Can you hear me now?

Yes, some of Oklahoma's new "Parents' Bill of Rights" law may be redundant, but it's as if lawmakers are saying to bureaucrats who are even thinking about meddling: "Have we made ourselves perfectly clear now?"

Heck, for good measure, lawmakers even added that "parents have inalienable rights that are more comprehensive than those listed in this section. The Parents' Bill of Rights does not prescribe all rights of parents. Unless otherwise required by law, the rights of parents of minor children shall not be limited or denied."

House approves special-needs scholarship bill

Oklahoma state lawmakers voted yesterday to approve House Bill 3393, which provides scholarships to students with disabilities (such as Down syndrome or autism). The debate is here. Some remarks from advocates are here. The roll-call vote was 78-19. Of the 19 nays, four were Republicans: Rep. Ann Coody (R-Lawton), Rep. Corey Holland (R-Marlow), Rep. Shane Jett (R-Tecumseh), and Rep. Skye McNiel (R-Bristow). Regrettably, when it comes to voting against school choice, Coody, Jett, and McNiel are repeat offenders. One wonders if they have seen this brief clip:



Yesterday's vote was the second time in two weeks school-choice supporters have had reason to cheer. On February 16 the Senate Finance Committee approved Senate Bill 1922, a school-choice tax credit bill authored by Sen. Dan Newberry (R-Tulsa). That bill now advances to the full Senate for consideration.

UPDATE: The FOX 25 story on the special-needs scholarships bill is here. A NEWS9 interview with Rep. Jason Nelson is here.

FOX 25 reports on school-choice legislation

KOKH FOX 25 in Oklahoma City ran a story tonight on some school-choice legislation being considered at 23rd and Lincoln. As I told anchor Andrew Speno, politicians blocking the schoolhouse door are going to find themselves on the wrong side of history.

State Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, also interviewed for the story, is an upstanding citizen (and a courageous pro-life Democrat). But for the life of me I can't figure out why he keeps insisting that public schools "give every kid a chance to become everything God intends for them to be," when that is one thing they demonstrably fail to do.

Oklahoma City religious leader: 'We are eager to partner'

"We are eager to partner with anyone that takes the education of children seriously."

That was the message of Dr. M. L. Jemison, senior pastor of the 2,500-member St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, at a press conference yesterday at the St. John Christian Heritage Academy, where Dr. Jemison serves as CEO. KOCO's coverage, including an interview with Dr. Betty Mason, is here.

Change you can believe in

Will Obama speak up for the children?

Todd Thomsen and new hope

In the face of massive misinformation being spread by the school-employee labor unions, last month Rep. Todd Thomsen (R-Ada) showed real courage and leadership in debating for and voting for a bill which would have given new hope to children trapped in the worst of the worst urban schools. This story in the Ada Evening News touches on Thomsen's vote for the New Hope Scholarship Act.

Meaningless diplomas

An editorial in the Sunday Oklahoman pointed out some of the problems at Douglass High School.

Solid data is elusive, but [school principal Brian] Staples figures only about half of the students who started as freshmen four years ago will walk the stage later this month. Worse, he says, is that the school's average ACT score hovers in the 15 to 16 range. Translation: Even with a diploma in hand, many Douglass grads aren't ready for college or a decent job. That's a disgrace for which many are responsible.

"The old way of looking at high school just isn't good enough," he said. "A diploma isn't good enough. It's got to be a diploma that means something."

In debating against the New Hope Scholarship Act on March 13, state Sen. Constance "Sinking Ship" Johnson reminded her colleagues that she herself is a Douglass graduate, indeed "a proud Trojan," and acknowledged that the New Hope legislation "would impact children in eastern Oklahoma County, northeast Oklahoma City in particular, the school system of which I am a product." And yet she voted against it.

The performance in some of Oklahoma's urban schools is indeed "a disgrace." It's time to put some of these students in lifeboats.

Superintendents wrong about New Hope

In a recent piece in the Muskogee Phoenix, 30 tax-funded school superintendents misrepresented the New Hope Scholarship Act. Here is my reply.

'The cracks are appearing'

The public school monopoly "had remarkable staying power," William McGurn writes today in The Wall Street Journal, "but the cracks are appearing. In cities like Washington, D.C., and Newark, N.J., African-American mayors like Anthony Williams and Cory Booker–Democrats both–have taken courageous stands to offer children more and better school options. And these brave souls are being joined by a growing number of parents, pastors and advocates who recognize that the status quo is cheating their children out of a chance at the American Dream."

Here at home, Democrats like Judy Eason McIntyre and Jabar Shumate have taken courageous stands. And these brave souls are being joined by parents and pastors like Barbara Shannon and Rev. Donald Tyler. Here's Dr. Tyler at an April 21 press conference telling reporters that he supports the New Hope Scholarship Act because "our kids aren't being educated."

