Articles
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Budget & Tax, Education
Major irregularities found in school spending reports
A cursory review of the state’s Oklahoma Cost Accounting System (OCAS), a program that compiles financial data from all public-school districts, quickly identified significant irregularities, including reports showing Oklahoma schools spent nearly a quarter-million dollars on firearms that were labeled as nutrition services and other non-weapon categories.Ray Carter | July 26, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Education
Hofmeister backs down, agrees to greater transparency
Oklahoma Secretary of Education Ryan Walters has prevailed in a face-off with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister regarding millions of dollars in state spending.Ray Carter | July 25, 2022
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Education, Economy
Educational choice must accompany increased spending
The chairman of the Senate Education Committee says Oklahoma spends around $15,000 per student when all funding sources are included. Is that enough?Jonathan Small | July 25, 2022
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Education
Putnam City school gets Gay-Straight grant
Putnam City North High School has received a $10,000 grant from the It Gets Better Project to expand “the reach” of the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance.Ray Carter | July 25, 2022
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Education, Law & Principles
Hofmeister suggests law violated; review shows otherwise
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister recently suggested competitive-bidding requirements have been evaded for a program supported by Gov. Kevin Stitt. But an agency review quickly proved otherwise.Ray Carter | July 21, 2022
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Education
Biden administration backs off attack on charter schools
The Biden administration has abandoned its attack on charter schools. “All students deserve access to a high-quality education,” said Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor, “and underperforming public schools should not be able to veto their own competition.”Ray Carter | July 20, 2022
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Law & Principles
Effort to stymie OCPA news coverage won’t work
An Oklahoma lawmaker (technically, his spouse) recently resorted to filing a bogus victim protective order against an OCPA journalist. If the intent was to deter OCPA from providing news coverage on lawmakers’ activities, it failed.Ray Carter | July 20, 2022
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Education, Law & Principles
Lankford denounces NEA as union touts its Oklahoma influence
As Sen. James Lankford criticizes a national labor union’s left-wing agenda, its Oklahoma affiliate touts its influence among key state lawmakers.Ray Carter | July 19, 2022
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Law & Principles
Oklahoma laws on girls’ sports, bathrooms, survive challenge
Two new Oklahoma state laws that restrict bathroom access and sports participation based on sex have withstood the initial efforts of the Biden administration to force their rollback.Ray Carter | July 18, 2022
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Criminal Justice
What Rep. Anthony Moore taught my colleagues about coercive plea bargaining
The court system can be used as a weapon.Ryan Haynie | July 14, 2022