BARTLESVILLE, Okla. -- In less than two days, a small group of people raised thousands of dollars to support teachers and their students in the event of a walkout on April 2.
Dan Droege joined a group called the Community-Wide Steering Committee, which is trying to coordinate local resources if the school shutdown happens. This past weekend he and several others decided to start a fundraiser to help with that effort.
After a few phone calls, they collected $24,000. Droege said this impressive fundraising haul should send a message to state lawmakers.
"I think it's a shot across the bow to legislators who've not been taking us seriously that we mean business in Bartlesville," Droege said. "We're tired of the malarkey that we've received in the last year and tried to convince legislators how important it is that we have adequate funding for not only our teachers but the whole system."
Part of the donations will help local organizations, like the Boys and Girls Club of Bartlesville, that plan to step in if the school shuts down. The rest of the money will also cover some of the costs of transportation for teachers who would like to rally in Oklahoma City during the walkout.
"It would be outrageous to have our teachers have to go down there on their own dollar when they're already underpaid," Droege said.
The goal now is to raise $40,000 in total, which Droege he said would hopefully be enough to fund their initiatives as long as the walkout might last.
Anyone who'd like to donate can follow this link.
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