State Virtual Charter School Board Chair Refuses To Sign St. Isidore Contract
The chair of Oklahoma’s Statewide Virtual Charter School board says he’s not signing a contract authorizing the creation of the nation’s first taxpayer-funded religious school.
Robert Franklin was one of 2 “no” votes against the contract for the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual Charter School at the October 9 board meeting. The Tulsa World reported Monday Franklin says he believes signing the contract would violate his oath of office and he doesn’t want to put his name on a historical document.
Oklahoma’s attorney general has consistently made his position clear on the issue, saying the school’s creation would violate the state constitution and the Charter School Act. The AG’s office also advised the board before approving St. Isidore’s application this summer that a member wasn’t even eligible to vote yet. So that vote’s legitimacy, as well as subsequent decisions, are still in question.
Franklin says the board’s legal counsel told him it may be sufficient for the board’s three “yes” votes to sign the contract instead, but that’s complicated - after serving seven months, board member and yes vote Scott Strawn stepped down effective immediately at the end of the October board meeting.
TPS Board Delays Action On Charter School
Tulsa’s school board is delaying action on renewal for a popular proposed charter school.
The Tulsa World reports interim Superintendent Ebony Johnson withdrew the proposal over Tulsa Honor Academy’s High School allowing the board more time to review the reauthorization agreement.
Johnson didn’t elaborate on her decision for the delay at last night’s meeting where dozens of supporters of the charter school were attending.
The board previously tabled a three-year contract renewal at an Oct. 2 meeting after concerns about a racial slur being directed at Black students at the academy.
Enid Man Sentenced For Making Threats To Government Officials
A man from Enid was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for making online threats to multiple government officials from around the country.
In June, 36-year-old Tyler Jay Marshall was charged with one count of threatening to murder a United States official and another count of interstate transmission of threatening communications for posts he made on Twitter threatening to kill Governor Kevin Stitt, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, United States Senator Ted Cruz, and their families.
In August, Marshall pled guilty to the second charge and admitted he knew his posts would be perceived as real threats.
Last week, U.S. District Judge David Russell sentenced Marshall to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
'American Buffalo' Premiers On PBS
The new Ken Burns documentary "American Buffalo" screens on PBS stations—including OETA—this week.
Julianna Brannum is a citizen of the Comanche Nation. She worked on the documentary with Ken Burns and says they filmed all over — including Oklahoma, where the American bison is the state's official mammal.
"The film is a morality tale. It encompasses two very significant lessons that still resonate today," said Brannum, one of the consulting producers on the film. "How humans can damage the natural world also how we can work together to make choices to preserve the environment around us."
The documentary explores the history and significance of buffalo, from the animal's near extinction in the 19th century to its current status as a cultural icon and symbol of resilience.
The documentary premieres this week on local PBS stations around the country.
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