Governor Stitt held a press conference on Tuesday announcing his executive order allowing state employees to substitute in schools across Oklahoma, pending a background check.
OEA President Katherine Bishop responds
“The teacher pipeline and sub shortages were issues before the pandemic, and COVID has exacerbated these problems. Hopefully state employees and businesses can help in the short term, but we need to continue searching for long-term solutions.”
Katherine Bishop spent most of her 23-year classroom career as a special education teacher in Putnam City Public Schools, providing moderate to intensive services to elementary students. In 2000, Bishop was appointed to the National Education Association’s IDEA Special Education Resource Cadre. She co-chaired the Exceptional Needs Standards Committee for National Board for Professional Teaching.
