The requirement was put into place nearly a year ago to keep the district’s accreditation this year after the threat last summer of a state takeover. This past meeting occurred during the first week of school, and every employee was needed at work. A presentation was sent to the board while our staff focused on educating our kids.

Anyone in education knows that when administrators have to take a day off work and go to Oklahoma City, that’s a day our superintendent isn’t here to do the job she was actually hired to do — improve student outcomes per the goals and guardrails the locally elected board established after visiting with the people of our community.

Oklahomans see an hour a month of what we are doing from these presentations at these meetings. But I can assure you the amount of time that goes into such a presentation is significant and takes the time of many TPS employees.

During a time when finding teachers is extremely challenging across this state, we need all hands on deck every day.

I have repeatedly asked State Superintendent Ryan Walters to allow these required presentations to come to an end. He told me in January when he was in Tulsa that he’d work on it but that a state board member or two weren’t ready for TPS to stop presenting.

Walters has been complimentary of TPS meeting all his demands, including the time-consuming work of giving these presentations and answering any questions he or members of the Gov. Kevin Stitt-appointed board ask.

While I was unable to attend the last state school board meeting due to my responsibilities to TPS students and families as school started, I was briefed about the discussion regarding the district.

Board member Zachary Archer recognizes the challenges these presentations are making on the district and made a motion to make September the last month TPS would formally appear and report before the board. Pushback immediately came from Walters and board member Sarah Lepak.

Donald Burdick, the state board member appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt to represent Tulsa, did the same. That is a shame.

Burdick volunteered at Council Oak Elementary School last year. Surely he can recognize that if one of the district’s most (if not the most) affluent schools needs him in the classroom, then Superintendent Ebony Johnson cannot afford to be participating in this monthly dog-and-pony show.

The praise several state school board members and Walters have given TPS is great. But genuine appreciation would result in allowing our teams to do the work they need to do on behalf of our students. Our kids need actions, not words.

If you’re a Tulsan who cares about public education, reach out to our State School Board members and ask them to let our superintendent do her job. Then, come into one of our schools and volunteer for an hour a week.

Together, we can do amazing things!

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