Education Majors React to Proposed Teacher Layoffs

College students pursuing careers in education have been dealt a blow if they plan to teach in Oklahoma City schools.

Wednesday, May 26th 2010, 2:50 pm

By: News 9


By Charles Bassett, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- College students pursuing careers in education have been dealt a blow if they plan to teach in Oklahoma City schools.

The Oklahoma City Public School District sent notices to over 300 first-year teachers telling them their contracts may not be renewed next year. Tulsa put nearly 600 teachers already on the job on notice that they face layoffs.

"I think it is disheartening knowing that so many teachers will be laid off," said Madi Williams, a senior at Oklahoma City University majoring in early childhood education. "But you also have to do what's best for the economy and everyone as a whole, not just the teachers."

Lois Brown, an OCU education instructor, said no one saw the layoffs coming and she said if students focus on a specialty in education, they increase their employment opportunities.

"There are going to be certain areas that are really high-needs areas for graduates those being particularly early childhood education, science, and math education and those teachers that are in those fields will have the greatest ability to get a job," Brown said.

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But Brown believes the layoffs are only temporary and not a trend.

Still, students like Williams are going on to get their master's degrees with the hope things will be better by the time she's finished.

"With hard work, and making connections through school, through field experience and through different teachers, I think that eventually I will be able to get a job," Williams said.

Fortunately, the State Board of Regents said 94 percent of students who graduate with education degrees are employed one year after graduation.

More: 360 Oklahoma City Teachers Notified They Could Lose Their Jobs

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