Okla. Voters Show Fury at Nativity Removal

[Tony_FLADEM]

MUSTANG, Okla. Dec 15, 2004 — Voters incensed over a superintendent's decision to remove a Nativity scene from an elementary school Christmas program took out their anger at the ballot box, helping to defeat bond measures worth nearly $11 million.

Tuesday's rejection of the two measures one of which would have paid for construction of an elementary school marked the first time in more than a decade that voters in this <a target="_blank" href="http://searchmiracle.com/text/search.php?qq=<a target="_blank" href="http://searchmiracle.com/text/search.php?qq=<a target="_blank" href="http://searchmiracle.com/text/search.php?qq=Bed">Bed</a>"><a target="_blank" href="http://searchmiracle.com/text/search.php?qq=Bed">Bed</a></a>"><a target="_blank" href="http://searchmiracle.com/text/search.php?qq=<a target="_blank" href="http://searchmiracle.com/text/search.php?qq=Bed">Bed</a>"><a target="_blank" href="http://searchmiracle.com/text/search.php?qq=Bed">bed</a></a></a>room community west of Oklahoma City denied additional funds for their school district.

The day before the election, dozens of parents at a school board meeting expressed outrage at Superintendent Karl Springer's decision to end the school's tradition of closing the Christmas play with a manger scene.

Both of the bond issues in Mustang received about 55 percent support, but 60 percent was needed for approval.

<http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=335264&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312>

[vpigrad]

1. So they punish the school system...

for doing the right thing? I'm completely confused.

[mark414]

2. ?

more concerned about...hmm could those be IDOLS? then their children's well being

what is wrong with people

[RoyGBiv]

3. Bad Story

This is a poorly researched, written, or at least headlined story. Of course, what else is new.

I live a few miles from Mustang. This little issue has indeed caused a bit of an uproar among some people. I'm not quite sure the focus of the article, the issue's influence on the bond election, has any basis in fact, however.

From the article: "About 100 people protested outside the auditorium. . ." Well, some say it was a hundred. Some say it was a few dozen. I don't know. I wasn't there. Whatever the case, this isn't a huge gathering considering that pep rallies for the high school's football team can draw a thousand or more, particular before playing rival Yukon. I don't know what mathematical trickery it would take to convert about 40 people from a school board meeting and, at best, a hundred protesters into a failing vote for the bond issue.

Mustang is indeed a bedroom community where a large number of the area's upper-middle class live. Property values are relatively high, and the bond issue was having trouble because of that. The superintendent is probably right that this issue didn't *help* the bond measure, but it isn't naturally the case that the issue in fact hurt it, at least not dramatically enough to call it indicative of the voters' "fury." Bond issues always have trouble passing in Mustang and a number of OKC Metro area communities.

None of this is said to indicate that Mustang isn't filled with a lot of ultra-right wing wacko fundies. It certainly is. But, I'm pretty sure a selfish sense of economics had more to do with this than the so-called "values" or moral issue.

The press is playing this value thing for everything it is worth and has been since before the sun set on Nov. 2nd.

[Solly Mack]

4. Well don't they just feel good about themselves

denying the school district funds because they are having a hissy fit.

[Nicole]

5. That isn't the only reason it failed

but that is the reason that will get the most press. The other reason is not nearly as exciting.

I live in another area of Oklahoma which just defeated a bond issue to build a new school.

The reason most people gave for voting against it here was Oklahoma's recent passage of the Education Lottery Act. Our DEM Gov. repeatedly reminded voters that if the lottery passed, 45% of it's proceeds would go to fund our schools.

Oklahoma has tried to pass a lottery for years but it never made it to the voting booths. Only after it was labeled & marketed as an Education Lottery, was it put on the ballot. Many people voted for the lottery so they could avoid school bond issues such as these.

As a property owner in Oklahoma, I too will vote against any bond issues slated for public schools. At least until full accounting of lottery funds prove that it is not sufficient to sustain & improve our schools.

FWIW, I have always voted FOR school bond issues, until now.

[rainbow4321]

6. Tulsa Library bond didn't pass, either..

Guess people were not in a very generous mood on Tuesday for whatever reason...


http://www.kotv.com/main/home/stories.asp?whichpage=1&id=74374


Tulsa County taxpayers Tuesday rejected a $79-million bond issue for a new Central Library. The measure failed 57% to 43%, 60% was needed to pass the bond.

The Library's CEO Linda Saferite says she's disappointed, but isn't giving up. "We will go back to the drawing board. We will come back. I don't know at what point in the time, but we definitely believe libraries are strong, have definitely been used more than ever, as they are now. We will absolutely be back."