Tulsa Teachers File for Candidacy Amid Education Budget Crisis

Wednesday, April 13th 2016, 6:38 pm

By: Emory Bryan

A surge of Oklahoma teachers have decided to run for office to support education.

Dozens of candidates with education connections filed for office on Thursday, including two from Tulsa Public Schools.

One teacher is from Booker T. Washington, another from Edison, and both believe they can do more for education at the state capitol.

On the first day candidates could file for office, some educators missed a day in the classroom to do paperwork at the capitol.

All of the first-time candidates have a connection to teaching.

Their numbers could create some change at the capitol.

“It's tough, because I'm an educator; I want to be in the classroom. But in order to make changes, you can't just sit and complain about it, you have to go do something about it,” said John Croisant, Republican candidate for House District 67.

Croisant is a Tulsa middle school teacher and coach who hopes teachers can repair the state budget.

“In order to do that, we're going to have to make some tough choices,” he said. “But we've got to make sure our priorities are straight. We should put education first.”

Teacher John Waldron has been in the classroom at Booker T. for 17 years and he's been honored as Tulsa's Teacher of the Year.

"It's a little bit bittersweet because it would mean I would leave the classroom, but I feel if we don't do something there won't be classrooms for the next generation of students," he said.

Waldron says he's only willing to leave because he figures the education crisis is so urgent.

"I've talked with legislators before, but I don't think they really listen, so I think it's time for me and lot of other educators to take a more forceful stand,” he said.