For the past few weeks, Tulsa Public Schools staff, students and their families have been on edge about the threats of a state takeover of the district.
Their fears are real about what a district operated by state bureaucrats would mean for students and employees. Many parents, teachers and support staff choose TPS for a variety of reasons.
It's unsettling to think of what could happen at Thursday's State School Board meeting. No communication about the recommendation or possible takeover plans have been offered by State Superintendent Ryan Walters or State School Board members.
Bubbling up from these worries have been rallies, a Protect TPS grassroots movement, petition to keep TPS under local control and a TPS student forum slated for Saturday. The letters to the editors and submitted op-eds have been filled with people expressing their opinions.
Standing out has been the silence among many prominent community leaders and organizations. The political underpinnings of this created drama disappointingly left many opting to sit on the sidelines.
Even if frustrated by TPS, Tulsans are at risk of losing the right of self-governance of their public schools. The basic American principle of representative government is at stake, with state government usurping authority from local government. That is worth addressing.
For weeks, staff writer Kevin Canfield asked leaders in elected office, business and philanthropy to weigh in on their thoughts. Nearly all declined.
That quiet position gives the impression that TPS families and staff are on their own. Sometimes, no comment says much more than any words.
The first significant local influencer to go on the record was Michael DuPont, representing the Schusterman Family Philanthropies. He's a parent of a TPS student and former member of the Tulsa World Community Advisory Board. We appreciate his willingness to be forthcoming.
DuPont spoke about the consequences to business recruitment, student learning and retention to the workforce in schools. He stressed the need for local solutions and, importantly, the need for all TPS students to have resources for learning.
"The bottom line here is that districts across the state are preparing to start the school year. Rather than distractions, let's try to be helpful and offer support."
Since then, other leaders have come forth with their views, and Mayor G.T. Bynum positioned himself as a mediator and been engaged in fact-finding missions. Many leaders remain silent.
We oppose any loss of local governance over TPS. Decades of research shows state takeovers are ineffective. Walters has not demonstrated truthfulness in his reasoning, offered specific plans or attempted previous assistance to TPS.
As the city's second-largest employer, TPS is not an island in this community. Its outcomes are affected by community challenges of poverty, housing, hunger and other societal factors. It provides the best intervention to generational poverty and workforce development.
TPS needs partners, champions and advocates to improve — not political firebombs and quiet bystanders.
[Editorial / Tulsa World]
