Articles
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Culture & the Family
The case for waiting: Why our kids don’t need smartphones just yet
Something is deeply wrong with childhood in America—and we all sense it. Oklahoma’s new phone-free school law is a welcome corrective, but lasting change will come from parents and communities willing to push back against the cultural pressure to keep kids plugged in.Matt Oberdick | August 13, 2025
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Law & Principles
Seattle’s ‘top two’ primary shows why Oklahoma should steer clear
The top two finishers each ran on a platform of Trump-bashing, tax increases, and radicalism on issues such as transgenderism and illegal immigration.Ray Carter | August 12, 2025
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Law & Principles, Culture & the Family
Oklahoma wins court fight to protect minors from gender-transition procedures
Aligning with a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld Oklahoma’s 2023 law banning gender-transition surgeries, puberty blockers, and cross-sex hormones for individuals under 18.Ray Carter | August 11, 2025
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Higher Education
This semester on campus: ‘Sociology of Sexualities’
With the new school year upon us, we’re introducing a new blog series: “This Semester on Campus.” Each post takes a brief look at an actual college course offered in Oklahoma—complete with course description, reading list, and instructor bio and salary. Read the first post here.Staff | August 11, 2025
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Education
Oklahoma school-choice critics miss the mark
Oklahoma’s universal school-choice program is rightly open to all—just as public schools are—regardless of parental income. And as it turns out, low- and middle-income families are benefiting the most.Jonathan Small | August 7, 2025
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Law & Principles
Buckley’s revolution: The life and legacy of a conservative icon
Sam Tanenhaus’s long-awaited biography offers a richly researched, often engrossing portrait of William F. Buckley Jr., the charismatic founder of National Review and host of Firing Line, who reshaped American conservatism and helped bring it into the political mainstream.Christopher H. Owen | August 6, 2025
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Budget & Tax
The real cost of ‘top two’: Taxifornia shows us what happens
Since adopting the “top-two” election model in 2010, California has seen a dramatic spike in taxes and an exodus of residents and income.Curtis Shelton | August 5, 2025
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Energy
Liberty Gala 2025 with energy visionary Alex Epstein
Please join the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at the DoubleTree at Warren Place in Tulsa for this year’s Liberty Gala.Staff | August 5, 2025
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Education
Oklahoma teachers make more than you think
According to the National Education Association and the Oklahoma State School Boards Association, the average teacher salary in this state is now above $61,000.Jonathan Small | August 4, 2025
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Education
Falling scores, rising hope: Whiz Kids steps up to address Oklahoma reading challenges
Oklahoma’s reading scores are declining, despite record education spending. But one private-sector effort, Whiz Kids, is quietly making a difference.Ray Carter | July 31, 2025