Our sincere perspective includes the education and future of our own children, as well as all children who attend Oklahoma's public schools. We also believe our perspective reflects the will and the thinking of the other plaintiffs in this lawsuit — all of whom are parents and, in several cases, grandparents.

Each of us recognizes the numerous benefits to our children, and to all Oklahoma citizens, of providing strong public education. Public schools educate all students, regardless of ethnicity, academic skills, parental support, culture, or socio-economic status.

The Oklahoma Constitution provides for taxpayer funds to be collected and appropriated for the support of our public schools, which are to be free to all students. When a student has special needs, the public school provides an individualized education program, which is developed with the child's parents and which must comply with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Special education students are guaranteed unique protections under the federal law, which include due process rights if parents do not believe their child's needs are being met. This is a very important right, and in 2010 Oklahoma was nationally recognized as one of four states with exemplary status for our dispute resolution system by the Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education. Additional protections include a state law that allows parents who feel their child is not in a safe environment, to request an emergency transfer to another public school district.

Despite these services and protections guaranteed by law in public schools, some parents may decide a private school environment better suits their child. In no way are we challenging the right of parents to make that choice. We are challenging the use of public dollars to pay for private school tuition when those dollars have been collected to fund the education of children in public schools.

Private schools are not accountable to taxpayers for the use of public dollars. They do not have public meetings, open records, or publicly elected school boards. They are not required to participate in the state testing program, nor do they receive an A-F letter grade from the state Board of Education. State law requires all of this of public schools in order to account for the use of taxpayer funds.

Many special education students in public schools receive services beyond what their families would otherwise be able to financially provide. Using public funds for vouchers to supplement private school tuition leaves those students in public school with diminished funding. Unlike public schools, private schools may choose which students they wish to accept, and they may charge tuition above what the voucher provides. This leads to a system in which families who can afford the difference (and whose child is accepted) may attend the private school. Most importantly, however, the voucher law requires a child with special needs to give up his or her due process rights under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as private schools are not obligated to recognize these protections.

These are a few of our thoughts, as concerned parents and taxpayers of Oklahoma.

We believe the Oklahoma Constitution and the precedential Oklahoma Supreme Court decision from 1963 are clear. We believe the use of Oklahoma taxpayer dollars for public education should be used to support the education of students in Oklahoma's public schools.

Amy Vargus is a parent of three children, one with special needs. She lives in Jenks. Melissa Abdo is a parent and serves on the Jenks school board. She lives in Tulsa.