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In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma’s state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. Subscribe to In The Know and see past editions.
New from OK Policy
Policy Matters: We can’t normalize hate: The days following last week’s election have been filled with disturbing reports nationwide about incidents targeting people based on race, gender, identity, and religion. These aren’t isolated occurrences; it’s the result of toxic rhetoric that has permeated public spaces and online platforms in recent years. But we cannot normalize this hate. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record]
Oklahoma News
Student harassment and death at Owasso public schools lead to federal Title IX resolution: Federal officials ordered a Title IX resolution for Owasso Public Schools Wednesday over handling sexual harassment complaints in the wake of a student’s suicide. [The Norman Transcript]
- Nex Benedict: Investigation reveals Owasso ‘deliberately indifferent’ to student rights [The Oklahoman]
- Sexual harassment allegations at Owasso Public Schools addressed in federal agreement [Tulsa World]
- Nex Benedict’s school district failed to protect students, investigation finds [USA TODAY]
- Nex Benedict’s school district agrees to address Title IX harassment violations [ABC NEWS]
- Nex Benedict’s Oklahoma school district violated federal law, investigation finds [NBCNEWS]
- Oklahoma school district adding anti-harassment policies after nonbinary teen’s death [AP]
- Related: Transgender students flood crisis hotlines [AP via The Journal Record]
- From OK Policy: Nex Benedict’s death shows policy failures, harms from inaction (Commentary)
State Government News
First Watch: Stuff You Should Know: The expiration of pandemic-era rental assistance programs in Oklahoma is raising concerns about a potential surge in evictions. [Oklahoma Watch]
Lawmakers, Todd Hiett await Oklahoma Supreme Court decision: The state’s highest court heard oral arguments this week on a case filed by three House lawmakers against Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett. [The Journal Record]
- Oklahoma Supreme Court considers allegations of impropriety, bias against Corporation Commissioner [KOSU]
- ‘Sad, scary and awkward’: Justices hear request to disqualify Commissioner Todd Hiett [NonDoc]
Sports wagering on the radar for Oklahoma lawmakers: Some Oklahoma lawmakers are looking to keep the conservations around legalizing sports betting alive as the next legislative session approaches. [KTEN]
Oklahoma students, educators discuss school cellphone policies during visit with governor: Gov. Kevin Stitt, education secretary Nellie Tayloe Sanders encourage phone restrictions. [Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: Oklahoma children in underserved communities deserve to thrive: In every community, there are children who experience trauma, often unseen or ignored by their neighbors and the systems that should be supporting them. [A.J. Griffin / The Oklahoman]
Federal Government News
USDA funds economic support for Oklahoma’s historic Black towns: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced new cooperative agreements with the Greenwood Community Development Corporation and the Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project, providing $400,000 to support Oklahoma’s historic All-Black towns. [The Journal Record]
Oklahoma landowners oppose potential transmission corridor: Landowners in north-central Oklahoma are protesting a federally proposed energy project that would create transmission corridors through the northern part of the state. [CNHI NEWS]
Tribal Nations News
Quapaw Nation name scrubbed from Paramount’s ‘Tulsa King’ following criticism: A Tulsa King episode titled “Heroes and Villians” surprised Quapaw Chair Wena Supernaw. The episode depicted leaders in the Quapaw Nation as criminals connected to wind energy and cannabis conspiracies in season two of the hit Paramount+ television series. After reading the script, Supernaw became upset. [KOSU]
NASA: Choctaw Nation heirloom seeds back from space station, students preparing to plant: Native American students at an Oklahoma school will learn about the effects of zero gravity on gardening, thanks to a project on the International Space Station, NASA reported in an update this week. [The Oklahoman]
Education News
Offering AP courses is now required in Oklahoma, but most schools still aren’t teaching them: Four years ago, lawmakers passed a bill requiring all Oklahoma public schools to offer at least four Advanced Placement courses. It went into effect this fall. But, most schools still aren’t teaching four AP courses — and rural schools say the law has had little impact. [KGOU]
Wednesday’s lesson plans: Stickball, blow darts and dancing: More than 400 students from 17 elementary schools across the district were introduced Wednesday to archery, corn husk dolls, fancy dancing, Osage regalia, the Muscogee language and stickball, a game traditionally used by the Choctaw and other southeastern tribes to settle disputes. [Tulsa World]
Initiative to reform Oklahoma education policy launches in Tulsa: Education stakeholders gathered at Magic City Books in Tulsa Tuesday evening to launch a grassroots policy initiative to reform Oklahoma schools. [KOSU]
Langston President honors Black military service, renews partnership to support veterans: Langston University President Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson, a proud daughter and wife of military veterans, took the podium at the Wm Conrad Veterans Memorial Gardens’ Veterans Day Program Monday. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Student welders, woodworkers to showcase talents at Kids Entrepreneur Day: Welding students in Kelly New’s class at Lawton High School (LHS) hope to impress attendees at Lawton Farmers Market on Saturday with their creativity and welding skills. [The Lawton Constitution]
