Legal Battle Over First Religious Charter School Heads to U.S. Supreme Court
The legal battle over what would be the country’s first publicly-funded religious charter school continues in the highest court in the land. And Oklahoma’s Gentner Drummond isn’t the only state attorney general interested.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled in June that the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma’s application for St. Isidore Virtual Charter School violates both state and U.S. constitutions.
Since then, parties in support of the virtual charter school have filed 12 briefs with the United States Supreme Court.
One such brief represents the interests of attorneys general in South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Texas and Utah.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson argues St. Isidore would not violate freedom of religion because it wouldn’t restrict religious expression.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has so far filed the lone opposition brief, arguing the state constitution prohibits use of public money to promote one religion.
Drummond opposes the state charter school board, State Superintendent Ryan Walters and Gov. Kevin Stitt.
KFOR Wins Legal Case Against State Department of Education
Oklahoma's oldest television station has won its legal battle with State Department of Education leaders.
KFOR TV in Oklahoma City reports a federal court approved an agreement Wednesday upholding the station's First Amendment rights.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters and his Press Secretary Dan Isett have agreed to allow KFOR journalists into all of the education department's news conferences and meetings.
The leaders have also agreed to pay attorney fees and damages of $17.91.... a symbolic amount as 1791 was the year the First Amendment to the U-S Constitution was ratified.
KFOR TV and The Institute For Free Speech took legal action in September.
The station said for months, its journalists were refused access to public State Board of Education meetings and excluded from Walters' news conferences.
Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board Schedules Underwood Clemency Hearing
The clemency hearing for confessed murderer Kevin Ray Underwood is rescheduled for this Friday, Dec. 13. But the meeting has not been confirmed.
Underwood’s execution scheduled for next week has been up in the air all month.
A shakeup of Oklahoma’s Pardon and Parole Board delayed the 44-year-old’s clemency hearing. That hearing is necessary before an execution, so Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board members want to come together ASAP.
The Oklahoma Open Meeting Act requires all public bodies to notify the Secretary of State about meetings 48 hours in advance.
The board put in a request for Friday. But, the rescheduled meeting will only move forward with a ruling from the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The change puts pressure on the appellate court to respond but does not have legal standing.
The Shawnee Tribe Revives Winter Storytelling Tradition
For the first time in decades, the Shawnee Tribe hosts a winter stories gathering.
Dozens of Shawnee citizens and friends of the community came together to listen and learn —many of them hearing cultural stories for the first time.
“Maybe 10 years ago or so, I didn't even know they existed. …I didn't know we told winter stories, said Joel Barnes, the Shawnee Tribe’s Language Immersion Program Director.
Barnes says that changed when he became familiar with Carl Voegelin’s transcriptions of Shawnee stories. After that, they were then taught in Shawnee language classes.
“We just want to make sure that we get these little winter stories out there so those kids can start learning about it, and that way help preserve those stories," said Barnes.
Barnes says the event is a testament to how far the language program has come, as all the stories were shared in both English and Shawnee.
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