Articles
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Education
Stillwater transgender policy shows need for school choice
Parents in the Stillwater school district report that students have been allowed to select bathroom facilities based not on their biological gender, but on the identity the student professes that day—even though the district has single-occupant bathrooms for gender-nonconforming students.Ray Carter | March 16, 2022
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Law & Principles
McGirt decision defunding courts, public safety
The U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt v. Oklahoma decision, which created jurisdictional chaos in Oklahoma by effectively declaring that most of eastern Oklahoma remains Indian reservations, is indirectly defunding court systems and public-safety entities throughout much of the state, according to the Senate’s top budget official.Ray Carter | March 15, 2022
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Education
Parent access to child library records granted under bill
Parents would have an undisputed right to access their child’s school library records under legislation approved by the Oklahoma House of Representatives.Ray Carter | March 15, 2022
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Education
'Opt-in' policies a response to graphic school material?
The inclusion of content many parents view as inappropriate and/or intrusive in school surveys and other materials is leading some officials to suggest schools should have to receive parental permission in advance.Ray Carter | March 14, 2022
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Education
Concerns about Hofmeister politicization, competence arise
Recent financial estimates produced by Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) are leading a top lawmaker to question whether the agency has become politicized under the leadership of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister.Ray Carter | March 11, 2022
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Education
Oklahoma school-choice bill gets national endorsements
A major effort to expand school choice opportunity is not only receiving widespread attention and support in Oklahoma, but also nationwide support as major conservative leaders have now endorsed the bill.Ray Carter | March 10, 2022
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Education
School CRT regulations updated, but critics say more needed
The State Board of Education has approved permanent rules for a new state law that bans schools from teaching certain concepts broadly associated with Critical Race Theory, but one critic told the board the regulations do not go far enough.Ray Carter | March 10, 2022
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Education
Anti-school-choice groups’ poll contradicted—by own pollster
A group of public-school entities have released a poll claiming the overwhelming majority of Oklahoma voters oppose school choice. But that finding is contradicted by their own pollster’s previous findings—twice.Ray Carter | March 10, 2022
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Law & Principles
Election ‘Zuckerbucks’ ban clears House
Due to concern about perceived influence on the outcome of elections, state lawmakers have voted to ban private entities from funding Oklahoma election expenses.Ray Carter | March 9, 2022
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Education, Culture & the Family
Parents support homeschooler inclusion in school-choice bill
In the ongoing debate over allowing state education funding to follow students to any provider, including homeschooling or private schools, some homeschoolers have objected, leading lawmakers to recently strip those parents from the bill.Ray Carter | March 9, 2022