OKCPS Administrators Submit Letter Of Concern To District Leaders

More than 100 principals and assistant principals in Oklahoma City Public Schools have decided it was time to take their concerns to leaders at Monday night's board meeting. 

"I think this is unprecedented action. I don't think that they've ever submitted a letter like this to the school board and to the superintendent," said attorney Rob Redwine, who represents the local American Federation of School Administrators. 

In the letter of concern, the administrators said the district "at-large is non-communicative, ineffective and exerts control by force or fear."

They also said the district "has created an environment that undermines the morale of the school administrators and is detrimental to the morale and welfare of the organization."

They also requested neutral investigators be hired for complaints cases against administrators, and return to more local control of federal title one dollars, among other actions. 

"They bring some very legitimate concerns to the table. This is a stressful time to be a principal in the state of Oklahoma," OKCPS Superintendent Aurora Lora said. 

Since the principals first told her about their concerns before Thanksgiving, Lora said she met with them several times for hours at a time to discuss the concerns and the actions planned in response. She said she even called a meeting Monday, before the letter was delivered. 

"It's a little bit of a surprising way they chose to address it but I'm here to make this a great district and continue to work with them to address their concerns," she said.