Jenks Student Starts Petition To Get Legislature To Step Up

A Jenks High School senior is standing up for her teachers by creating a petition calling for legislators to pay up.

Jenks senior August VonHartitzsch says she started this petition because she's worried about short-term things like prom and exams.  But she's also worried about the long term and how losing excellent teachers like she has at Jenks could affect the state's future.

"My goal is to show legislators that we are really on our teachers' side," said VonHartitzsch.

The petition has already garnered more than 500 signatures.

Although VonHartitzsch will graduate and head to college soon, she says she's speaking out for future students.

VonHartitzsch says, "I don't want my sisters to have any less of an education or any less of an experience than I did."

But she's worried that's exactly what will happen if the state refuses to hand out pay raises.

"I've had teachers who were great teachers I had in past years who left Oklahoma and went to different states that were paying better," stated VonHartitzsch.  "It's really concerning to think that, one day, maybe Jenks won't be where it is now."

VonHartitzsch says Oklahoma is a great place to live, but she "[doesn’t] think the funding we're being given is reflecting that.  It's not reflecting care for education or care for the future generations."

She says it's time for legislators to step up and make sure the state continues to be great for years to come.

If you'd like to support this petition, click here.