After state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters slipped in new social studies standards that raise doubts about the 2020 presidential election, some lawmakers said it was a move too far. Even the governor criticized Waters for trying to teach kids that Trump beat Biden. But despite that criticism, the state Senate declined to take up a […]
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Church school?
Sometime next month, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide whether the Catholic church should be allowed to open its own public charter school in Oklahoma and receive state tax dollars to do so. For many, the idea of a religious public school seems to be a clear violation of the separation of church […]
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Lunch insecurity
For the second year in a row, Oklahoma will not participate in a federal summer food program. Gov. Kevin Stitt has proclaimed that Oklahoma doesn’t have a childhood hunger issue. At least that should be the takeaway after he again declined to participate in the federal summer food program meant to feed kids who rely […]
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Real ID
In a state where lawmakers have long argued more background checks are needed for voter registrations, many of the same lawmakers resisted efforts more than a decade ago to strengthen the security of IDs, such as driver’s licenses. After the federal government introduced the REAL ID program following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Oklahoma Legislature […]
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Clowns Left, Jokers Right: If You’re Mad About DJT, Blame the DNC
Donald J. Trump is back in the White House, and many Americans are wondering how it happened — again. But if you’re looking for someone to blame, don’t start with Trump or his base. Look to the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The 2024 election didn’t have to end this way. It was lost not on […]
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Oklahoma’s soaring suicide rates place state in top 10 nationally, report finds
Oklahoma’s suicide rate is over 60% higher than the national average and ranks in the top 10 states for suicide and suicidality, a report found. The Healthy Minds Policy Initiative found that nearly 8,000 Oklahomans died by suicide between 2013 and 2022, which equates to “two lives lost per day over a decade.” Most were […]
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Kevin Stitt Takes Bold Stand… Against Breast Cancer Exams
Earlier this week, the Oklahoma House and Senate overwhelmingly passed HB 1389 by a combined 129–9 margin. A rare piece of bipartisan Oklahoma legislation that would help people of all income brackets get better access to life-saving healthcare, the bill required insurance companies to cover an expanded scope of mammograms and other breast cancer diagnostic […]
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The Supreme Court Had Classroom Culture Wars on Top of Mind in Oral Arguments
Classroom culture wars permeated oral arguments at the Supreme Court on Wednesday in a case that could change the boundary between church and state. The court heard arguments for Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond, which could allow the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School to contract with the state of Oklahoma and […]
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Walters’ New Hires Steeped in Politics, Not Education
Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters, who some pollsters predict is eyeing a run for governor in 2026, now has a team on the state’s payroll who have built their resumes managing political campaigns. One recent hire is Matt Mohler, a political strategist from Florida. Another is Chad Gallagher, who founded a consulting company and […]
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Clinton: As country grows more polarized, America needs unity, the ‘Oklahoma Standard’
On the 30th anniversary of the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history, former President Bill Clinton said Americans must unite despite their differences, and that Oklahomans can help lead the way by serving as that role model for the rest of the nation. Clinton, who was president at the time of the attack, […]