State Representative Jeff Boatman, R-Tulsa, urged education officials to tone down dangerous, divisive language and work with people from a variety of backgrounds to improve outcomes for Oklahoma students following threats made in recent weeks against several schools in the Union Public Schools district, which Boatman represents.
“It is past time for threats against the safety of our schools, students, teachers and administrators to stop. I am certain that the men and women of our law enforcement agencies will work tirelessly until they find the person or persons responsible for these despicable threats and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.
However, I take issue with the messaging and controversy that preceded and emboldened last week’s threats.
Our children are the future of our city, state and nation, and they deserve the very best that we can provide. They deserve for their leaders to sacrifice our pride and personal agendas in favor of setting our kids up for success.
Whether we are posting social media content, or reposting it, public servants have a duty to them to put the best interest first of our most vulnerable first. Controversy, divisiveness, and fearmongering are not ever in their best interest. Fighting political battles instead of working together to improve the education system that we offer them is never the foundation of sound policy.
I am asking those entrusted with the education of our children at each and every level to hold themselves to a higher standard. It’s time we move away from satire, mistrust, hateful rhetoric and threats and instead have a serious, thoughtful discussion on how to move our state’s education system forward. When we fail to rise above, we fail our children and our state. There is a way to do this better, and we owe it to our children to try to find that way.”
Jeff Boatman
State Representative
