Articles
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Education
Feet-licking fundraisers impact election debate
Two Oklahoma school districts have received national attention for videos showing students licking peanut butter off the feet and/or armpits of other individuals. This highlights what many see as a looming gap between parents and the people in charge of running the schools.Ray Carter & Maddison Farris | March 7, 2024
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Education
Oklahoma Senate votes to bar teacher coercion
Under legislation approved by the Oklahoma Senate, it could soon be illegal for school officials to pressure or require teachers to participate in union activities.Ray Carter | March 7, 2024
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Education
With anti-school-choice Republicans ousted, Texas seeks to catch up to Oklahoma on school choice
After the March 5 primaries in Texas—what one school-choice advocate called “a massive moment in American politics”—parental choice may finally come to the Lone Star State.Ray Carter | March 6, 2024
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Judicial Reform
In minimum-wage case, Oklahoma Supreme Court defies judicial norms
The Oklahoma Supreme Court’s recent failure to perform one of the most basic duties of its job comes at a time when lawmakers are considering a measure to reform how judges are appointed to Oklahoma’s major courts.Ray Carter | March 6, 2024
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Education, Culture & the Family
Experts: Schools should teach children the success sequence
For years, researchers have found that people who do three basic things—graduate high school, get a full-time job or enter college, and marry before they have children—almost always avoid poverty as adults and are able to provide for themselves and their family. Now, experts say information on that “success sequence” needs to make the leap from research papers to the classroom.Ray Carter | March 5, 2024
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Judicial Reform
Oklahomans may get shot at judicial-selection reform
Voters may get the chance to change Oklahoma’s judicial-selection model to mirror the process established by the United States’ founding fathers in the U.S. Constitution.Ray Carter | February 29, 2024
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Energy
Critics warn bill will hike electricity rates
Oklahoma’s electricity rates, once among the nation’s cheapest, have increased dramatically in recent years. Critics warn a bill recently approved by the House Utilities Committee may make things worse.Ray Carter | February 28, 2024
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Education
Oklahoma teacher empowerment bill wins strong support
Teachers would be free to choose whether to pay union dues, rather than having school districts handle that process before the teacher receives his or her paycheck, under a bill approved by a Senate committee.Ray Carter | February 27, 2024
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Budget & Tax
With grocery-tax reduction signed into law, focus turns to income tax
Within minutes of Gov. Kevin Stitt signing into law repeal of the state portion of the state-local sales tax on groceries, he and House Speaker Charles McCall sent a message: There’s still more work to do on taxes.Ray Carter | February 27, 2024
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Education, Law & Principles
Treat bill aids homeless children; Democrats oppose
Legislation tweaking Oklahoma’s parental choice tax-credit program has advanced from a Senate committee. But one Democrat questioned why homeless children were being offered the opportunity to benefit from the program.Ray Carter | February 26, 2024