Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs's cover photo

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs's cover photo

Why don’t schools mandate masks? No COVID

Thirty-five percent of OK schools do not mandate mask-wearing. Why not? Because there is little or no COVID-19 in many of those communities, most are small districts able to socially distance students, and the absence of a mandate does not mean the absence of masks.


A survey recently conducted by the Oklahoma Department of Education found 346 school districts, or 65 percent of the 536 districts surveyed, have some form of mandatory mask policy in place for teachers or both staff and students

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Why don’t schools mandate masks? No COVID

Myth vs. Fact: SQ 805 and domestic violence

Each criminal law typically provides a sentencing range. In Oklahoma, a separate law allows “sentence enhancements” that can result in sentences much longer than the original range for many crimes—sometimes up to life in prison—if a person has prior convictions.

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by Ryan Haynie

Why don’t schools mandate masks? No COVID

Thirty-five percent of OK schools do not mandate mask-wearing. Why not? Because there is little or no COVID-19 in many of those communities, most are small districts able to socially distance students, and the absence of a mandate does not mean the absence of masks.

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by Ray Carter

Oklahoma government funds controversial sex-ed curriculum

Many “age-appropriate” and “abstinence-based” sexual education courses in public schools are far more graphic than parents realize, and often stretch the meaning of the word “abstinence” to include a wide range of sexual activity, according to experts.

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by Ray Carter

Free Market Friday: McGirt decision consequences growing

Oklahomans should prepare themselves for a potentially harsh reality. There could soon be two different sets of rules across much of Oklahoma with two different sets of rights for otherwise similarly situated citizens.


The repercussions of the U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt v. Oklahoma decision, which effectively reestablished the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s reservation, continue to grow.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Free Market Friday: McGirt decision consequences growing

Oklahoma government funds controversial sex-ed curriculum

“The best-kept secret in every state is what’s actually being taught to the children.”


Many “age-appropriate” and “abstinence-based” sexual education courses in public schools are far more graphic than parents realize, and often stretch

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Oklahoma government funds controversial sex-ed curriculum

Tulsa district has fewer students, but wants more money

The Tulsa Public Schools district is not offering in-person instruction to any students for at least nine weeks, which means the district will potentially save millions on transportation costs, utilities, and similar expenses. The district also expects to have fewer students to educate this year, further lowering expenses. And TPS has received millions in extra federal funding to cover COVID-19 costs.


The Tulsa Public Schools expects to have fewer students to educate this year, further lowering expenses. And TPS has received millions in extra federa

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Tulsa district has fewer students, but wants more money

Institutional Racism in Higher Ed

Institutional racism? Yes, higher education is guilty, says professor (and past OCPA speaker) Walter Williams.


Despite the nation's great achievements in race relations, there remains institutional racism in higher education.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Institutional Racism in Higher Ed

Tulsa district has fewer students, but wants more money

The Tulsa Public Schools expects to have fewer students to educate this year, further lowering expenses. And TPS has received millions in extra federal funding to cover COVID-19 costs.

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by Ray Carter

Families Considering Homeschooling Have a Variety of Options and Curriculum Choices

Here’s a helpful list of popular homeschooling models and resources for parents and educators👇


A list of popular homeschooling models and resources for parents, educators, and policymakers.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Families Considering Homeschooling Have a Variety of Options and Curriculum Choices

Calls to reopen nursing homes mirror school debate

Data show that social isolation increases the risk of premature death so much it is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.


Parents and various public officials have urged that most Oklahoma schools be open for in-person instruction, saying COVID-19 infection represents less of a threat to children and staff than the many negative consequences of continued shutdown.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Calls to reopen nursing homes mirror school debate

Oklahoma voters continue ousting tax-increasing incumbents

This week’s primary runoff elections saw voters oust several incumbent lawmakers who voted for one of the largest tax increases in Oklahoma history. In the two election cycles since the passage of those tax increases, 12 lawmakers who supported tax hikes have lost reelection bids.


In some cases, an incumbent’s support for tax increases has been a major issue in subsequent reelection campaigns, while in other races an incumbent’s support for raising taxes was not emphasized but also appeared to do little to augment the lawmaker

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Oklahoma voters continue ousting tax-increasing incumbents

Calls to reopen nursing homes mirror school debate

Parents and various public officials have urged that most Oklahoma schools be open for in-person instruction, saying COVID-19 infection represents less of a threat to children and staff than the many negative consequences of continued shutdown.

