Alicia Priest, President of the Oklahoma Education Association, speaks during a media conference announcing a series of budget request for schools and teacher pay. [Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman archives]

Nearly a week after teachers threatened to strike over pay and school funding, state party leaders have tossed criticism across the aisle, some of the most anti-tax lawmakers have not shown a willingness to budge, and Gov. Mary Fallin said teachers need to be realistic about what can get done this year.

"The teachers also have to recognize that there has been an effort to give them a pay raise, to give them more money," Fallin told The Oklahoman during a Monday visit to Durant. "So, they have to be realistic in what can really be done, especially when we've gone through five years with an economic downturn of the energy sector."

The Oklahoma Education Association is demanding $800 million in new spending on public schools, health care, state employee pay and a $10,000 teacher pay raise.