In other words, if educators do not stop voicing their dissent of this flawed, unrealistic portrayal of Oklahoma's public schools, she will engage in a system of retribution where the truly innocent — our children — suffer the most. This political discourse is no longer a mere disagreement. This is extortion.

A study by scholars at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University clearly states that "when school raw scores for reading, math, and science were averaged, three to six correct responses separated 'A' schools from 'F' schools on 50 question tests."

The report indicates that the oversimplification of this classification system masks the successes and struggles in individual subject areas and fields. Additionally, the study finds that these grades inadequately portray the performance of low-income and minority students.

All of these results indicate one glaring fact: the A-F grading system is a grossly flawed attempt to demoralize and demean Oklahoma's public education system through the misrepresentation of data.

The system does not portray Oklahoma's schools. It does not portray the teacher who spends half of her summer in professional development or the teacher who works late nights at school in the winter, long after the heat has been automatically turned off.

It does not portray the hungry, tired student whose goal is not academic success, but rather — survival. It does not portray the improvements and gains that are happening every day in our classrooms.

The picture you are being given by this system is not a picture of what is happening in Oklahoma's public schools. It is a picture of what they want you to think about Oklahoma's public schools.

This compilation of data and assignment of grades is full of inconsistencies and ridiculous statistical analysis. Its implementation has been rocky and underhanded. It appears to be designed to destroy our faith in our public schools and dismantle public education.

And now that educators across the state are speaking out, our governor has told us to shut up and sit down.

Fallin has taken Oklahoma's public schools hostage. As teachers, we will continue to work with the resources we have. We will get up each morning, drink our coffee, and pour our hearts and souls into our classrooms. We will continue to celebrate our students, share their tears, engage them in discussion, and shape them into tomorrow's great leaders. While it is frustrating to be threatened at such a low and despicable level, it will not keep me — or any of my colleagues — from doing our jobs.

While our resolve is strong, we must note that Fallin's threats send a completely different message to the children of Oklahoma. Through her words and her actions, she has stated that they are not our future, our hope of tomorrow, or even worth her consideration.

No, children, according to Fallin, you are political pawns.

We must not allow her to use them in this way. We must not allow her to use their education as a way to stifle dissension. We must rally together and state that our schools, our teachers, and our students are not a letter. They are not a number on a piece of paper. And they are certainly not a bubble in Scantron sheet.

Our schools are our future. Do we really want to allow our children to suffer because our leadership cannot take criticism? Do we really want our kids to be disregarded because our politicians refuse to listen? I certainly do not.

Fallin's spokesman reminds us that, whether we like the system or not, it is the law. He is right. It is the law. And we will all attempt to work within the system. However, we will not be content to tolerate its flaws, and we will not be silenced with sinister threats.

We will teach, we will continue to help improve the system, and we will pray. We will not shut up. And we will never, ever sit down.

Kevin Pearson teaches vocal music at East Central Junior High. He is the 2013 Tulsa Public Schools Teacher of the Year.

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