ACTION ALERT:
PLEASE HELP STOP PROVISIONS OF HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 1099 THAT PREVENTS OKLAHOMA FROM ADOPTING THE NEW SCIENCE STANDARDS .
Oklahoma Science Teachers Association and Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education (OSTA) endorses OASS. The OSTA report on HJR 1099 is HERE. The Oklahoma State Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the standards earlier.
The Oklahoma House Committee for Administrative Rules voted 11-1 to REJECT the new Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science. If approved by the Senate and signed by the Governor, Oklahoma standards will revert to the old State standards (PASS, ‘Priority Academic Student Skills’) that are in urgent need of upgrading. The Fordham Foundation gave Oklahoma an F on the PASS science standards.
HJR 1099 is an administrative bill and thus did not have to meet the deadline for committee hearings. HJR 1099 contains items rejecting provisions in other state agencies, but the defeat of the new teaching standards is of great importance.
Oklahoma opposition was based almost entirely on concerns about standards dealing with climate. Although climate warming is not a major component, continued opposition to the topic prevails from fears of climate change topics, despite the fact that 97% of professional climatologists conclude that climate warming is happening and that human actions are a cause, but OASS does not require conclusions.
HJR 1099 must now be approved in the Senate and, if approved, signed by the Governor. The resolution can be either sent to a Senate committee OR it can be placed directly on the Senate floor. As the Legislature considers many bills, including the budget, before adjournment at the end of this month, the short time span requires that opposition take place NOW.
Thus, PLEASE send short messages to the following and simply state opposition to HJR 1099 that denies adoption of the OASS:
Speaker of the House, Jeffrey Hickman jwhickman@okhouse.gov (405) 557-7339
Senate President Pro tem, Brian Bingman bingham@oksenate.gov (405) 521-5548
Governor Fallin’s Office. Go to the following link to submit an email to the Governor
http://www.ok.gov/governor# or call (405) 521-2342
NOTE: Should the resolution be sent to a Senate committee, then messages to that committee will be needed.
THANKS TO ALL WHO WILL RESPOND AND HELP IMPROVE SCIENCE EDUCATION IN OKLAHOMA!
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