Pastors Hold Prayer For Teachers, Students Outside State Capitol

Pastors led the crowd in prayer outside the State Capitol Thursday evening and talked about the their hopes for students, teachers and legislators.

Standing in the front was Jennifer McKay, principal at Southern Hills Elementary in Oklahoma City.

“We are not walking out on our kids,” she said. “We are walking out for our kids.”

McKay walked out in 1990 during the state's last teacher strike. Now, 30 years later, she says not a lot has changed.

But she does have faith in the future.

“We just have to rally together as a community of faith, as a community of educators, and just a community of people taking care of others to help our teachers at this time. Just step up. It’s time for us all to step up and make this right,” McKay added.

Speakers shared opportunities for community members to help in the event of a walkout April 2.

But they cried out for a resolution to be reached before that day comes.

“I know that the legislators can cross some lines and come together and not play partisan politics, restore our funding, restore our pay and restore our integrity,” she said.