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The Tulsa Beacon

 

Ray Carter

Center for Independent Journalism

Ray Carter is the director of OCPA’s Center for Independent Journalism.

OEA advises to hide information from parents

Tulsa Beacon

In recent years, Oklahoma lawmakers have voted to restrict access to school bathrooms based on sex, and have voted to prevent males from competing in girls’ sports as transgender females. But even with those laws on the books, a guidebook provided by the Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) to its members advises teachers to do the…

OK Senate restricts pornography in schools

Tulsa Beacon

Oklahoma school libraries would be required to restrict children’s access to materials based on the age-appropriateness of materials, following public outcry after numerous reports of sexually graphic and pornographic materials in many schools, under legislation approved by the Oklahoma Senate. “We want to allow kids to be kids, and there’s certain things we don’t necessarily…

School Board election timing

Tulsa Beacon

In an effort to significantly increase voter turnout and input into local schools, lawmakers have advanced two bills that would shift school-board elections to a November general-election ballot. “I believe we need to increase voter turnout in school-board elections,” said state Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore. “And we all in our communities recently—two weeks ago—had those…

Fetal Images are Obscene?

Tulsa Beacon

During discussion of legislation that would bar performing lewd or obscene acts in the presence of children, one Democratic lawmaker suggested public display of fetal images violates existing state obscenity laws. Senate Bill 503, by state Sen. David Bullard, would make it illegal for any political subdivision to “allow or permit a public display of…

School grades: Too easy to understand?

Tulsa Beacon

Citing concerns that the system is too easily understood by the public, members of a state House committee have voted to scrap A-F school grades that inform parents of how their local public school stacks up against other public schools. “Language matters,” said state Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa. “There’s a big difference between saying this…

Strengthening teachers rights when dealing with Unions

Tulsa Beacon

Legislation that would strengthen teachers’ rights when dealing with unions has won easy approval in a state Senate committee. Senate Bill 99, by state Sen. Julie Daniels, would require schools to obtain annual reauthorization from teachers before union dues may be automatically deducted from a teacher’s paycheck. “This bill would simply require the school districts…

Senators vote to streamline the Charter School process

Tulsa Beacon

State senators have voted to streamline the process for public charter schools to obtain sponsors, potentially shaving months off the application period required to open a new school. “My goal is not to have more charter schools; it’s to have higher-quality charter schools,” said state Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond. Senate Bill 516, by Pugh, would…

Senate bill “woman means woman” passes out of committee

Tulsa Beacon

Oklahoma lawmakers approve bill declaring woman means woman Members of an Oklahoma Senate committee have advanced legislation to standardize state law and ensure that all references to women in statute are explicitly defined as individuals declared female at birth. Senate Bill 408, by state Sen. Jessica Garvin, creates the “Women’s Bill of Rights.” The text…

State of the State addresses economy, taxes and education

Tulsa Beacon

In his fifth State of the State speech, Gov. Kevin Stitt urged lawmakers to enact $655.7 million in tax cuts and provide school choice to all Oklahomans. “Let’s listen to the people we serve,” Stitt said. “Because Oklahomans sent a clear message last November when they overwhelmingly voted for our vision: to shrink the size…

Ban on youth transgender surgery clears committee

Tulsa Beacon

Legislation making it illegal to perform sex-change surgeries on children or inject them with cross-sex hormones or puberty blockers has won easy approval in an Oklahoma Senate Committee. Lawmakers also voted to bar state funds from paying for those procedures. Both measures were advanced just days after Gov. Kevin Stitt called for their enactment in…