OKLAHOMA CITY — A group of Oklahoma City pastors gathered before the Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) board meeting on Monday to advocate for Superintendent Jamie Polk.
Pastor Derrick Scobey had called for supporters to attend Monday night’s school board meeting, though there was no agenda item listed to discuss Polk’s pay or employment. Scobey said the item had been removed when administrators learned of the scheduled press conference.
Scobey said he had not spoken to Dr. Polk about her contract and pay, but that he himself became concerned about it when he learned Polk’s contract has not yet been renewed.
“I’ve been watching it, the fact that it had not been buttoned up,” Scobey said. Scobey noted that nationwide, Black women are typically paid 67 cents for every $1 paid to a white man.
“It’s a problem,” said Scobey. “We have to be concerned about this.”
After noting that he had advocated for Board Chairman Paula Lewis when she was campaigning for the position, Scobey then turned on Lewis, saying it was “appalling” that the board had not finalized Polk’s contract.
“We are really at risk of losing our superintendent,” said Scobey said that Polk’s hometown of Des Moines, Iowa is without a superintendent after the previous superintendent was detained by ICE. Polk might prefer to go back to Des Moines, where she likely has family, he said.
“We have to get this right,” said Scobey.
OKCPS issued a statement in July celebrating Polk’s first year as superintendent, highlighting her many accomplishments during “a year marked by meaningful progress in academic achievement, expanded student opportunities and deeper connections between students and staff.”
“We still have work to do, but I couldn’t be more proud of how far we’ve come together in one year,” Polk is quoted as saying in the statement issued by OKCPS. “I look forward to continuing this journey with our OKCPS family.”
