Oklahoma State Superintendent Claims Immediate Update to History Standards
State Superintendent Ryan Walters says his agency has updated school history standards to comply with President Donald Trump’s new executive order.
Walters issued a press release Thursday afternoon claiming Oklahoma is the first state to implement Trump’s order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and Mount Denali to Mount McKinley. According to the release, the updates are effective immediately.
But it’s unclear which standards have gotten the update.
The current standards from OSDE’s website remain the 2019 version, and it does not mention the Gulf or Denali. The announcement could refer to the proposed social studies standards up for revision this year, though it’s unclear what would be effective immediately.
The department did not return a request to clarify the announcement.
Latino Leaders Urge Calm Amid False Social Media Claims of ICE Presence in OKC
As headlines about President Trump's immigration policy roll-out, so does social media misinformation. Amidst online rumors of federal immigration authorities present in Oklahoma City, Latino community leaders say to stay calm and verify information.
Social media posts claiming federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents are patrolling Oklahoma City’s southside have started to surface, and so has the panic for many members of the Latino immigrant community who live in the area.
Sen. Michael Brooks represents a swath of Oklahoma City’s southside and runs a law office there. He says reports of ICE patrols around the state’s capitol city are false for now.
"Just because you see something on social media doesn't mean that it's true. It's important before you share something to try and verify it," Brooks said.
Brooks says Members of the Oklahoma immigrant community – Latinos or not – can find reliable and useful information by contacting the Oklahoma Legislative Latino Caucus on Facebook, WhatsApp and other mainstream platforms.
He says folks should remain skeptical when interacting with unvetted information online.
Oklahoma AG Sues CVS Caremark for Allegedly Underpaying Pharmacies on Prescriptions
Oklahoma's Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against CVS Caremark for allegedly underpaying pharmacies on prescription drugs.
The lawsuit filed by Attorney General Gentner Drummond will be the first case heard in the newly established Pharmacy Benefit Management Administrative Courts.
The lawsuit outlines 200 occurrences where 15 Oklahoma pharmacies were allegedly reimbursed lower than the cost of receiving the drug and violating state law.
In a release, Drummond says the pharmacies lost thousands of dollars filling patient's prescriptions and his office is working to hold pharmacy benefit managers accountable.
Pharmacies involved include Broken Arrow Family Drug who filled nearly half of the 200 prescriptions, United Discount Pharmacy, Thompson's Pharmacy and Medic Pharmacy at Hefner Pointe.
CVS Caremark denied the pharmacies' appeals after receiving their reimbursement and claiming a lower price was available.
Corrections Official Warns Drones Could Cause Problems For Prisons
The Oklahoma Corrections Director is concerned about drones smuggling in weapons and lifting inmates out of prisons.
Corrections Director Steven Harpe told a state senate committee he thinks he has a problem.
He cited a case in Georgia where a drone delivered a gun to a prisoner which was used to kill a corrections officer.
And Harpe said he has been shown drones which can actually help prisoners escape.
“One of them could carry a 222 pound man. There was another one that could carry a 300 pound man,” Harpe said.
On the other hand, Harpe wants the Corrections Department to start using drones for surveillance around prisons.
This story was produced by Sam Moore with News Gurus.
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