‘No On Barresi’ Website Gains Readers, Yukon Woman Claims

Janet BarresiAndrea Eger
Tulsa World

A Yukon woman says her online petition drive to express no confidence in state Superintendent Janet Barresi has gone viral even as she continues to develop the site and plans for the petition’s use.

In the first 10 hours after Rebecca Cunningham’s “No On Barresi” website went live, the online petition garnered 2,000 signatures. As of Friday afternoon, the signature tally was just over 4,200 and climbing every few minutes.

“We are frankly blown away by the response,” Cunningham, the mother of a second-grader and kindergartner, told the Tulsa World. “It’s spring break. We’ve got some free time on our hands, so we started working on the website. The next morning, I had an inbox full of emails from people saying thanks and asking questions about where did this come from. This is what we as parents can accomplish.”

Cunningham said Union Public Schools parent Michelle Jones is her co-chairwoman for the new, grassroots initiative, but Jones won’t have time to be actively involved with the petition until next month.

They thought like-minded parents and others concerned with public education governance in Oklahoma needed a forum to send a public message that school reform and quality instruction “simply cannot move forward” under Barresi’s leadership, she said.

“This petition is a call to arms to say, whoever it is, Republican or Democrat, it can’t be her come November,” Cunningham said.

The petition asks signers to identify themselves as a parent, teacher, school board member, student, citizen, grandparent, business owner, mayor or other city official, school administrator, or elected state legislator.

It also includes an option to check a box next to the statement, “I do not believe partisan politics matter.”

Cunningham said that was important to her because of claims that people and groups opposed to the current policy agenda are of opposing political leanings or party affiliation.

“I’m a parent before I am a Republican or a Democrat or an independent, and I want what’s best for my children. I vote where I feel the most effective and beneficial leadership is going to come from,” she said. “I’m a registered Republican, and Michelle is a registered Democrat and we’re working together because it’s not a red issue, it’s not a blue issue.”

She added: “Let a new superintendent take over who can build cooperation and be a positive example and leader for our kids. It’s time to set political ambitions aside and do what’s right for Oklahoma’s kids.”

Sam Stone, Barresi’s campaign manager, said she had no comment about the petition. But he offered one on her behalf, saying: “Janet has not been afraid to upset the apple cart in her quest for better schools for our children. And clearly that’s made some people mad enough to engage in anonymous attacks.

“Janet’s focus remains on the kids and improving education for every student in Oklahoma.”

Cunningham said she first became concerned about policy changes when Barresi led the implementation of an A-F letter grading system for all public schools.

“I think a lot of what we as parents feel is that she has slid as many of these changes under the radar as she could and thought, ‘We’re going to implement these before parents really understand what’s going on and then when it blows up, they are not going to be able to do anything about it,’ ” she said.

Cunningham is now concerned about a new law taking effect that mandates that most of the lowest-scoring students on the third-grade reading test be held back.

“I have no concerns about my son’s ability to pass the test next year, but I feel as a parent that my voice and my rights are being taken out of the equation,” she said.

The intended use of the petition is not stated on the website because Cunningham said she and Jones are still unsure about how they “can use it to the best benefit.”


Print pagePDF pageEmail page
  1. Sandra and Steve Womack, 30 March, 2014

    Concerned grandparents

*

Copyright © The McCarville Report