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ROPE/Chaffin Lawsuit Against Stillwater Public Schools – Request For Summary Judgement Heard Today

This beautiful October morning, Attorney Maria Seidler argued for Summary Judgement in the case of Brice Chaffin and ROPE v Stillwater Public Schools.

Yet another hurdle in the case of Brice Chaffin and ROPE against Stillwater Public Schools was met this morning (10.21.22).  

Back in July, we updated readers about our ongoing lawsuit against SPS filed on behalf of Brice Chaffin, a member of the district who had been removed from the podium during his public comment regarding the policy of SPS to allow boys in the girl’s bathrooms.  At that time, we were happy to report that Judge Kistler (Payne County Court) refused to dismiss our lawsuit against SPS, setting a further court date for today.

Don’t forget – all ROPE and Chaffin are asking for is a PUBLIC APOLOGY from SPS for their mistreatment of Chaffin.  We chose a motion of Summary Judgement (asking Judge Kistler to decide the case) to prevent further taxing the legal system, not because we didn’t believe we could win a jury trial.  Certainly we all believe we could.

This morning, Attorney, Maria Seidler, argued for the Judge to decide for our case, while SPS’s attorneys obviously argued for their side.  

We were hoping the judge would rule from the bench this morning, however, he chose to review the video of the meeting a further time before rendering a written judgement that will be sent to the attorneys representing the parties.

This was disappointing of course, as we would have liked to know the outcome of the case sooner rather than later, but Maria was eloquent in her arguments for our side and the SPS’s attorneys argument that Mr. Chaffin was an interruption to the School Board meeting that required removal action from the Board in order to proceed, rang inevitably hollow.  

Beginning to comment at 30 seconds into his 3 minute comment time, continuing to further interrupt Chaffin additional times and then having him escorted from the room via police escort couldn’t POSSIBLY have been any less of an interruption to Board business than simply letting Mr. Chaffin – who was fully civil and under his own self-possession – finish his 3 minute statement.

Certainly, as soon as we get word from the Judge regarding his decision, we will pass the information onto you.

In the meantime (and again), continue to think on these two things:

Taxpayers paid for TWO ATTORNEYS to deal with a lawsuit that could have been resolved via a PUBLIC APOLOGY for mistreatment of a parent and community member by SPS Board Members during one of their regularly scheduled open meetings.

How much money will it cost taxpayers – and how much will the ATTORNEYS MAKE OFF TAXPAYERS – to fight a suit in which SPS is clearly in the wrong and over a simple public apology?

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Sex Education – An Asset, Or A Liability, To Oklahoma Students?

In September (2022), Senator David Bullard asked me to do some research on Sex Education in Oklahoma for an Oklahoma House of Representatives Common Education Committee Interim Study on Sex Education created by himself and Representatives Sherrie Conley and Danny Williams. Senator Bullard didn’t provide instruction as to what the research should say, just to perform the research.

Candidly, though no scientific researcher worth their salt should, I began the project believing that Sex Education was a liability to Oklahoma students simply because of my history.

I am Oklahoma born (1962) and bred; the child of a public school English teacher and a student of public education throughout the 1970’s, graduating one of the largest, Oklahoma City high schools (John Marshall) in 1981. I remember all 6th grade girls (it couldn’t have been 5th grade because we were all bussed clear across town to provide Oklahoma students ‘equity’ that year) being drug into a darkened room and shown a film about the basic anatomy of a girl which included a bit about puberty and menstruation. I remember nothing similar over my entire public school career.

I’m not a spring chicken. Growing up, we didn’t have the internet and our TV screens went dark after a round of the Star Spangled Banner at midnight each day, playing nothing but the call sign and white noise until 5 am the next morning.

Sex, however, was on the mind of most every student I knew after 7th grade in one way or another. Yet for my girlfriends and I, discussions about ‘sex’ were mostly confined to what guy was the cutest or could be the best kisser and who would we marry – at least until high school. Even then, between what parents had actually told one or two of us and what had been passed around at school from other sources, by 10th grade we’d figured out nearly every gory detail about sex whether we were interested or not, or whether or not we would – or could – bring ourselves to actually do anything about what we’d found out. Even if we’d wanted to try, most all our mothers were at home during the day, so finding someplace to go where we wouldn’t be found out was gross and not a risk any of us were willing to take.

