Green Country Superintendent Running For State House

Oklahoma schools and other state agencies will receive funding boosts under the nearly $8 million spending bill approved by the Senate on Wednesday.

The House is now considering the measure, which includes nearly $500 million in new spending for public schools.

These are funds agreed to during the walkout.

The walkout also motivated one Green Country superintendent to run for office.

When Oklahoma teachers walked out, Kevin Stacy, the superintendent at Oklahoma Union, was with them almost every day.  Near the end of the walkout, he decided he had to do more.

“I can either go home and retire and not worry about my students and my granddaughter, or I can try to be part of the solution,” said Stacy.

That’s what Stacy says led him to file to run for state representative.

Stacy’s district, near South Coffeyville, was created out of consolidation and now has about 650 students.

As the district grew over the last decade, funding was cut.

Now, he has several part time teachers working and applicants for full time jobs are few.

“A million and a half dollars less over 10 years to educate my kids at Oklahoma Union, which has increased in numbers,” stated Stacy.  “Come and audit me.  That’s all I can tell them to do.”

Stacy says in the last decade, the district trimmed seven teachers, seven support workers, and a bus route.

He says that, at the Capitol, representatives would not commit to more funding and his teachers were urging him to run.

“I feel like I have a lot to offer, especially on the education side,” declared Stacy.

Stacy is the only democrat in the House District 10 race.

He’ll face one of three republicans after the June primary.