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by Ray Carter

Oklahoma voters continue ousting tax-increasing incumbents

This week’s primary runoff elections saw voters oust several incumbent lawmakers who voted for one of the largest tax increases in Oklahoma history.

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by Ray Carter

Citing Black Lives Matter, photos of retired white male professors to be taken down at U. Oklahoma | The College Fix

OCPA president Jonathan Small reminds us that higher education is increasingly beyond parody.


Area to become space for students to ‘represent their own voices.'

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Citing Black Lives Matter, photos of retired white male professors to be taken down at U. Oklahoma | The College Fix

Woke brigades descend upon county commission meeting

The woke brigades are already in charge in Portland and Seattle, where riots are virtually a nightly occurrence. They are influencing policy in Chicago and New York, where crime and disorder are skyrocketing. Here in Oklahoma, they are well along in gutting the police department in Norman. They command at least three votes on the Oklahoma City Council and Blumert’s vote on the Board of County Commissioners; one more would give them control of county government.


Simply put, we are perilously close being ruled by the woke brigades on display last week at the courthouse.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Woke brigades descend upon county commission meeting

Woke brigades descend upon county commission meeting

Simply put, we are perilously close being ruled by the woke brigades on display last week at the courthouse.

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by Mike Brake

School shutdowns urged despite local COVID-19 rates

A group of House Democrats says the state should mandate school closures based on counties’ COVID-19 rates. But the data shows that system could force schools to close even when there is little or no COVID-19 present.


Under a proposal developed by staff at the Oklahoma State Department of Education, school-closure mandates would have been tied to a state Department

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs School shutdowns urged despite local COVID-19 rates

OKC school staff children get on-site ‘distance’ learning

On-site learning for me, but not for thee...🤔


Oklahoma City Public Schools officials will not offer in-person instruction to students for at least the first nine weeks of school this year.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs OKC school staff children get on-site ‘distance’ learning

Oklahoma AG defends election security laws, opposes ballot harvesting

Attorney General Mike Hunter pushed back Friday against a Democratic lawsuit that seeks the elimination of many absentee-ballot safeguards and the legalization of “ballot harvesting” in Oklahoma, saying adoption of the policies advocated by the plaintiffs risks “undermining the suffrage rights of all Oklahomans.”


The Democrats’ lawsuit asked the court to declare unconstitutional several laws, including a requirement for absentee ballots to include notarization or a copy of a voter’s ID (which proponents say reduces voter fraud); the deadline for absentee ball

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Oklahoma AG defends election security laws, opposes ballot harvesting

Free Market Friday: Roads progress shows how to achieve ‘top 10’ status

Funding alone did not improve Oklahoma’s bridges. Instead, success was the result of combining money with market competition that increases choice and improves results. What worked for roads and bridges will work in other areas of state government.


Funding alone did not improve Oklahoma’s bridges. Instead, success was the result of combining money with market competition that increases choice and improves results.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Free Market Friday: Roads progress shows how to achieve ‘top 10’ status

School shutdowns urged despite local COVID-19 rates

Under a proposal developed by staff at the Oklahoma State Department of Education, school-closure mandates would have been tied to a state Department of Health map that color-codes counties based on per-capita COVID-19 infection rates.

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by Ray Carter

OKC school staff children get on-site ‘distance’ learning

Oklahoma City Public Schools officials will not offer in-person instruction to students for at least the first nine weeks of school this year.

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by Ray Carter

Rolling back pension progress is unhealthy

Every pension plan should have a goal of becoming fully funded, with assets equal to 100 percent of pension obligations.

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by Curtis Shelton

Federal government approves new state-tribal compacts

Great news here! The federal government has approved two new gaming compacts. This means greater competition in Oklahoma’s casino market and higher shares of gaming revenue to state government👏 The compact agreements were announced earlier this year thanks to negotiations conducted by Governor Kevin Stitt and officials with the Kialegee Tribal Town and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians.


The compact agreements were announced earlier this year thanks to negotiations conducted by Governor Kevin Stitt and officials with the Kialegee Tribal Town (KTT) and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (UKB).

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Federal government approves new state-tribal compacts

Hate crimes create ‘thought police’

Laws that punish thoughtcrime ask law enforcement to become the Thought Police.


Oklahoma should consider repealing or striking down its hate crime statute. We shouldn’t ask law enforcement to be the Thought Police.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Hate crimes create ‘thought police’

Oklahoma Christian University hosts social-justice training

Imago Dei is Latin for “image of God,” but Oklahoma Christian University has launched a program in which “Dei” is shorthand for “diversity, equity, and inclusion.”