‘Misused and misinterpreted’: Does a SCOTUS case greenlight OSDE initiatives?: How far does the 2022 United States Supreme Court case Kennedy v. Bremerton go in spelling out what religious activity can happen in public schools? [FOX25]
Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism opens at Oklahoma Education Department: State Superintendent Ryan Walters said the office will align with Trump agenda. [The Journal Record]
Health News
Bacteria contamination was reason VA Center water was cut off for a week: Bacteria in stagnant water was the reason Lawton-Fort Sill Veterans Center on Flower Mound Road cut off water inside the facility, said officials with the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. [The Lawton Constitution]
Researcher touts promise of drug to treat Alzheimer’s during Tulsa event: The latest research strongly suggests that a medication that slows brain aging may ultimately be effective at treating Alzheimer’s disease and similar brain disorders. [Tulsa World]
Criminal Justice News
Oklahoma County jail trust will continue legal appeal to ban state’s surprise inspections: The Oklahoma County jail trust is fighting for the authority to require state health inspectors to make an appointment to examine the jail’s premises and practices rather than have to let them in when they show up for surprise inspections. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma City warns residents about scammers demanding fake municipal court fines: Oklahoma City warns residents about scammers demanding fake municipal court fines. [The Oklahoman]
Two Jan. 6 defendants from Oklahoma seek to postpone sentencings until Trump takes office: Two Oklahoma defendants who have pleaded or been found guilty in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol have asked judges overseeing their cases to delay their sentencings until after President-elect Donald Trump takes office. [Tulsa World]
Many Oklahoma women feel imprisoned by court fees & fines after serving sentence: Release from prison can feel like a relief. It is a chance to reunite with family, friends and start rebuilding a life on the outside. It is also a time of anxiety as former inmates come to grips with the need to start paying off their court costs, fees and fines that often amount to thousands of dollars. [2NEWS]
Man in crisis said he wanted to ‘die by cop’ in high-speed chase. Oklahoma police obliged: JR Williams’ death spotlights a pursuit loophole in state crash reporting and demonstrates how chases can be unnecessary, not worth the risk, and create more public danger than safety. [Tulsa World]
Oaklawn Cemetery memorial service pays tribute to Tulsa Massacre victims: Oaklawn Cemetery reopened its gates to the public Tuesday as a place of solemn remembrance, following a memorial service that honored the remains found during the 1921 Graves Investigation, a years long search for Tulsa Race Massacre victims. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Housing costs force 1 in 4 seniors to consider moving: More than 25% of senior adults have reported feeling pressure to move within the past six months due to rising costs and housing-related challenges, new research reveals. An extreme shortage of affordable housing worsens the problem for renters of all ages. Without universal tenant protections, rent increases go unchecked, creating a precarious situation for seniors, especially those with mobility issues or specific health needs, according to the report. [The Journal Record]
Economy & Business News
Oklahoma pledged millions to Canoo. Now the company is fighting work furloughs, lawsuits: The state has pushed back a deadline for the company to receive job creation money as the company struggles to ramp up production. State agencies purchased three Canoo cargo vans, but their use is limited. [The Frontier]
Inflation rises slightly after 2 years of cooling: Inflation in the United States ticked up in October, driven by costlier rents, used cars and air fares, a sign that price increases might be leveling off after having slowed in September to their lowest pace since 2021. [The Journal Record]
Community News
Oklahomans of different beliefs gather over a meal to foster interfaith friendships: Saurabh Singh, Interfaith Alliance of Oklahoma president, said the organization is a nonpartisan “family” devoted to diversity. The organization focuses on human rights issues, fostering interfaith friendships, and interfaith cooperation through community service. [The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- The Village limits public comments at city council meetings, spurs open meeting law questions [KOSU]
- Tulsa’s first Black mayor prepares for office [KOSU]
- Greenwood mural vandalized; Tulsa Police seek public’s help [The Black Wall Street Times]
Quote of the Day
“The district has signed a robust agreement to assure that students who attend school in the district will be afforded their rights under Title IX, including the right to file a complaint, learn about and receive supportive services individualized to their needs, and benefit from federal nondiscrimination protection when they experience harassment.”
-U.S. Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon said in a press release about the resolution imposed upon Owasso Public Schools to enforce Title IX protections in the wake of the death of former student Nex Benedict. [The Norman Transcript]
Number of the Day
277,436
The total number of Oklahomans who selected or were automatically reenrolled into an Affordable Care Act established Health Insurance Marketplace medical plan through 2024. This represents about 7% of the state’s population. [KFF]
Policy Note
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