OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- With day four at the Capitol, special ed teachers want to remind lawmakers this isn't about them.
Instead, they're thinking about students that aren't getting the tools they need.
"Within special ed, we don't have enough teachers to teach different subjects. We have two different subjects in the same class at the same time. You know, you're biology while you're earth science," Christopher Hurt said.
Without needed staffing, those with emotional disabilities often lash out, getting discipline instead of education.
"It's just heartbreaking as a teacher. You try every day and you know what they're capable of. You see little glimmers when you're able to work one on one, or when they're in a smaller group setting. It just hurts," Hurt said.
As the week winds down, these teachers plan to continue spending four hours on a bus and many more in front of the capitol. They say they'll do whatever it takes to see change.
"It's very frustrating and it makes me very emotional. I've been crying seeing the signs with so much support of our teachers," Lemonier said.
Special Ed teachers said another issue is speech and pathology testing. The backlog for that right now can sometimes go up to a year.
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