Senate Overwhelmingly Votes to End Forced School Consolidation

Constitutional Amendment Clears Senate Committee

The Oklahoma Senate Thursday overwhelmingly approved a measure by Senator Jay Paul Gumm that would protect rural Oklahoma from forced consolidation of public schools.

Senate Joint Resolution 35, which passed the Senate 43-1, calls for a statewide vote on an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution that would end forever the concept of forced school consolidation. The amendment would prevent the consolidation of rural school districts unless the proposal is approved by voters in the affected school districts.

“Every year, the threat of forced school consolidation hangs over the heads of rural communities and rural families,” said Gumm, a Democrat from Durant who serves as a Senate assistant majority leader.

“This proposal would end that legislative threat forever. In short, the resolution takes the decision on school consolidation away from politicians, judges, or bureaucrats and places it where it belongs: in the hands of parents in school districts across the state.”

The proposal, Gumm said, does not end consolidation; however, forced consolidation could never happen under the amendment. For those districts and their patrons who decide consolidation is in their best interest, the amendment would give local voters complete control.

The lawmaker said momentum is building across the state to permanently ban forced school consolidation.

“The overwhelming bipartisan vote in the Senate sends a strong message to the leadership in the House of Representatives and those among them who support the idea of forced school consolidation,” he said.

“They won’t be able to hide their intentions behind bills that would lead to consolidation without using the word. Either this bill gets an up-or-down vote in the House or it doesn’t. If it does not, then we know where House Republicans really stand on this issue of school consolidation and every rural Oklahoma family will know as well.”

Should the bill receive approval by both the Senate and House, Oklahoma voters would make the final decision on whether the amendment is placed in the Constitution during the November 2006 general election.