The full Oklahoma House of Representatives voted this evening and passed HJR 1099. Unfortunately, this action also confirmed the Rules committee rejection of the Oklahoma Academic Skills for Science (OASS). The vote was as follows:
AYES: 50
Biggs Fisher McDaniel, R. Russ Billy Floyd Moore Sanders
Blackwell Hamilton Mulready Schwartz Brumbaugh Hardin Newell Shannon
Cannada Hulbert Nollan Shoemake Casey Johnson O’Donnell Stiles
Christian Joyner Ortega Thomsen Cleveland Kern Osborn Vaughan
Cockroft Kirby Ownbey Walker Condit Lockhart Peterson Watson
Cox Martin, St. Pruett Wesselhoft Derby McBride Quinn Wood
DeWitt McCall Roberts, D.
NAYS: 31
Banz Echols McNiel Shelton Bennett Hall Murphey Sherrer
Brown Hoskin Nelson Smalley Coody Jordan Perryman Turner
Cooksey Kouplen Pittman Virgin Dank Martin, Sc. Reynolds Wright
Denney Matthews Ritze Mr. Speaker Dorman McDaniel, J. Scott
EXCUSED: 15
Fourkiller Inman Morrissette Sears Glenn Jackson Proctor Trebilcock
Grau McDaniel, C. Renegar Williams Henke McPeak Rousselot
Now it’s on the the Senate.
Supporters of OASS must immediately work on the Senate side and also ask the Governor to oppose HJR 1099. THE LEGISLATURE WILL ADJOURN ON FRIDAY so messages need to go out now. Please send one message to the Senate leadership to Senate President Pro Tem, Brian Bingman, bingman@oksenate.gov
Interestingly enough, resolutions behave a little differently that other bills. Even with the action of the House and even if the Senate concurs with the House vote, there is a mechanism by which the Governor can approve the rule notwithstanding legislative action. There is some indication the the State Department of Education intends to petition the Governor to do just that.
So you also need to go to Governor’s web site http://www.ok.gov/governor# and click on send message.
Do it NOW! Please spread this to other individuals, local groups tonight or early in the morning
Climate Parents have initiated an on-line petition that has gained lots of signatures already. The petition is titled “Save world-class science education standards in Oklahoma!” and you can find it here:
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/save-world-class-science?source=s.em.mt&r_by=7757738
Read more about this issue on national news media sites and popular blogs:
http://ncse.com/news/2014/05/new-york-times-wyoming-debacle-0015606
http://ncse.com/news/2014/05/trouble-over-oklahoma-science-standards-0015595
https://www.oklahomascienceteachersassociation.org/
http://lidifaria.info/education/trouble-over-oklahoma-science-standards
http://acluok.org/2009/03/update-on-legislation-of-concern-pending-in-oklahoma-legislature/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/15/oklahoma-rejects-science-standards_n_5333578.html
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/05/16/1299838/-Oklahoma-rejects-new-science-standards-because-they-mention-climate-change
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/05/oklahoma-climate-science-education-denial
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/05/15/3438174/oklahoma-house-committee-science-standards/