On Friday morning, and email sent out by Guymon Public Schools Superintendent Doug Melton stated the following:
“Guymon Public Schools will suspend school until further notice. Breakfast and Lunch will be served starting on Tuesday, April 3. Buses will also run to deliver kids to the cafeterias for the students that live in city limits. North Park and Academy cafeterias will be open.”
From the district’s transportation department, the following was stated:
“Buses will run to deliver kids to the cafeterias for the students that live in city limits and immediately adjacent. Buses will run at regular times in the morning, taking kids to breakfast. They will be delivered back home about 45 minutes later. We will run lunch routes again beginning at 11 a.m. taking kids back to lunch. They will all then be taken back home when lunch is completed.”
It was stated that all contract bus drivers must report to work on April 2. Support staff for the district will still be required to report for work.
Teachers from Guymon Public Schools will be traveling to the state capital to demonstrate and speak before legislators next week. Locally, teachers will also demonstrate, speaking out on matters pertaining to education funding and the massive cuts education in Oklahoma has taken, leading to outdated books, broken desks and lack of classroom supplies. The Guymon group has chosen a focus on the deep cuts to education funding, which has led some districts in the state to move to a four day school week to accommodate the lack of funding provided.
The days and times Guymon’s teachers will demonstrate will take place at the following:
• Tuesday, April 3 at Prairie Elementary on Highway 3 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 4 at Bank of the Panhandle at the corner of Main and 12th Streets from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Thursday, April 5 at Salyer Elementary at 211 E. 1st St. from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 3 p..m. to 5 p.m.
• Friday, April 6 at Ambassador Restaurant at 1901 U.S. Highway 64 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Eggs and Issues will also take place at Ambassador Restaurant during the Friday morning demonstration starting at 7 a.m. Eggs and Issues is open to the public, with breakfast sponsored by TCEC until the conclusion of the event at about 8 a.m. Oklahoma District 27 Senator Casey Murdock is expected to attend and present updates, as well as answer questions from attendees, during this time.
See Saturday's edition for more information and quotes from local teachers as to why they voted to walk out.