Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission Removes Gov. Kevin Stitt - THE ROOT

Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission Removes Gov. Kevin Stitt

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt Booted From Tulsa Race Massacre Commission After Signing Anti-Critical Race Theory Legislation

Last week, The Root reported that Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law yet another Republican white fragility bill prohibiting teachings in K-12 schools that include conservative’s favorite new boogie man Critical Race Theory or any other race-based curriculum that causes “discomfort, guilt, anguish or psychological distress” to (white) students. The bill pushed by people whose salty white tears could fill the Georgia Aquarium was denounced by both the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education—but what the hell do they know? They’re only literal fucking educators—and the Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission, of which Stitt had the caucasity to be a member of...until now.

The Associated Press reports that the commission—which was formed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the day patriotic Americans decided that hundreds of Black people should die violently rather than be affluent and free—announced Friday that it removed Stitt from his seat on the panel because he doesn’t get to sign legislation than bans teaching about the brutality of whiteness in America while serving on a board that does just that.

I mean, the commission didn’t say all that, but we know that’s why Stitt got the boot.

From AP: CONTINUE READING: Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission Removes Gov. Kevin Stitt

MEGAN PRATHER: 'Where my beliefs are': Stitt hires, fires State Board of Education members

'Where my beliefs are': Stitt hires, fires State Board of Education members

‘Where my beliefs are’: Stitt hires, fires State Board of Education members

When Gov. Kevin Stitt’s most recent appointee to the State Board of Education, Trent Smith, successfully moved to approve a sweeping resolution about charter school funding at a March meeting in an effort to settle a 2017 lawsuit, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister called the move “unexpected.”

“This is a radical departure from following the law. Instead, it is really an outrageous step in creating law,” Hofmeister said, emphasizing that the Oklahoma Legislature is tasked with creating state statute regarding education policy. “That process has been stripped away and, instead, four Gov. Stitt appointees chose what they wanted and just did it.”

Hofmeister’s comments touched on a question that had been brewing for some time: Does the governor have too much influence in determining how State Board of Education members vote?

“We believe all appointed board members of state agencies should be acting in the best interest of Oklahomans,” said Alicia Priest, president of the Oklahoma Education CONTINUE READING: 'Where my beliefs are': Stitt hires, fires State Board of Education members

Oklahoma: A Sick Joke on the Public | Diane Ravitch's blog

Oklahoma: A Sick Joke on the Public | Diane Ravitch's blog

Oklahoma: A Sick Joke on the Public

You may recall that the Oklahoma State Board of Education recently voted 4-3 to allow charter schools to share in local tax revenues, over the opposition of State Commissioner Joy Hofmeister, who said that the decision might violate state law. You may also recall that the virtual charter school in Oklahoma called EPIC has been embroiled in scandal after scandal (just google “Oklahoma EPIC scandal” and you will get lots of references to allegations of theft, embezzlement, ghost students, etc.). For example, in fall 2020, the state auditor reported that EPIC owes the state $8.9 million for inaccurate reporting, improper transfer of funds, and a multitude of other egregious (you might say “epic”) calculations. That $8.9 million was the tip of a very large iceberg. The state auditor said that about 1 of every 4 dollars that the state paid to EPIC (a total of $458 million) was deposited as profit by the school’s owners. The story is breathtaking.

The Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee (PLAC) posted this on its Facebook page:

Oklahoma PLAC  Facebook post:

TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY???  Where art thou?

We’re wondering why State Board of Education member Jennifer Monies did not recuse herself during last week’s vote to settle a lawsuit that directly benefited another entity of which she serves as board member. She is both plaintiff and defendant in this case yet she still cast a CONTINUE READING: Oklahoma: A Sick Joke on the Public | Diane Ravitch's blog

The week in coveducation: Stitt outlines #oklaed goals

The week in coveducation: Stitt outlines #oklaed goals

The week in coveducation: Stitt outlines #oklaed goals

Monday, Feb. 1, marked the beginning of the 2021 legislative session, where Gov. Kevin Stitt used his State of the State address to touch on his goals for the Oklahoma education landscape.

Also this week — a superintendent at a Fairfax county school district has been suspended by the school’s board owing to new sanctions by federal and state education authorities.

Catch up on the week’s Oklahoma education news with this collection of headlines from reporters around the state.

Stitt pushes for changes to student transfer policy, funding formula

Stitt’s State of the State address referenced two of his #oklaed goals: changing the state’s school funding formula and creating a stronger and statewide open transfer policy for students between Oklahoma’s more than 500 school districts.

The Frontier’s Ben Felder reported that while schools are currently funded based off of the highest enrollment count for one of the past three years, Stitt wants the enrollment CONTINUE READING: The week in coveducation: Stitt outlines #oklaed goals

The week in coveducation: Stitt continues push for in-person learning

The week in coveducation: Stitt continues push for in-person learning

The week in coveducation: Stitt continues push for in-person learning

The State Board of Education is slated to hold its first meeting of 2021 at 10 a.m. Thursday with the Epic Charter Schools Board of Education scheduled to meet Monday evening.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, this week Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed former businessman and University of Oklahoma football player Trent Smith to the Board of Education and continued his push for open schools.

