Thread by @JordanUhl

(THREAD) The #OklahomaTeacherWalkout is what happens after years of a Republican tax plan finally implodes.

A few important things for context & clarity:

First, the #OklahomaTeacherWalkout is going STRONG and we need to show solidarity and stand with them!

Oklahoma’s schools are some of the lowest-funded in the country.

Teachers have been sharing pictures of inadequate school supplies showing the horrible condition textbooks are in.

Schools districts are left without adequate funding for textbooks because of steep cuts made at the state level.

The cuts were so severe, nearly 20% of schools in Oklahoma only operate four days a week.

In the six years immediately following the Great Recession, Oklahoma’s per student school formula funding has dropped 23.6%.

This is all because the overwhelmingly Republican Oklahoma State Legislature has continually reduced taxes—especially for the wealthiest residents and corporations—despite facing a *$1 billion* shortfall.

These tax cuts, which started in 2004, ignore the fiscal realities plaguing the state and, to assuage the deficit, they’re resorting to cutting teachers salaries.

But Oklahoma teachers are already some of the lowest paid in the country.

49th out of 50, to be exact.

Because of this, Oklahoma can’t keep the best teachers. So they’re actually hurting the students as a result.

So teachers in #OklahomaTeacherWalkout are walking out in protest, demanding higher wages.

And just like in West Virginia, the teachers are demanding higher wages for *ALL* public employees.