[UNFILTERED] Tulsa Memorial Band Director: "I'm Just Frustrated"

Emotions were mixed after the Oklahoma Education Association announced an end to the Oklahoma teacher walkout on Thursday. Some teachers were left feeling like nothing had been accomplished, despite $70 million in new money going to classroom funding.

OEA spokesman noted this in a statement Thursday afternoon:

"Regardless of when it passed, there is $70 million in new money going to general school funding, including $50 million through the SDE budget plus the Amazon tax revenue. None of what has happened over the last three weeks would have happened without the threat of a walkout and the subsequent 9-day walkout," he wrote.

However, the announcement left Tulsa Memorial band director Heath Miller frustrated.

"In a word, I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated with a lack of mobility in our Legislature, specifically in the Senate. I'm frustrated with OEA negotiating down our demands so that it looks like we've won when I feel like we didn't. I'm just frustrated," Miller said.

[UNFILTERED] reporter Mike Boettcher was at the state Capitol as the announcement came down, and he talked to Miller via Facebook Live. Boettcher asked him if he was expecting the end of the walkout.

"It feels like this came out of nowhere," Miller said.

Watch the entire Facebook Live video below.

[UNFILTERED] is a partnership between News 9 and Mike Boettcher, a veteran journalist, News 9 alum and visiting professor at the University of Oklahoma. The goal of [UNFILTERED] is to provide the most thorough coverage possible of stories that matter to Oklahomans. We believe that a transparent, unfiltered approach to community journalism will embody the new era of digital storytelling.

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