Articles
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Education
Oklahoma testing results remain well below pre-pandemic norm
Despite record-high levels of funding, a large majority of Oklahoma students in all grades and subjects are not proficient in academic performance.Ray Carter | September 23, 2022
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Education
$5,000 pay raise an indirect bailout of mismanaged schools?
Members of the Oklahoma State Board of Education have approved a budget request developed by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister that calls for giving teachers another $5,000 raise on top of the $7,200 in combined average raises provided since 2018.Ray Carter | September 22, 2022
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Higher Education
OU leader bashes CRT law
An official at the University of Oklahoma says a state law that bans teaching students that “an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist” represents a “barrier” for OU officials and has created a “chilling effect” on “research” conducted by professors.Ray Carter | September 21, 2022
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Budget & Tax
Remember the lessons of state shortfall years
Oklahomans know that tax money ultimately comes out of their pockets, and they appreciate it when state leaders take a long-term view of state finances rather than embrace the collective amnesia preferred by those who spend other peoples’ money.Jonathan Small | September 21, 2022
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Education, Law & Principles
Lankford targets teacher union’s charter
U.S. Sen. James Lankford has filed legislation to strip the National Education Association of its federal charter.Ray Carter | September 20, 2022
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Higher Education
OU prof defends person wishing ‘excruciating’ death of queen
A University of Oklahoma professor who is part of the school’s Gateway to Belonging program is listed among those defending a Carnegie Mellon University professor who publicly wished Queen Elizabeth II of England would endure an “excruciating” death.Ray Carter | September 20, 2022
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Higher Education
New Career Tech program connects students, employers
Debates continue to swirl around student loan debt forgiveness and the cost of college tuition and fees that caused the debt in the first place. Meanwhile, a new Oklahoma CareerTech program will better connect employers and students who are interested in work-based learning.Mike Wilt | September 19, 2022
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Criminal Justice
Experts say more police, diversion programs, can lower crime
Experts told lawmakers they can reduce both incarcerations and crime rates by, in part, increasing the number of police on the street and boosting the use of diversion programs for lower-tier offenders.Ray Carter | September 16, 2022
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Law & Principles
Tired old pay-to-play criticism falls flat
The politically paranoid always find conspiracies among those on the other side of the political divide, and that tired old pay-to-play criticism falls flat.Jonathan Small & Ryan Haynie | September 15, 2022
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Criminal Justice
Self-defense can land domestic-abuse victims in jail
Women in abusive relationships often fall into illegal activity due in part to that relationship, which increases their likelihood of landing in an Oklahoma prison, a range of experts told state lawmakers this week.Ray Carter | September 14, 2022