Stitt Denounces New Education Rule to Count Unauthorized Immigrants Enrolling in Oklahoma Schools
Gov. Kevin Stitt says he will not approve the new administrative rules passed by the state education board last month. It’s one of the reasons the governor replaced three board members this week.
At a Wednesday news conference at the Oklahoma State Capitol, Stitt called the new administrative rules requiring schools to count certain immigrant school children "unbelievable."
He said State Superintendent Ryan Walters’s use of children to win "political favor" and snag headlines is off the mark.
"Collecting data on kids and using them as political pawns is not something that helps law enforcement," Stitt said.
And Stitt said it isn’t helping school outcomes either. The recently released National Report Card showing Oklahoma’s academic overall outcomes are stagnant at best are proof of that.
Stitt says he won't completely rule out ICE operations in schools, but for now, the state board of education needs a fresh set of eyes.
As the governor was taking questions from reporters, Walters announced the launch of his personal "Trump advisory committee" with two of the ousted board members.
Oklahoma Attorney General Has A Warning For New Ed Board Members
Tensions are heating up between State Attorney General Gentner Drummond and Gov. Kevin Stitt.
Drummond comments Thursday target Stitt’s recent shakeup of the State Board of Education.
In a letter, Drummond welcomes Stitt’s move to remove three board members, but criticizes his judgment in endorsing State Superintendent Ryan Walters, who began his political career as a Stitt-appointed Secretary of Education.
Drummond urges the new board members to act independently of Stitt and Walters.
Drummond lists a slew of Walters’ perceived failures, including low national test scores, a bungled rollout of a school security grant program, denying access to lawmakers for board executive sessions, poor Open Records Act responses and more.
The letter comes two days after Drummond took to social media to repost Walters’ criticism of Stitt’s board shakeup.
In the repost, Drummond said, “Another one of my fellow Republicans finally took the red pill and now realizes what I’ve been saying all along: Kevin Stitt is not a true conservative.”
Tecumseh Schools Reevaluates Its “Savages” Mascot Following Public Opposition
The Tecumseh School Board is re-evaluating its Native-themed mascot after public outcry during a meeting this week.
Victor Cope is Potawatomi and Absentee Shawnee. He works as an Indian Education Director at Tecumseh Public Schools.
For years, he has advocated for the district to change its mascot despite taking pride in it when he was a student.
“Savage should not be, you know, even tied to a Native American hero that was only trying to be able to save the lives of Indian people,” Cope said.
While research has shown the negative effects Native-themed mascots can have on Indigenous youth, some do not see the harm. Instead, the mascot makes some alumni proud and could cost money to change.
In response to the outpour of opposition, the School Board released a statement noting board members will continue to seek feedback to decide whether to change the mascot.
OSU’s Interim President Outlines Priorities
Oklahoma State University Interim President Jim Hess began his new role this week.
Hess outlined his plans at a faculty council meeting Tuesday.
Hess said he’s prepared to make tough decisions to secure the university’s future. His top priorities include building a new veterinary medicine teaching hospital and increasing private scholarship funding.
When brought on, the OSU Board of Regents did not give him a timeline for its search for a permanent president.
Hess is the CEO of the OSU Veterinary Medicine Authority and Trust. He plans to work with legislators to secure funding for the new hospital. He emphasized there is only a narrow window of opportunity to move forward and urged that now is the time to act.
Hess said he intends to focus on private fundraising for student scholarships, a shift from former OSU President Kayse Shrum’s approach of requesting state funding to cover tuition waiver deficits.
He said the money could be used toward other university needs.
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