How Public Education In Oklahoma Has Suffered From State Budget Policies

Politicians in Oklahoma have forced many school districts to move to four day weeks.  Changes in the state budget started in 2008.  Since that time spending per student has declined by 14% and there has been no increase in teacher salaries since 2008.  Oklahoma spends $8,000 per student.  Only Arizona, Utah and Idaho spend less.  To make matters worse federal spending on public education has been reduced in Trump's budget proposal.  This is how he, and state legislatures, intend to make America great again.  The jobs of the future will demand higher levels of cognitive skill.  Children from Oklahoma, and other red states which have adopted similar policies, will have a severe disadvantage in the labor market.  Ignorance is also bad for a democratic society.  Perhaps that is what right wing politicians want.  They don't get their campaign funding from low income citizens and they manage to convince them to vote for policies which are against their self interest.