Authors
![Ray Carter](https://oklahoma-council.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/assets/headshots/Ray-Headshot-for-Web.png?w=500&h=500&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1678814019&s=89ab73db261fea16d5661a155deb6e2d)
Ray Carter
Director, Center for Independent Journalism
Ray Carter is the director of OCPA’s Center for Independent Journalism. He has two decades of experience in journalism and communications. He previously served as senior Capitol reporter for The Journal Record, media director for the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and chief editorial writer at The Oklahoman. As a reporter for The Journal Record, Carter received 12 Carl Rogan Awards in four years—including awards for investigative reporting, general news reporting, feature writing, spot news reporting, business reporting, and sports reporting. While at The Oklahoman, he was the recipient of several awards, including first place in the editorial writing category of the Associated Press/Oklahoma News Executives Carl Rogan Memorial News Excellence Competition for an editorial on the history of racism in the Oklahoma legislature.
Recent Articles
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Health Care
Health agency collects Oklahomans’ data, balks at transparency
The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) has acknowledged that it collects Oklahomans’ personal medical information. But when an open-records request asked if the OSDH sells that data to third parties, the agency’s tune changed.Ray Carter | July 25, 2024
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Criminal Justice
Cherokee Nation entity linked to child trafficking
Unaccompanied minors who illegally enter the United States are being released to child traffickers by the U.S. government—and a business arm of the Cherokee Nation is facilitating this “taxpayer-funded child slavery,” according to whistleblower testimony provided to members of the U.S. Senate.Ray Carter | July 24, 2024
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Economy
People moving to Oklahoma bring $1 billion with them
Since 2019, people moving to Oklahoma have increased Oklahoma’s net adjusted gross income by more than $1 billion, based on Internal Revenue Service data.Ray Carter, Curtis Shelton | July 23, 2024
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Law & Principles
Lankford leads effort opposing federal marijuana change
U.S. Sen. James Lankford is leading Senate opposition to a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposed rule to move marijuana from the list of federal Schedule I drugs to the less-restrictive Schedule III.Ray Carter | July 22, 2024
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Culture & the Family
‘Conservative’ group attacks OCPA, conservative lawmakers
It appears that a group called OK Conservative Renewal, LLC—which targeted conservative Republicans in Oklahoma’s June primary elections election cycle—has also targeted the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA).Ray Carter | July 22, 2024
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Education
Accused pedophile teacher case highlights problem of school enablers
As the legal system determines the fate of one accused teacher-predator, the investigation that led to his arrest suggests other school officials may have played a significant role in enabling his continued employment in Oklahoma schools.Ray Carter | July 18, 2024
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Education, Culture & the Family
Ardmore teacher wishes Trump dead?
In a social-media post, an Ardmore public school teacher appears to have wished for the death of former President Donald Trump.Ray Carter | July 16, 2024
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Education
Study shows huge ghost-student decline in Oklahoma
A new report from the Reason Foundation shows an enormous reduction in ghost-student funding in Oklahoma. The result is an additional $180 million being spent on students that actually exist within local school districts.Ray Carter | July 15, 2024
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Higher Education
OU professor part of Biden ‘hate’ workshop
An OU education professor who “seeks to disrupt whiteness and white supremacy on predominantly white campuses” was featured at a recent workshop hosted by the Biden White House.Ray Carter | July 12, 2024
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Law & Principles
Tribal court decried as farce
Some Freedmen descendants say two new appointments have been made to the Muscogee (Creek) Supreme Court in order to stack the deck against the black plaintiffs.Ray Carter | July 11, 2024
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