Gov. Mary Fallin's veto to changes in Oklahoma's third grade reading retention law was short-lived Wednesday.
Both the House and Senate voted to override the veto, a move that paves the way for parents to work with teams of teachers and reading specialists to determine if their child will advance to fourth grade if they failed the third grade reading test.
Reaction of the override quickly flooded Twitter:
@eCapitol @okea I emailed Jolley myself. Half a mind to email him again and say haha!
— Dana Morgan (@dateacher) May 21, 2014
HB2625 passes 68 to 15 not withstanding veto. Gallery explodes with cheers...
— eCapitol (@eCapitol) May 21, 2014
The Senate just voted to override HB 2625 veto! The bill is now law! #OklaEd
— Joe Dorman (@JoeD4OK) May 21, 2014
House and senate have overridden Fallin's veto of HB2625! Victory for thousands of #oklaed students! #edsandite
— Jamie Guthrie (@Jamie_Guthrie1) May 21, 2014
“@TXparentsunion: RT @OKSenateDems: VETO OVERRIDDEN IN THE SENATE! Cheers & applause from the Floor! #HB2625 pic.twitter.com/B5U7LN1aAU #oklaed”
— Lori Dickinson Black (@lori_dickinson_) May 21, 2014
It's official with support from House and Senate, HB2625 veto override a success! A huge victory for our children - OUR priorities! #oklaed
— OK Education Assoc. (@okea) May 21, 2014
Oklahoma Senate votes to override reading bill veto 45-2, with no discussion and no debate. #oklaed #OKgov http://t.co/Bf0x2hjorp
— Tulsa World (@tulsaworld) May 21, 2014
GREAT NEWS: The House and Senate have both overridden the Governor's veto of HB 2625, so it will now become law! #oklaed #okhouse #OKSenate
— Emily Virgin (@EmilyVirginOK) May 21, 2014
I am proud of Oklahoma legislators for getting it right for #oklaed not once but twice! #edsandite local control is best for all S’s!
— Nick Hughes (@NickHughes918) May 21, 2014
@OKHouseofReps @HouseDemsOK @jme_minter THANK U Reps for restoring our faith in our leaders and for being our kids voices! #HB2625 #oklaed
— Angela Clark Little (@angmlittle) May 21, 2014
On Tuesday, Fallin said the bill brought to her desk would encourage social promotion.
"We are failing to teach too many of our children the most basic skill required to succeed in school, in the workplace and in life: how to read," Fallin said. "The results are devastating. Fourth graders who cannot read often become tenth graders who cannot read."
Fallin's veto did have the support of some who the changes would water down Oklahoma's standards and hurt children in the long run.
It's unfair to our children to send them to 4th grade w/o the reading skills needed to succeed. I have vetoed HB 2625http://t.co/b6DnHVRXUt
— Governor Mary Fallin (@GovMaryFallin) May 20, 2014
Thank you to @GovMaryFallin for the veto of HB2625 and supporting the Reading Sufficiency Act! http://t.co/GnFrIBJwTx
— State Chamber of Oklahoma (@okstatechamber) May 20, 2014
Despite Wednesday's veto override, the law also known as the Reading Sufficiency Act will likely come up again next session. The changes approved Wednesday only provides a two-year reprieve from the existing law. Under the existing law, students who fail the test are retained if they do not meet one of six exemptions.
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