Catch up on the week’s Oklahoma education news with this collection of headlines from reporters around the state.

Stitt appoints new State Board of Education member

Trent Smith appointed to State Board of Education - https://nondoc.com/?p=20865 by @https://twitter.com/MeganPrather405 on @nondocmedia

On Friday, Gov. Kevin Stitt named former Oklahoma Employment Security Commission commissioner and former University of Oklahoma football player Trent Smith as his appointment to fill the vacant seat on the State Board of Education.

NonDoc reported that Smith will fill the seat for Congressional District 3, which was left vacant after Stitt removed Kurt Bollenbach from the board in December.

Smith said he is familiar with and supportive of Stitt’s goals for public education in the state, including Stitt’s statements that all students need to have an option for in-person instruction this year despite the pandemic.

Stitt pushes to open schools amid worsening pandemic CONTINUE READING: The week in coveducation: Stitt continues push for in-person learning

John Thompson in Oklahoma: Grifters Gonna Keep Grifting | Diane Ravitch's blog

John Thompson in Oklahoma: Grifters Gonna Keep Grifting | Diane Ravitch's blog

John Thompson in Oklahoma: Grifters Gonna Keep Grifting

John Thompson, historian and retired teacher, writes often about what is happening in Oklahoma. It is often not good for public schools and teachers because of the state’s awful legislature, controlled by oil-and-gas billionaire Harold Hamm, and its Republican Governor Kevin Stitt. The best education leader in the state is state Commissioner Joy Hofmeister, who continues to protect students and teachers from political shenanigans.

Here is the latest from Thompson:

As the COVID pandemic began in Oklahoma City, before Trumpian-style pressure to reopen bars, in-person restaurants and large gatherings, and before the resistance to masks and other public health tools sparked a super-spread, it looked like the public and nonprofit sectors were uniting in a team effort to protect public health. Clearly, online charter schools had advantages over traditional public schools in providing virtual and hybrid instruction, but there was reason to hope that the corporate reform wars could be put behind us (at least in terms of local charter leaders.)

The for-profit EPIC Charter Schools wasn’t likely to change its financial and political misbehavior, but its CONTINUE READING: John Thompson in Oklahoma: Grifters Gonna Keep Grifting | Diane Ravitch's blog

The week in coveducation: Board of Education appointee backs out, Epic updates

The week in coveducation: Board of Education appointee backs out, Epic updates

The week in coveducation: Board of Education appointee backs out, Epic updates

Gov. Kevin Stitt’s controversial appointee to the State Board of Education withdrew her name from consideration this week. Meanwhile, the Epic Charter Schools board approved more corrective actions surrounding the investigative audit of Epic One-on-One and Epic Blended, as well as noncompliance found in the federal programs monitoring of Epic Blended.

There’s a lot of Oklahoma education news to catch up on this week, and we’re trying to make it easy with this collection of headlines from reporters around the state, all in one place.

Stitt’s Board of Education appointee backs out

The Tulsa World’s Andrea Eger reported that Gov. Kevin Stitt blasted Democrats and teachers unions Monday after his appointee to the Oklahoma State Board of Education backed out amid criticism, which even came from nonpartisan groups.

Stitt abruptly gave the boot to state board member Kurt Bollenbach of Kingfisher on Dec. 3 and nominated in his place Enid resident Melissa Crabtree.

Crabtree made headlines in Enid earlier this year for founding a group to oppose city mandates for face masks and some elected officials who supported them.

SVCSB makes Phyllis Shepherd, Mathew Hamrick recuse on Epic matters CONTINUE READING: The week in coveducation: Board of Education appointee backs out, Epic updates

The week in coveducation: Stitt removes State Board of Education member

The week in coveducation: Stitt removes State Board of Education member

The week in coveducation: Stitt removes State Board of Education member

Following the Thanksgiving holiday, there’s a lot to catch up on in the Oklahoma education world, including Epic Charter Schools settling a 2019 legal claim and Gov. Kevin Stitt replacing a State Board of Education member.

Catch up on the Oklahoma education news you need with this weekly collection of headlines from reporters around the state.

Gov. Stitt replaces Board of Education member

Gov. Kevin Stitt abruptly replaced one of his own appointees to the Oklahoma State Board of Education this week.

The Tulsa World’s Andrea Eger reported Friday that Kurt Bollenbach of Kingfisher, whom Stitt appointed in April 2019 to serve a four-year term, was removed from the board and replaced by Enid resident Melissa Crabtree.

Bollenbach recently supported a high-profile move to recoup more than $11 million in state funding from Epic Charter Schools. He also supported a failed attempt to mandate CONTINUE READING: The week in coveducation: Stitt removes State Board of Education member