[UNFILTERED] El Reno Teacher Pens Protest Song For Oklahoma Walkout

The teacher walkout turned into a teacher rally at the state Capitol on Monday, and eventually into a teacher sing-a-long thanks to one educator.

Teacher Jerelyn Atchison from El Reno wrote a song called "A Teacher's Prayer To Keep Oklahoma Strong," and it was performed Monday in Oklahoma City as districts across the state canceled classes because of the walkout.

Watch the song below via the News 9 and OUCovers18 Unfiltered Facebook pages, and check out the lyrics to Jerelyn's song below that.

"A Teacher's Prayer To Keep Oklahoma Strong,"
by Jerelyn Atchison

Get up in the morning, ready for the day
Head up to the school, to feed, teach and play
These children are our future, look into their eyes
They know you want the best for them but is all just lies?

Where is our future? Where do we stand?
Do we put our children first or are they second hand?
Look inside your heart right now, tell me what is wrong?
Are you doing everything to keep Oklahoma Strong?

We go about our day, molding these young minds
reading, math, science, history, what adventures we'll find
This is their education, they're learning every day
We want the best for them, and this is what we pray....

Here is our future, give us a helping hand
Please put our children first and not second hand
Look inside your heart right now, and tell me if you're wrong
Please do everything you can to keep Oklahoma Strong!

Look down the road, maybe in ten years
Where has their road led them, to happiness or tears?
How have we prepared them, for what life has in store?
Have we given them enough, or do they need more?

The children are our future, give them a helping hand
Please put them first and not second hand
Look inside your heart right now, and tell me what is wrong
Are we doing everything to keep Oklahoma Strong?
Are we doing everything to keep Oklahoma Strong?
Are we doing everything to keep Oklahoma Strong?

[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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