R.O.P.E.

ROPE: One Two Three, What Are We Voting For?

After spending nearly a decade heavily involved in politics, it’s quite a departure for me to admit I can’t name all the candidates running for Lt. Governor off the top of my head. I’ll be honest…I’m not even sure I can name all 27 – or however many – gubernatorial candidates.

Sadly, I’m not dying about it. Why? I’m still plugged in enough to know who to go to for voting advice and I still READ. Yes, it’s true! There are actually things you can READ to get information enough to make informed voting decisions!

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ROPE2/Parent Guest Post: What I Learned From The 2018 Teacher's Strike

This post was sent to me by "Elizabeth":I have never thought of myself as any kind of activist. I have never marched in protest or in support of anything that I can remember. It isn’t that I don’t have opinions – I definitely have them. There are often facets to issues or politics that I don’t understand or, more likely, haven’t taken the time to research.

But my blood pressure rose when I received a text from my teen after returning to school following the Oklahoma teacher strike.

“Our teacher just had us write a paper on our feelings about the walk-out!”

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This blog originates from ROPE2: http://reclaimoklahomaparentempowerment.blogspot.com
ROPE2: Can A School Force Your Child To Take State Tests?

Today I received a communication from a ROPE reader. She told me she had received a letter from her Assistant Principal in response to her request to opt her child/children out of state testing. The letter said, in part:

As guided by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), indicating laws and rules set by our legislature, we are required to assess all enrolled students who are present on scheduled test days. In fact, “Because of these statutory and rule requirements, there is no “opt-out” option offered through the OSDE. In addition, 70 OS Section 5-117 states that local school boards of education do not have the authority to take actions inconsistent with state law or rules that have been adopted by the State Board of Education.”

That sounds very official. Even a bit scary. 
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This blog originates from ROPE2: http://reclaimoklahomaparentempowerment.blogspot.com
ROPE2: Information on Opting Out Of Standardized Testing in Oklahoma

With many Oklahoma teachers out of their classrooms during the testing window for administration of Oklahoma standardized tests, there have been questions from parents who now wish to simply opt their child out of testing altogether.page 24Th…

Click on the headline link to continue reading via OKGrassroots

ROPE2: IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED - Help Stop Wind Tax Credits And Put That Money Back Into The Budget For Education And Other Needs

While some are asking where money can be found to fund core government needs in Oklahoma, one simple answer is ending corporate welfare to the Corporate Wind Industry! If we don’t do something truly meaningful this session, another $70 million dollars is going to LITERALLY be “Gone with the Wind” when it could have, instead, gone to meet other state needs.

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ROPE2: The Public Education Funding Mess Is The Fault Of EVERY Citizen - So How Do We Fix It?

Since the beginning of this legislative session here in Oklahoma, teachers have been demanding raises. In March, the Oklahoma legislature passed an unprecedented tax to fund teacher raises and other educational needs, raising oil and gas production taxes to 5%, adding a $1 increase per pack on cigarettes, 6 cents on diesel/3 cents gas increases and a $5 tax on hotel motel tax (later repealed). While public education advocates celebrated, taxpayers fretted – and they have good reason to do so.
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This blog originates from ROPE2: http://reclaimoklahomaparentempowerment.blogspot.com