Yes, I did know a girl who got pregnant in high school, but there was never a ‘rash of pregnancies’ in any of my grades. No, though there was always scuttlebutt in the halls, I never knew anyone who admitted to being gay while in high school. In fact, the vast majority of us had no idea what a ‘transgender’ person was – nor any of the other gender categories identified today – and all our school ‘clubs’ were related to either sports, academics, or the arts. Most kids were NOT having sex and those who were, were branded a ‘slut’, or ‘easy’ behind their back and just the idea of having one of those nouns attached to your name was not okay with even the wildest child . (During my high school career, the rural guys all carried shotguns or rifles in racks on their back window and school shootings were exactly ZERO, FYI.)

Today, life is massively different for kids in every single way; nearly all children are exposed to non-stop media across all levels of technology – be it a computer, a computer pad or a cell phone – on a daily, minute-to-minute basis. Most kids are ‘latch key’ kids whose parents both work and are – on some level – raising themselves. Gone are the days of kids getting information from kids – who more than likely got it from a parent or an older sibling. If parents aren’t using really great software filters – and sometimes even if they are – the internet and computer apps are flooding kids with messaging, pictures and ideas meant to be way beyond their abilities to decode at their developmental states in attempt to destroy their innocence and create little sexualized automatons who feel more than think and have minimal attachment to their parents (and certainly none to Jesus).

Meanwhile public school, administrators – many of whom live on their woke-sy hatred of the idea of ‘shame’ as a motivator (probably because it’s actually worked for hundreds of years and produced many times less suicides than gender transition surgery) – are dutifully marching the Marxist line of pushing and accepting every form of behavior known to man, with, or without the knowledge of a parent or guardian, in order to most effectively sever the tie between parent and child while inserting the state into that role.

Consequently, who could really determine how or where young people are influenced by sex most today – technology, or the state (through public education).

HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health Adolescent Sexual Health in Oklahoma report for 2021, STD rates are climbing at an alarming rate while pregnancy rates are falling.

On a side note, there is a HUGE difference between pregnancy rates and percentage of pregnancy. A pregnancy ‘rate’ is a function of time – the number of pregnancies per the population number studied across a span of time usually multiplied by 1000. Pregnancy percentage is simply the number of pregnancies in an age rage divided by the total number in the age range multiplied by 100. Pregnancy RATES are MUCH LARGER than pregnancy percentages which is VERY MISLEADING. For example; for 1991 the teen birth RATE in the age group 15-17 is 41. The percentage of pregnant girls between 15 and 17 for 1991 is 5.7% or 0.057 of the entire 15-17 population of young women in Oklahoma during 1991. What sounds scarier? The first or the second?

Additionally, when you look at that page on the Oklahoma State Department of Health website, you’ll notice that the date across which birth rates are compared becomes more recent in time. Where are the stats across more than one decade? Where are the stats from MY era? Why continue to move up the date for comparison to current time? Do you suppose it suits the needs of Health Department programming NOT to have to show linear, historical data from previous decades?

Public health officials (I was an Epidemiologist for the Oklahoma Health Department from 1990-1992 so I have a bit of a clue) are often in the business of pushing PROGRAMMING to justify taxpayer dollars, not protecting individual rights – we should keep that in mind.

https://oklahoma.gov/health/health-education/children—family-health/maternal-and-child-health-service/data-and-evaluation/teen-birth-statistics.html
https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/health/health2/documents/teenbirthreport-2016-revsed-8-2017.pdf

We know that the ‘evidence based’ sex ed programs being used in Oklahoma, Making a Difference!, Making Proud Choices!, Love Notes and Positive Prevention PLUS are being provided by the Oklahoma State Department of Health thanks to a grant provided by PREP (Personal Responsibility Education Program) via the US Department of Health and Human Services, Family and Youth Services Bureau (an Office of the Administration for Children & Families) – did you get all that? In other words, the federal government is subsidizing Oklahoma sex ed through the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

We know that ETR provides these – and other – sex ed curricula.

https://www.etr.org/

We also know that etr advocates engaging in sex with HIV-infected persons.

https://www.etr.org/blog/get-prepped-tips-for-giving-your-sexual-health-toolbox-a-glow-up/

We know that Planned Parenthood teaches that abstinence can include “outercourse” which is everything but vaginal sex and that kids should try and ‘avoid’ sexually transmitted diseases.

