[LM_NET] OKLAHOMA HB 3029--- Like a Zombie...Alive and Kicking! Help Needed Now!

[Shonda Brisco <sbrisco@GMAIL.COM>]

You know, some people can be SO stubborn!!  We are once again faced with the
SAME language within the original HB 3029 which will eliminate certified
school librarians from positions within school districts throughout
Oklahoma.  However, the game has changed somewhat in that NOW we learn that
the educational funding has been protected with one of the smallest cuts
possible which means that eliminating the school librarian IS NOT
necessary!

This is becoming personal, now.....  Please take the time to call the state
representatives and tell them to vote NO--- on HB 3029!  This is the LAST
week of the regular session...and the LAST WEEK of school for Oklahoma's
children and teachers (convenient that they select this busy week to create
such a controversy, huh?)

Here is the original information that I received regarding the bill's
status:

*******************************************

Late yesterday, the Oklahoma Senate GCCA passed a conference committee
substitute for HB 3029, that prohibits the State Department of Education
from withdrawing accreditation from or imposing a financial penalty on
schools that fail to meet class-size requirements, including for early
childhood education, or that fail to meet the certification requirements for
library media specialist, media materials and equipment standards, staffing
standards for the media program and media program expenditure standards
during the fiscal years ending June 30, 2011, and June 30, 2012.

We had successfully amended this bill previously to remove the section of
the bill related to library media specialists and library materials.
However, the Conference Committee Report essentially restores the language
we previously defeated.

This bill will be fast- tracked and will be heard by both houses as early as
today, first in the Senate, then in the House.

Conference Committee versions of bills cannot be amended only passed or
defeated.

Common Education has been protected in its appropriation by one of the
smallest budget cuts of all entities in state government.  With a budget cut
of only 2.9% for FY11, this bill can no longer be justified on the basis of
need by school districts.

Please call your State Senator at 405-524-0126 and your Representative at
405-521-2711 and ask that they vote no on the HB3029!  When you call, ask
for the page desk, and ask the page to send a note to the floor to deliver
the message: "Please vote "NO on HB3029".  If you fail to do this, you may
miss the opportunity to reach your legislator in time for the vote.

Please send an email, in addition, asking that they do the same.

-- 
Shonda Brisco
Assistant Professor / Curriculum Materials Librarian
Mary L. Williams Curriculum Materials Library
001 Willard Hall
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078
http://www.library.okstate.edu/cml/index.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://osulibrarian.wordpress.com/
http://www.osu-cml.wikispaces.com
sbrisco@gmail.com

http://okschoollibrarians.wikispaces.com

"Digital Resources" columnist
School Library Journal

"It is more than ironic that school districts are willing to spend
hundreds of thousands of dollars on reading programs and staff
development which have had limited success in boosting test scores,
but are unwilling to invest in school library programs that show direct
correlations to student success."

~ Douglas Achterman,  2008 Study of California School Libraries
http://www.lrs.org/impact.php

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