Drumming Up the Truth: The Best and Worst Schools in Oklahoma City (According to a Sleep-Deprived Musician)

so i’m crashing at this dive motel off NW 23rd after a gig at 89th Street Collective - shoutout to the sound guy who fed me vodka Red Bulls - when Travis, this bassist I’ve known since ’17, starts ranting about his kid’s school search. dude’s lived here since the Dust Bowl era, apparently. here’s our whiskey-fueled Q&A...

*ME: yo, why’s everyone losing their minds over Classen SAS?

TRAVIS: (leans in) Look, it’s like that rare vinyl you overpay for - great press, but scratch the surface? My cousin’s kid got waitlisted despite a 4.0. Rumor is they’ve got secret quotas for zip codes near the Paseo. This Reddit thread basically confirms it.

ME: what about private joints?

TRAVIS: Casady School? $25K a year, bro. You could buy a vintage Ludwig kit AND a ‘95 Ford van for that. Plus the parking lot smells like entitlement and Eva’s Organic Coffee - which slaps, but still.

ME: give me the underrated public school gem.

TRAVIS: Harding Charter Prep. Arts program’s wild - last spring they did a punk-rock Macbeth. Rent nearby’s about $1,200/mo (cheaper than my first NYC closet), and the taco trucks by Lake Hefner (tripadvisor recs here) keep the teachers sane.

Weather update: It’s 98°F outside but feels like Satan’s drum throne. A local bartender warned me August is "hair-spray-melting territory."

DRUNK ADVICE I OVERHEARD AT THE BAR:*
- "Avoid Putnam City schools unless you want your kid learning chemistry from a dude who smells like The Boom’s bathroom stall."
- "Edmond’s bougie AF but their STEM labs could build you a new kick pedal."
- "Follow @okceducationnerd on Twitter - total watchdog account."

Fun fact: OKC’s job market grew 3.2% last year, but teachers are still dipping into their own pockets for supplies. Also, Tulsa’s just a 90-minute drive if you need to escape the hype.

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