We know that an organization called “Amplify” out of Tulsa also provides all of these programs – and more – to Tulsa area public schools. According to their website, “Evidence-Based Sexual Health education is being taught to every student enrolled in 7th-grade science and high school biology at Tulsa Public Schools unless a parent opts their student out.”

We know that Amplify partners with Planned Parenthood and PREP. We know that PREP is an activist organization which pushes abortion and contraception.

We know that the PREP website prominently provides access to a newsletter called “The Bedsider” and the “Abortion Finder”.

Family Watch International has created a website against Comprehensive Sex Education that provides many valuable resources for parents concerned about sex education in their child’s school.

One of their handouts lists numerous harmful effects of sex education on children under 18, many of which were covered in my research and discussed during my presentation to the Interim Study Committee. Here is the list: it sexualizes children, teaches children to consent to sex, normalizes anal and oral sex, promotes homosexual/bisexual behavior, teaches children sexual pleasure, promotes solo or mutual masturbation, eroticizes condom use, promotes early sexual independence, fails to establish abstinence as the goal, promotes gender confusion, teaches abortion/contraception, promotes peer-to-peer sex ed/sexual rights advocacy, undermines traditional values and beliefs, violates or undermines parental rights and refers children to harmful resources.

Sex Education in Oklahoma schools should be stopped IMMEDIATELY. Parents must be allowed to parent their own children without interference from the state, and state-promoted sex education puts the state between a child and their parent. Yes, parents in Oklahoma may ‘opt out’ of sex education, however, just like opting out of dirty literature, students feel intense peer pressure from having been excluded and are often targeted for bullying by teachers and school administrators. Please look through the citations provided and like and share our video and slide presentation as well.

You may also find these – and other videos – on our Rumble and YouTube channels as well.

CITATIONS

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PARENTS – Be Informed About Any Sex Ed Curricula Your Child May Be Getting At School! State Laws Included For Reference.

Frequently, we receive questions from parents as to whether or not their children may be opted out of Sex Ed courses – the answer is YES.

Because Sex Ed curricula is being bombarded onto your child in different ways through public school programs, I thought it might be nice to publish the state laws regarding Sex Ed in order to be clear about what IS and ISN’T to be taught.

First of all, please know, that as a parent, you have the right and responsibility to remove your child from ANY teaching that you believe undermines your rights as a parent to educate your child within your family’s values.  Write a note to your child’s teacher, the Principal and the Superintendent simply saying something like; 

“I reserve my right as a parent to remove _____ from ____ class for the reason that it undermines my family’s values, Signed _____”

You can do the same thing for a class assignment or book reading – YOU are the PARENT, not the state.  It is of absolute importance that you take this right seriously and assert your rights when necessary.

Next, please also know that Oklahoma schools are not mandated to teach Sex Ed programming and where it is, it must be taught with ABSTINENCE as the PRIMARY GOAL.  This is important because organizations like SEICUS (Sex Ed For Social Change) are working to make the most graphic Sex Ed programs available to your child – especially within state schools.

This year, the Oklahoma Health Department (OSDH) has received funding from PREP (Personal Responsibility Education Program), a 501c3 non-profit somehow affiliated with the federal government, of a bit over $600,000.  According to the OSDH website, they are providing schools with four separate ‘evidence-based’ sexual education programs – all produced by a company called ETR (Education, Training and Research); Making a Difference, Making Proud Choices, Love Notes and Positive Prevention Plus. 

