Articles
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Higher Education
Students self-censor as OU and OSU fail to make the grade on free speech
Roughly half of surveyed OU and OSU students say they hold their tongues on campus at least monthly, according to a new free-speech report. Both universities received failing grades, with OU earning an “F” and OSU a “D-minus.”Ray Carter | September 10, 2025
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Higher Education
Fewer than half of OU freshmen are Oklahomans … again
The University of Oklahoma’s freshman class hit a record 6,251 students this fall, but fewer than half—just 47.6 percent—are from Oklahoma, continuing a trend of declining in-state representation.Ray Carter | September 8, 2025
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Law & Principles
Stitt deploys state troopers to tackle Tulsa crime, homeless encampments
Declaring that Tulsa leaders have failed to protect residents, Gov. Kevin Stitt has deployed state troopers to clear homeless encampments and curb rising crime on state-owned property inside the city.Ray Carter | September 4, 2025
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Culture & the Family
Shawnee pastor’s ‘Children’s White House’ highlights Christianity’s role in U.S. history
Ed Moore, longtime pastor in the Shawnee area, has built a small-scale replica of the White House to serve as a “U.S. Children’s White House,” teaching that America’s founding was deeply rooted in Christian faith.Ray Carter | September 4, 2025
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Higher Education
Federal judge strikes down Oklahoma's in-state tuition for illegal immigrants
A federal judge has struck down an Oklahoma law that allowed illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at state colleges and universities. The decision follows an April executive order from President Trump warning colleges nationwide of federal sanctions if they continued such practices.Ray Carter | September 3, 2025
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Education
Despite more money, Oklahoma students struggle
Since 2018, Oklahoma’s per-pupil school funding has surged by 51 percent—yet student outcomes have declined. Much of Oklahoma’s education spending goes to bureaucracy rather than classrooms, with less than half of school employees being teachers.Ray Carter | August 26, 2025
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Education, Law & Principles
OSSAA faces conflict-of-interest questions in Glencoe case
Four Glencoe High School basketball players were ruled ineligible by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA). The OSSAA board vote included members from rival Class A schools that could directly benefit from sidelining Glencoe’s athletes.Ray Carter | August 25, 2025
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Education
Report ranks Oklahoma 50th in education, warns money no cure-all
WalletHub has ranked Oklahoma’s public school system 50th in the nation, even as state funding for education has increased significantly in recent years.Ray Carter | August 20, 2025
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Education, Culture & the Family
Amid state and national backlash, OSSAA still touts DEI
The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) continues to tout DEI on its website, declaring that promotion of “groups that have social and cultural differences is an integral part of education-based activities” and claimed DEI is part of that effort.Ray Carter | August 20, 2025
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma hailed as leader on state pension reform
For years, Oklahoma was ranked near the bottom of the 50 states based on the unfunded liabilities of its state pension systems. But reforms that took effect a decade ago have totally changed those statistics, and experts participating in a recent legislative study told lawmakers Oklahoma is now considered a national model.Ray Carter | August 20, 2025