Oklahoma high school students shocked at Gov. Mary Fallin

"...we will actively campaign against those, including legislators and the Governor, who fail to recognize this important safety measure"

(Oklahoma City) - Governor Fallin has led Republicans in an effort against ensuring the safety of Oklahoma Public School Students.

In a released statement the Governor rebuked the petition and the proposed sale of bonds to help schools finance storm shelters, saying “If the revenue from the franchise tax is diverted from general revenue towards a specific project that money will be unavailable to spend on other priorities like education, public safety and health care."

While there is still no word yet on how funding storm shelters would make money unavailable to spend on public safety, (as one would assume they were, in fact, one in the same), her words come as troubling reminders of the longstanding lack of interest Republicans have shown towards the students in Oklahoma public schools.

The petition, which must garner at least 155,000 signatures to be placed on the ballot, holds wide support among both Democrats and Republicans. It seems that the Governor and her allies are dead set on bringing a partisan tone to an issue that is important to Oklahomans of all political leanings.

“The Governor is playing political games with the safety of Oklahoma’s future”, comments Young Democrats of Oklahoma High School Caucus Vice Chair Courtland Vogeding, “She showed no concerns about fiscal diversion during the last round of budgets cuts, but when presented with an issue that crosses her political agenda, she is quick to throw up these fabricated concerns. It is a hypocrisy that now endangers lives.”

The Young Democrats of Oklahoma High School Caucus, which represents and organizes high school based Young Democrats chapters, is gearing up to lend its support to the initiative petition.

"The Young Democrats of Oklahoma will be directing our High School Democrats chapters to take up the signature collection effort,” Vogeding continues. “We must do all we can to make up for the support lost to the Governor's detached political agenda and we will actively campaign against those who fail to support and recognize this important safety measure.”

October 2, 2013