We're officially less than 50 days away from the November election, which means local political candidates are starting to unload their arsenal of semi-popular, difficult-to-fulfill campaign promises.
For example, Oklahoma Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joy Hofmeister – the current Oklahoma State Schools Superintendent – is officially dangling a $5,000 per year teacher pay raise while barnstorming on the campaign trail.
Here are details via The Oklahoman_:
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joy Hofmeister wants to raise teacher pay by $5,000 a year, a policy proposal she will likely make a central part of her campaign in the final weeks of her race against Gov. Kevin Stitt.
Hofmeister, who is currently the state superintendent, plans to include the teacher pay raise in her proposed Department of Education budget for next fiscal year, which will be presented to the state Board of Education this week, The Oklahoman has confirmed.
But whether the governor-appointed state board accepts her proposal or not, Hofmeister plans to make the $5,000 pay raise part of her own budget proposal as governor, if elected in November.
“We are trying to get back to number one in the region because we have fallen behind and we can’t compete,” Hofmeister told The Oklahoman on Friday, during a campaign event in Muskogee.
As a guy who once went to school to be a teacher, but changed majors because the pay was terrible, I think this is a great idea. Like a lot of other states, Oklahoma is facing a teacher shortage crisis, desperately tossing out emergency certifications to almost any living soul who will take one. Although an extra $5K a year wouldn't have changed my mind, anything we can do to inspire semi-qualified people to enter the teaching profession the better.
That being said, one thing I've learned from being a life-long Oklahoman is that a good chunk of Oklahomans don't really give a fuck about public education.
They think it's part of some godless liberal agenda to indoctrinate their kids and turn them into free-thinkers, and would rather see it stripped to the ground and sold for parts to the private sector than be a benefit to society. You know, people like Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and his Bro'cetery of Education Ryan Walters.
I wonder what policy proposals they're going to pitch while campaigning to their base to counter Joy's pay raise idea? Here are three things I wouldn't be surprised to see them propose...
1. $5,000 per Year State-funded Pay Raise for all Private School Teachers.
2. Convert all Public School Libraries to Trans-Free Zones.
3. Free TVs, BBQ Grills, and Pac-Man Video Game Cabinets for... wait... they already did that one.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see what effect Joy's pitch will have on the gubernatorial race. I doubt it will move the needle too much, but according to unreliable polling, it doesn't need to move much to make a difference.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We'll keep you advised.