"I have kids in my church who have graduated who can't read," Dr. Tyler says. "You tell me the system is working?"

'Failing to provide New Hope'

State Rep. Jason Murphey (R-Guthrie) has an excellent analysis of the legislature's failure to give children new hope.

'Courageous decision-making needed'

In its lead editorial on Sunday, the state's largest newspaper discussed the New Hope Scholarship Act, which went down to defeat on the House floor last week.

Approving the bill would have taken some real courage. Education groups were united in their opposition. They feared the plan would dilute public education funding, and some lawmakers bought into the idea that approving the plan would equate to abandoning public education. Although the bill targeted Oklahoma City and Tulsa, rural school officials complained it might eventually spread their way, too. One lawmaker even suggested what's needed is a study to identify education's problems.

By all means, conduct another study. The problem couldn't possibly be that many parents, educators and policy-makers expect too little of our students and that's exactly what we get. Or that parents are too disinterested. Or that many struggling schools suffer from poor leadership, a problem that often begets poor teaching. Or that it's way too difficult to get rid of ineffective administrators and teachers. Or that we do too little to help keep the good teachers in education or find ways to help them do an even better job.

We all know a lot about what's wrong in our schools. Depending on which classroom one uses as a point of reference, the list can be quite long. What's required isn't a task force. It's the will and the courage to do things differently. ...

The scholarship proposal had weaknesses, and it wouldn't have saved public education. But it might have helped some kids in Oklahoma City and Tulsa's poorest performing schools, and that should have been the focus.

Republicans against school choice

In March the Oklahoma Senate passed the New Hope Scholarship Act by a vote of 30 to 18, with all 24 Republicans voting in favor (roll call here). The bill would give a tax credit to taxpayers who contribute to organizations that provide private-school scholarships for low-income children currently attending failing public schools in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

On April 23 the Oklahoma House of Representatives defeated the measure by a vote of 57 to 40 (roll call here). Here are the 17 Republicans who voted against the bill:













Rep. Don Armes (R-Faxon)














Rep. Gary Banz (R-Midwest City)














Rep. Lisa Billy (R-Purcell)














Rep. Ann Coody (R-Lawton)














Rep. Dale DeWitt (R-Braman)














Rep. John Enns (R-Waukomis)














Rep. George Faught (R-Muskogee)














Rep. Terry Ingmire (R-Stillwater)














Rep. Mike Jackson (R-Enid)














Rep. Shane Jett (R-Tecumseh)














Rep. Fred Jordan (R-Tulsa)














Rep. Charlie Joyner (R-Midwest City)














Rep. Steve Martin (R-Bartlesville)














Rep. Skye McNiel (R-Bristow)














Rep. Phil Richardson (R-Minco)














Rep. Earl Sears (R-Bartlesville)














Rep. Weldon Watson (R-Tulsa)

New Hope bill ...

... goes down to defeat on the House floor. Supporters vow to fight another day. Michael Bates is rightly disappointed with squishy Republicans.

New Hope bill ...

... will be considered on the House floor on Wednesday.

New Hope debate continues

Good coverage today of the New Hope Scholarship Act in The Oklahoman, the Tulsa World, the Journal Record, and Education Week.

State Rep. John Auffet, a Democrat from Stillwell (pictured at left), told the World that the bill is about channeling public money into private schools (which is false). "It may not be in this bill, but it is right around the corner," he said. Or as labor union boss Roy Bishop (who knows full well the door is already open) put it, "This just opens the door."

Keeping hope alive

"Tulsa-area lawmakers are seeking support for legislation that would offer tax credits to those who provide tuition assistance for low-income children to attend private schools," the Associated Press reports.

Speaking in favor of the New Hope Scholarship Act at a state capitol press conference today are (from left) state Rep. Jabar Shumate (D-Tulsa), state Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre (D-Tulsa), state Sen. James Williamson (R-Tulsa), and Dr. Donald O'Neil Tyler, pastor of Greater Grace Temple in Tulsa.

'Bipartisanship'

Many politicians talk the talk, but will they walk the walk?

The day the school-choice debate changed

"Though we cannot outvote them," Samuel Johnson once said, "we can outargue them."

Heck, we may outvote them when the New Hope Scholarship Act comes up for a vote in the House on Tuesday. But there is no question we will continue to outargue them. And in a very real sense it started with the Senate debate on March 13, 2008, the day Oklahoma's school-choice debate changed.

New Hope for inner-city students

State Sen. James Williamson makes the case for the New Hope Scholarship Act today in The Oklahoman.

Judy Eason McIntyre and Jabar Shumate

These two Oklahoma "heroes" are featured in the Detroit News.