Category: Media

Oklahoma remains nation’s top state for education cuts (The Oklahoman)

By Ben Felder  Oklahoma’s cuts to general education funding since 2008 continue to lead the nation, according to the latest report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Nearly 27 percent of state per pupil funding, adjusted for inflation,… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Cuts Education More than any other State (KWGS)

By Marshall Stewart Oklahoma leads the nation in cuts to school funding, and the gap is widening. Gene Perry with the Oklahoma Policy Institute says per pupil spending has dropped nearly 27% since 2008, increasing the gap over Alabama, which… Read more [More...]

Hunger issues remain a concern in Northwest Oklahoma (Woodward News)

By Elise Solloway Oklahoma has frightening statistics related to poverty and hunger amidst its population of 3,795,764 residents. According to the Center for American Progress, 610,828 Oklahomans were living in poverty in 2015, which contributed to hunger and disease. Several… Read more [More...]

Policy wonk Tamara Draut: ‘Lift up the dignity of work’ (NONDOC)

By William W. Savage III Tamara Draut is vice president of policy and research for Demos, a policy organization focused largely around issues of equality and the economy. The group is based in New York City but also has offices… Read more [More...]

At Hearing, Views Vary on Rising Tide of Court Fines and Fees (Oklahoma Watch)

By Trevor Brown  In the words of District Judge Thad Balkman, Monday was a “light night” at the Cleveland County Detention Center. Only nine people spent the night in jail on charges of failure to pay their court-mandated fees or… Read more [More...]

Affected by budget cuts and testing, dozens of Oklahoma teachers are running for office (PBS Newshour)

[arve url=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/MB2CGMIaOEA”] JUDY WOODRUFF: In some parts of the country, it’s not just the presidential race on voters’ minds. State elections are taking center stage in some places, too, like Oklahoma, where education is at the forefront of the ballot.… Read more [More...]

5 shootings, 5 cities: The black-white financial divide (CNN Money)

By Tanzina Vega  From Charlotte to Tulsa to Baton Rouge, the killing of blacks at the hands of police has sparked outrage and protests in several cities across the country. The fatal shooting of a black man in El Cajon,… Read more [More...]

Two state questions propose criminal sentencing reform (The Ada News)

By Joy Hampton Cnhi NORMAN — Oklahoma has been warehousing people rather than reforming them because the Department of Corrections doesn’t have the money to address root causes, prison reform advocate Kris Steele said. The former speaker of the House… Read more [More...]

State Question 779 is unsatisfactory solution to Oklahoma’s education budget crisis (OU Daily)

By Paula Schonauer  I can’t believe I am contemplating voting “no” on something that would give teachers a pay raise. At times I am fully against State Question 779, but at other times I waffle, left wondering about how its… Read more [More...]

Despite price swoon, energy still key to Oklahoma economy, chamber report says (The Oklahoman)

By Paul Monies  Lower prices and technology advancements have led to big changes in Oklahoma’s oil and gas industry, but raising severance taxes could dampen future development, a research report by the State Chamber of Oklahoma said Wednesday. Last year,… Read more [More...]