Broken Arrow, Jenks school boards deny requests for private school transfers

JENKS - Some parents are planning to take legal action against the Jenks and Broken Arrow School districts after board members voted Monday night to ignore House Bill 3393.

Known as the Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program, the recently enacted law gives parents the option to send special needs children to private schools by giving them money the state would have given to the school district.

"What is the problem with that?" asked Shelley Duffey, who has a 16-year-old son with Autism. "We're not adding tax dollars to the situation. It's the same dollars," Duffey said. "Let us use them where we need to use them for our children."

Duffey doesn't feel her son is getting the right education at Jenks Public Schools and wants to enroll him in Heartland Academy, a soon-to-open school that specializes in teaching students with autism.

District officials argue that tax dollars shouldn't go to private schools. They believe their position will withstand any legal challenges.

"To take taxpayer dollars that are specificly collected and designated for public schools and divert those to private schools is directly in conflict with the state's constitution," said Roger Wright, Executive Administrator of School and Community Services at JPS.

Wright says the district would have to cut services elsewhere to make up the difference, which would be unfair to the rest of the students in the school system.

House Speaker-designate Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, expressed concern Tuesday that both school districts are defying the new law.

"We can no more allow schools to violate the law because officials object to it than we can allow drivers to ignore the speed limit in a school zone if it 'inconveniences' them," Steele said in a written statement.

State Representative Jabar Shumate, a co-author of the bill, also responded.

"Just like in the past when we've had other issues, there have been situations where the kids lose out the most; and I think this is going to play out the same way," said Shumate.