State Senate Panel Gives Okay To Plan To Strip Power From State Education Board

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A state Senate committee has approved a bill to strip power from the Oklahoma State Board of Education and give the state school superintendent complete control of the agency.

In a straight-party vote, the state Senate Education Committee voted 12-5 on Monday in favor of the bill by Republican Sen. John Ford of Bartlesville.

Democrats criticized the bill as a "knee-jerk" reaction to a contentious meeting last month in which several staff recommendations of newly elected Republican Superintendent Janet Barresi were rejected by the board. The board is made up of appointments by former Gov. Brad Henry, a Democrat.

Ford says the bill takes into account the "will of the voters" and takes power from an unelected board. He says the idea for the bill was discussed before last month's meeting.

2/2/2011 Related Story: Janet Barresi Speaks With Oklahoma AG About Education Board Meeting