Feds indict former Tishomingo teacher for lewd acts with a child

KTEN has the story. 

Some school officials hostile to HB 1775

"Although a newly passed state law makes it illegal for schools to teach racial-superiority philosophies associated with critical race theory, some school officials have indicated they may ignore the law," Ray Carter reports.

Generation Citizen staffers in Oklahoma provide their pronouns

Generation Citizen's executive director for Oklahoma, Amy Curran, helpfully informs us that her pronouns are "she/her." 

Generation Citizen's OKCPS program manager Destiny Warrior's pronouns are "she/her."

Complicating things somewhat, senior program associate Elizabeth Sidler's pronouns are "she/they."

How much does your public school spend?

Find out here.

The future of vocational education: flexibility and choice

"School choice is the future of vocational education," Greg Forster writes. "It’s better for students, better for industry, and better for our economy. Innovative approaches in Oklahoma and West Virginia can help show the way."

Oklahoma PTA seeks veto of bill targeting Critical Race Theory

"The Oklahoma PTA (parent-teacher association) is urging Gov. Kevin Stitt to veto legislation that would make it illegal for schools to teach children that 'one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex,'" Ray Carter reports.

Homeschooling in Oklahoma nearly tripled during the government lockdown

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau show that, nationwide, homeschooling doubled between the spring of 2020 and the fall of 2020. In Oklahoma, it nearly tripled—from 7.7 percent of households to 20.1 percent. (Importantly, Census says this is “true homeschooling” rather than simply “virtual learning through a public or private school.”)

Oklahoma pastors and the oppressed

"Some pastors in Oklahoma are insisting that Christian faithfulness requires us to oppose school choice policies," Greg Forster points out in a new article. 

"How do they justify identifying Christian faithfulness with defending a school monopoly that destroys children’s lives in order to line the pockets of special interests?" Dr. Forster asks. "How do some churches go so terribly wrong that they identify the oppressors as the oppressed, and thus defend in God’s name a system of power that oppresses the poor?"

To find out, read the whole thing here. There are roughly 126 of these pastors in Oklahoma, including the following.

Rev. Lori Walke is the senior pastor of Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City. She has presided over the same-sex “marriage” ceremonies of more than 100 couples.

Rev. Clark Frailey, recipient of last year's OEA Friend of Education Award, is the lead pastor of Coffee Creek Church in Edmond. He recently praised the work of atheists, feminists, LGBTQ activists, and others trying to make sure more children don’t attend Christian schools.

To see the complete list of pastors, click here. It's alarming, Dr. Forster wrote of these pastors in 2018, "when religious leaders make themselves tools of secular selfishness in the name of, yet to the detriment of, better schools for kids."

Oklahoma scholarship program helps deaf and hard-of-hearing children

"For Melissa Harnden, finding a school where her daughter, Hadley, could thrive and be around children with similar needs was a dream come true," our friends at the Opportunity Scholarship Fund (OSF) report. "We are so glad they found success at Happy Hands Education Center. OSF is grateful to provide tax-credit scholarships to families needing a specialized environment for their child. Learn more about our accredited member schools here.

School choice as prophetic justice

Greg Forster marvels that some Oklahoma pastors defend a school monopoly that often destroys children’s lives in order to line the pockets of greedy, politically connected special interests.

Put parents in charge with a universal ESA

"Education is child-rearing, and it belongs to parents," Greg Forster writes. "Putting parents in charge of education through universal Education Savings Accounts is the best way to help schools cope with the challenges of the Covid crisis in a way that will actually deliver the best possible education."

Norman schools: Equity means some groups get more

Norman public school teachers are instructed they should "teach about sexism, poverty, racism, ableism, transphobia, and heterosexism."

Civics legislation a Trojan horse for state-sanctioned racism?

"Proposed federal legislation to support increased civics and history instruction in K-12 schools may well be a Trojan horse to introduce even more radical social justice and critical race theory indoctrination for children," Mike Brake reports.