As part of its focus on diversity, Oklahoma Christian University recently hosted a speaker who encourages her clients to read or view works that inclu

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Oklahoma Christian University hosts social-justice training

Teacher numbers decline despite pay raises

Overall, from passage of tax increases in 2018 to December 2019, the state netted one additional teacher for every $364,000 in increased school spending.


Lawmakers were told Wednesday to expect an outright decline in the number of teachers in state schools this year.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Teacher numbers decline despite pay raises

Federal government approves new state-tribal compacts

The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) has allowed two new state-tribal gaming compacts to take effect, a move that could result in greater competition in Oklahoma’s casino market and provide a higher share of gaming revenue to state government.

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by Ray Carter

Hate crimes create ‘thought police’

Oklahoma should consider repealing or striking down its hate crime statute. We shouldn’t ask law enforcement to be the Thought Police.

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by Ryan Haynie

Oklahoma Christian University hosts social-justice training

As part of its focus on diversity, Oklahoma Christian University recently hosted a speaker who encourages her clients to read or view works that include a project linking the United States’ founding to slavery and another work criticized as portraying all white people as racists.

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by Ray Carter

Stitt education program proving popular across Oklahoma

Nearly one in three Oklahoma school districts has already applied for a program launched by Gov. Kevin Stitt that will provide advanced courses online.

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by Ray Carter

Slave-owning past remains problem for Choctaws

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, whose members owned Black slaves and fought on the side of the Confederacy in the Civil War, is now opposing federal efforts to require that descendants of the tribe’s former slaves, called Freedmen, be given promised rights before the tribe can receive federal housing funds. Choctaw leaders say any such requirement infringes upon tribal sovereignty.


The tribe’s argument has drawn strong pushback from individuals descended from former slaves owned by members of five Oklahoma tribes—the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Seminole, and Muscogee (Creek) nations.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Slave-owning past remains problem for Choctaws

Oklahomans say per-student funding should follow the student

By a 2-to-1 margin, Oklahomans say that if schools don’t open, parents should be able to take their tax dollars and go to another school.


As uncertainty continues to swirl around COVID-19, voters were asked if parents should be given more options.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Oklahomans say per-student funding should follow the student

Slave-owning past remains problem for Choctaws

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is now opposing federal efforts to require that descendants of the tribe’s former slaves be given promised rights before the tribe can receive federal housing funds.

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by Ray Carter

Oklahomans say per-student funding should follow the student

By a two-to-one margin, Oklahomans say that if schools don’t open in the fall, parents should be able to take their tax dollars and go to another school.

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by Brandon Dutcher

Require budget transparency in Oklahoma higher ed

To stop the spread of social-justice activism in higher education, regents and policymakers must demand transparency.


Too often, colleges and universities around the country don’t provide transparent budgets. They aren’t accountable to policymakers and taxpayers.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Require budget transparency in Oklahoma higher ed

Governor’s new hires bring history of policy success

Two new members of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s staff have either a history of advancing successful conservative policy reforms in Oklahoma or are winning strong praise from those active in such debates.


Stitt has announced Bond Payne will serve as the governor’s new chief of staff while former Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman will be the new chief policy advisor.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Governor’s new hires bring history of policy success

OU institute declared Chinese propaganda entity

The U.S. Department of State has declared that the Confucius Institute U.S. Center, which has long operated an institute at the University of Oklahoma, is a foreign mission of the People’s Republic of China.


In a statement on the action, the U.S. Department of State said the designation recognizes the Confucius Institute U.S. Center “for what it is: an entity advancing Beijing’s global propaganda and malign influence campaign on U.S. campuses and K-12 cl

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs OU institute declared Chinese propaganda entity

OU institute declared Chinese propaganda entity

The U.S. Department of State has declared that the Confucius Institute U.S. Center, which has long operated an institute at the University of Oklahoma, is a foreign mission of the People’s Republic of China.

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by Ray Carter

Governor’s new hires bring history of policy success

Two new members of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s staff have either a history of advancing successful conservative policy reforms in Oklahoma or are winning strong praise from those active in such debates.

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by Ray Carter

www.ocpathink.org

Too often, colleges and universities around the country don’t provide transparent budgets. They aren’t accountable to policymakers and taxpayers.


Oklahoma can even make itself a magnet for students around the country by establishing an exceptional system of public higher education—one shorn of social-justice activists and dedicated to providing a cost-effective, rigorous education.

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from Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs www.ocpathink.org