How Oklahoma Parents Are Dealing with Teacher Walkouts
April 12, 2018
By: Erin B. Logan and Emily Wendler
Source: NPR Ed
When Evan Taylor heard that Oklahoma teachers planned to walkout, he converted his small Tulsa church into a “glorified daycare” furnished with board games, crafts and a movies to keep kids entertained.
For the last nine days, Taylor, a minister at East Side Christian Church, has hosted between 12 and 60 children with the help of three to five volunteers. In addition to offering childcare, the church is also one of the 73 meal distribution centers in Tulsa providing meals to hungry students who would normally rely on school cafeterias to feed them during the week.
“Organizing volunteers, signing up for food services and keeping a mix aged group of kiddos entertained has been no simple act, but I’m proud to do it,” Taylor, a father of three, wrote to NPR in an email. “My kids are worth it, my teachers are worth it. My state is worth it.”