Above is the PREP website homepage.  Please note the ‘abortionfinder’ in the upper right corner next to the ‘bedsider’.  The Bedsider is an online magazine that only deals with sex issues.  Mind you, this ‘magazine’ is linked to a YOUTH SEX EDUCATION provider.  Here’s a screenshot from down further on the page.

Because what parent doesn’t want their child subscribing to ‘Frisky Fridays‘ and  learning about sex toys?

A group in Tulsa, Amplify – whose mission and vision are; “Advancing youth sexual health and well-being through collaboration, education and advocacy”, “Informed Youth, Equitable Access, Vibrant Communities” – provides all four programs found on the OSDH website along with training and support.

I was unable to find anything about these programs but brochures – which appear nearly harmless.  The descriptions posted on the Amplify website also set off no alarm bells at all.  I was only able to find them on the ETR website for PURCHASE.  There were no samples to see but the Table of Contents.

Family Watch International apparently ordered  facilitator guides for several of the curricula, however, and posted a PDF of several pictures from two of the guides.

The one for Making Proud Choices (provided by Amplify and the OKDH) is alarming.  Here is the page on the ETR website.  Below is a screenshot of the FWI PDF.

Not very ‘ABSTINENCE’-friendly at all.

This is exactly why parents need to get involved and ASK TO SEE WHAT THE SCHOOL IS TEACHING THEIR CHILDREN – and make sure to ask to see the FACILITATOR’S GUIDE, not just the lessons – which, beyond making 12-year-olds fully aware of sexual issues they are not developmentally ready for – are relatively tame.

In closing, PARENTS are the people who should be informing their children about every issue they encounter – even if you need an ‘easy button’ because they’re uncomfortable.  Get a book from Amazon to help you – or carefully check one out of the library – that might give you a start, but don’t leave this very important job up to Kaiser-funded non-profits and state schools that don’t have the same investment in your children you do.

Check out this website for more information.  It provides a long list of the harmful effects sex education can have on children – one of which reminds us that the ‘consent’ portion added to the sex ed curricula in Oklahoma (proposed by Kay Floyd – a Democrat – but was passed by a Republican legislature), teaches children to consent to sex.

PLEASE NOTE! Your school MUST “conduct for the parents and guardians of the students involved during weekend and evening hours at least one presentation concerning the curriculum and materials that will be used for such education”, in terms of AIDS Education – AND – your school Superintendent (or designee of the school district) MUST “provide prior written notification to the parents or guardians of the students involved of their right to inspect the curriculum and material and of their obligation to notify the school in writing if they do not want their child to participate in the class, program, test, survey or questionnaire.”

If your school/Superintendent does not do either of these things, you can SUE the school for breech of duty and not following the law.

OKLAHOMA LAW

AIDS PREVENTION EDUCATION: OS 70 Section 11-103.3

A. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention education shall be taught in the public schools of this state. AIDS prevention education shall be limited to the discussion of the disease AIDS and its spread and prevention. Students shall receive such education:

1. at the option of the local school district, a minimum of once during the period from grade five through grade six;

2. a minimum of once during the period from grade seven through grade nine; and

3. a minimum of once during the period from grade ten through grade twelve.

B. The State Department of Education shall develop curriculum and materials for AIDS prevention education in conjunction with the State Department of Health. A school district may also develop its own AIDS prevention education curriculum and materials. Any curriculum and materials developed for use in the public schools shall be approved for medical accuracy by the State Department of Health. A school district may use any curriculum and materials which have been developed and approved pursuant to this subsection.

C. School districts shall make the curriculum and materials that will be used to teach AIDS prevention education available for inspection by the parents and guardians of the students that will be involved with the curriculum and materials. Furthermore, the curriculum must be limited in time frame to deal only with factual medical information for AIDS prevention. The school districts, at least one (1) month prior to teaching AIDS prevention education in any classroom, shall conduct for the parents and guardians of the students involved during weekend and evening hours at least one presentation concerning the curriculum and materials that will be used for such education. No student shall be required to participate in AIDS prevention education if a parent or guardian of the student objects in writing to such participation.

