Hot-Button Education Bills
This year’s legislative session will see several hot-button education policy proposals.
Broken Arrow Republican Gabe Woolley is looking to pass House Bill 1165, which would require schools to obtain proof of citizenship or legal immigration status from students upon enrollment. Districts would submit a report with the number of students who did and did not provide the documentation.
As for library book battles, Senate Bill 19 by McCurtain Republican Warren Hamilton would require districts to submit a list of all materials and prohibit sexualized content. If in violation, they could receive an accreditation deficiency and a 5% funding reduction.
Transgender issues are also in the spotlight. Senate Bill 348 by Adair Republican Michael Bergstrom would require textbook review teams to only recommend books that say a person’s sex is an immutable biological trait. Elgin Republican Dusty Deevers’ Senate Bill 591 would prohibit school employees from addressing a student by a name other than their legal name or a pronoun inconsistent with their biological sex without parent permission.
Oklahoma AG Seeks Supreme Court Review of Birth Certificate Gender Case
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lower court decision on the state’s birth certificate policy.
Drummond’s petition asks the Supreme Court if the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause requires a state to change a person’s sex on their birth certificate to match their current gender identity.
This follows what he called “a wayward” decision by a federal appeals court last year, which ruled in favor of three transgender plaintiffs who alleged that Oklahoma’s approach violated the constitution.
The case is based on a 2021 executive order issued by Gov. Kevin Stitt, which banned amendments to birth certificates in any way that’s inconsistent with state statute.
According to court documents, an estimated 100 transgender people received Oklahoma birth certificates with amended sex designations from 2018 to 2021.
In his petition, Drummond argues the decision conflicts with another federal appeals court decision.
Federal Grant For Housing In Norman
The City of Norman will receive a $1 million federal grant for affordable housing efforts.
The city also plans to contribute $200,000.
The funding will support updates to regulations, developing pre-reviewed housing designs, and a parking study.
The city's plan is to increase affordable housing options and address housing barriers.
Proposed Amendment Could Pave Way for Religious School Vouchers, Norman Senator Warns
A Norman state senator thinks a proposed constitutional amendment is a way to provide state funding for religious schools.
The proposed amendment would strike the word “indirectly” from the prohibition on public money going to religious institutions in the Oklahoma Constitution.
Democratic Sen. Mary Boren thinks the intent is to allow publicly funded vouchers, which first go to parents, to then indirectly go to religious schools.
“It would crack the door open for religious school vouchers," Boren said.
Boren believes most Oklahomans don't want public funding of religious schools because a similar 2016 amendment was rejected by voters.
This story was produced by Sam Moore with News Gurus.
OSU Extension Launches AI Chatbot to Assist Growing Digital Audience
The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service has a new AI chatbot to reach more online users.
OSU Extension experts say the chatbot was developed to reach new people and connect with growing digital audiences.
To answer questions, it uses research from 30 state extension networks, including the OSU Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
It is paid for through the New Technologies in Ag Extension grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
The Extension’s AI program leader David Warren says many clients don’t visit extension offices in person.
While extension offices are open during business hours, he says people might have questions about how to plant a garden in the evening or over the weekend.
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