the historic teacher pay deal. And they’ll participate in the walkout on Monday.

“We’d like to say ‘thank you’ for this step in the right direction, in good faith,” said Anna Graven. “But in the understanding that this is a step – that we have more steps to make and Oklahomans need to understand that it’s not over."

OKCPS and Norman announced school will be closed for the walkout on Monday.

Several other districts have done the same.