Tulsa Mayoral Debate: How Would You Improve Education In Tulsa?

The Tulsa mayoral debate between candidates Karen Keith and Monroe Nichols is currently underway. Monroe Nichols, a Democratic representative for Oklahoma House District 72, is vying for the mayor's seat.

Karen Keith, also a Democrat, is the Tulsa County Commissioner for District 2. Her jurisdiction includes Sand Springs, Tulsa, Jenks, and Glenpool.

Tulsa Public Schools has come under criticism from some state education leaders. How would you work with the district and the state to ensure the best education system for students and their families?

Keith: I would definitely tell you that I have the back of our superintendents, not just Tulsa public schools, but I'm talking about union and Jenks and I will tell you, the hyper partisan rhetoric that is coming out of Oklahoma City isn't really good for anybody, because one of our biggest struggles right now is retention and attraction of teachers, when you have all these emergency certifications going out so that we can get bodies in the classroom. This is a huge problem for us, so we need to work with -- and with philanthropy... There's a plan that is in the in the works right now to help with down payments for homes for teachers, who will stay a minimum of five years, and then that down payment is forgiven. And those are things that I think we can do, but you have to do it in tandem with philanthropy. And I'm all about that I want, or we, I want us to have the best education that we can possibly have, and I am proud of our superintendents in this city,

Nichols: yeah, thank you for the question. I think this is obviously an important issue, and it's been an issue I fought for and worked really hard on the legislature when our schools were being attacked last year, and any other time I've been right there hand in hand with our district leaders, and we'll continue to do that. But as mayor, and again, you can go to Monroeformayor.com and see our plan to improve student outcomes. It starts with taking some accountability. It starts with the creation of the Office of Children, Youth and Families. So all of us, nonprofits, philanthropy, schools, we all come together to figure out how we are going to how are we going to jointly support kids all across our community. It also rolls into us building what and creating what I call the Teach in Tulsa fund to make sure we invest our very best teachers to stay in the classrooms where we need them the most. This is all about making sure this is the best community to raise and educate a child. That means that although the mayor doesn't appoint superintendents or school board members, the mayor has to be involved and accountable, and that plan to improve outcomes for kids is going to get us there.