We support Kirk Humphreys.  Mr. Humphreys’ words fell short, but his track record tells a different story.  We believe it is time to move forward as a community.  Sign our letter in support of Kirk Humphreys!

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January 1, 2018 Letter from John Rex Parents in Support of Kirk Humphreys:

To Whom It May Concern:

As supporters of John Rex, we are fond of the mantra #WeChooseJohnRex.  We believe that John Rex is worthy of our attendance, our effort and our support — and will only be made better by our combined contributions. While John Rex is still a work in progress, it is already a tremendous gift to the community, and is on a trajectory to be a great public school for decades to come.  This has not happened by accident, but through the careful decision-making, dedicated effort and generous support of the John Rex community.  It’s a community made up of students, parents, teachers, administrators, board members, and a range of community partners.  And it’s a community that Kirk Humphreys has played a foundational role in creating, sustaining and leading.  

Mr. Humphreys’ central role in John Rex’s creation has made the controversy over these past few weeks a difficult experience for the John Rex community.  It is clear from Mr. Humphreys’ apology that he realizes his Flashpoint comments fell short both in content and in tone.  We in no way condone his initial comments, but we welcome the subsequent efforts he has made to reconcile with the community, including meeting with LGBT stakeholders and offering a public apology at the headquarters of Freedom Oklahoma.  

Mr. Humphreys’ words fell short, but his track record at John Rex tells a different story.  Mr. Humphreys’ contributions to the John Rex community are both numerous and significant.  As Mayor of Oklahoma City he led the effort to create Maps for Kids, which dramatically transformed educational facilities throughout Oklahoma City and provided the funding for the construction of John Rex.  As a private citizen, Mr. Humphreys has been instrumental in:

• forming the unique partnership with OKCPS that established John Rex Charter Elementary School,
• convening a talented and dedicated board,
• hiring and empowering a dynamic administrative team, and
• bolstering philanthropic support

Perhaps most importantly, Mr. Humphreys’ leadership has resulted in the creation of an elementary school we can all be proud of. It’s a school that offers a quality classroom education, unique walking field trip experiences, and a dynamic and diverse community.  At John Rex, we don’t just strive for diversity, equity and inclusivity — we exemplify it.  It’s the fulfillment of the original vision for John Rex and Kirk Humphreys’ leadership has helped make it a reality.

We choose John Rex!  And are committed to continuing efforts to make it a great school serving a diverse community.  Those efforts have been stronger as a result of Kirk Humphreys’ leadership and we support his continued role on the John Rex Board.