$414 Million Tulsa Public Schools Bond Proposal Sparks Protest From Some Parents

Some parents are pushing for better financial accountability ahead of a vote on a $414 million bond for Tulsa Public Schools.

Monday, June 7th 2021, 9:24 pm

By: Grant Stephens

TULSA, Oklahoma -

The night before voters decide on an upcoming $414 million bond proposal, some parents gathered outside the Tulsa Public Schools Education Service Center to protest.

About 30 people held up signs and stood against the bond. They're asking the district for financial accountability, but others say the district is already held accountable.

Related Story: Protest Planned Ahead Of $414M TPS Bond Vote

“We’re out here to force accountability for Tulsa Public Schools. We’ve been asking for transparency and accountability for the past couple years," said TPS parent Les Kaup. He and the several others holding signs outside the administrative building said they don't trust the district with more money.

“We like bonds if they’re spent correctly and they’re used properly," he said.

“The district announced last year that they were in the hole $20 million dollars. Like any big business, when you’re in the hole that much then there’s something wrong,” Kaup said.

Tulsa Public Schools Citizens Bond Development Committee Chairman Josh Roby said the district's $414 million dollar proposed bond is broken down into four categories: building improvements, better technology, better transportation, and better learning materials.

The proposed bond would invest money over five years as follows:

$166.8 million for Safe Learning Environments
$90.7 million for Student and Classroom Technology
$17.3 million for Transportation
$139.3 million for Quality Learning Materials and Programs

“Each one of them has different pieces but at the end of the day it’s 100% about making sure that the children in our community have the best facilities, the best learning materials, as well as the best transportation that they can have," Roby said.

Roby stood outside, too - in support of the bond. He said the district is already very open and that if you look at the proposals, every dollar is accounted for.

Tulsa County GOP chairwoman Ronda Vuillemont-Smith isn't convinced.

“We don’t mind spending money on education, we just want to know that the money that we have that is being spend, is spent in the best manner it can be," Vuillemont-Smith said.

Voting on the bond proposal opens Tuesday at 7 a.m., and goes until 7 p.m.

If you'd like to find the nearest polling location or to see a breakdown of how the bond money would be spent, click the link here.