TULSA -- Nineteen current, former or retired educators will be sworn into the legislature next week.
At least three of the educators are from the Green Country area.
Melissa Provenzano was elected to represent District 79 in the House of Representatives. Currently, she is the assistant principal at Bixby High School.
Dean Davis will represent District 98 in the House. He is a Broken Arrow High School physical education teacher.
John Waldron is a 20-year veteran social studies teacher at Booker T Washington and will represent District 77. He previously ran for Oklahoma Senate in 2016 but did not win.
While they might not be seasoned politicians, the educators know their peers across the state are relying on them.
"The teacher walk out happened and you see the level of interest and support across all of Oklahoma," Provenzano said. "It says, 'This is the time to step up and do the work.'"
The educators plan to put aside party differences and make improving education for students and teachers a priority.
" Governor-elect [Stitt] says he wants to make our education system work better," Waldron said. "I am hopeful that he will."
"Something has got to change and the people have spoken and I look forward to working with him to make that happen," Provenzano said.
The newly-elected legislators will be sworn in on November 16.
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