D. AIDS prevention education shall specifically teach students that:

1. engaging in homosexual activity, promiscuous sexual activity, intravenous drug use or contact with contaminated blood products is now known to be primarily responsible for contact with the AIDS virus;

2. avoiding the activities specified in paragraph 1 of this subsection is the only method of preventing the spread of the virus;

3. sexual intercourse, with or without condoms, with any person testing positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies, or any other person infected with HIV, places that individual in a high risk category for developing AIDS.

E. The program of AIDS prevention education shall teach that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain means for the prevention of the spread or contraction of the AIDS virus through sexual contact. It shall also teach that artificial means of birth control are not a certain means of preventing the spread of the AIDS virus and reliance on such methods puts a person at risk for exposure to the disease.

F. The State Department of Health and the State Department of Education shall update AIDS education curriculum material as newly discovered medical facts make it necessary.

CURRICULUM AND MATERIALS USED IN SEX EDUCATION CLASS: OS70 Section 11-105.1

1. A. All curriculum and materials including supplementary materials which will be used to teach or will be used for or in connection with a sex education class or program which is designed for the exclusive purpose of discussing sexual behavior or attitudes, or any test, survey or questionnaire whose primary purpose is to elicit responses on sexual behavior or attitudes shall be available through the superintendent or a designee of the school district for inspection by parents and guardians of the student who will be involved with the class, program or test, survey or questionnaire. Such curriculum, materials, classes, programs, tests, surveys or questionnaires shall include information about consent and shall have as one of its primary purposes the teaching of or informing students about the practice of abstinence. For the purposes of this section, “consent” shall have the same meaning as that provided by Section 113 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The superintendent or a designee of the school district shall provide prior written notification to the parents or guardians of the students involved of their right to inspect the curriculum and material and of their obligation to notify the school in writing if they do not want their child to participate in the class, program, test, survey or questionnaire. Each local board of education shall determine the means of providing written notification to the parents and guardian which will ensure effective notice in an efficient and appropriate manner. No student shall be required to participate in a sex education class or program which discusses sexual behavior or attitudes if a parent or guardian of the student objects in writing to such participation. If the type of program referred to in this section is a part of or is taught during a credit course, a student may be required to enroll in the course but shall not be required to receive instruction in or participate in the program if a parent or guardian objects in writing.

B. The superintendent or a designee of a school district in which sex education is taught or a program is offered which is designed for the exclusive purpose of discussing sexual behavior or attitudes shall approve all curriculum and materials which will be used for such education and any test, survey or questionnaire whose primary purpose is to elicit responses on sexual behavior or attitudes used in the school prior to their use in the classroom or school. The teacher involved in the class, program, testing or survey shall submit the curriculum, materials, tests or surveys to the superintendent or a designee for approval prior to their use in the classroom or school. This section shall not apply to those students enrolled in classes, programs, testings or surveys offered through an alternative education program.

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Judge Denies Stillwater Public School’s Dismissal Request – ROPE/Chaffin Lawsuit Scheduled for Pre-Trial Hearing in November

In an awesome victory for ROPE’s case with Stillwater parent Brice Chaffin against Stillwater Public Schools (SPS) and Stillwater School Board members filed May 4th (2022), Maria Seidler successfully argued against the dismissal of our lawsuit requested of the court by SPS.  ROPE and Chaffin, led by attorney Seidler, will meet SPS again in court in November for a pre-trial hearing.

Friday, July 22 (2022) at 9:00am, approximately 12-15 members of the Stillwater community, Brice Chaffin, ROPE Board Members Nancy Blalock and Tracey Montgomery, Attorney Maria Seidler and I waited in courtroom 302 of the Payne County Courthouse for Judge Kistler to hear our response to the dismissal request by Stillwater Public Schools of our lawsuit against SPS and individual SPS Board Members.

Attorney Maria Seidler with members of the Stillwater Community inside
Payne County Courthouse after court concluded

Attorney Maria Seidler won her argument against the dismissal request of SPS by pleading that the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act does provide a mechanism by which a party can initiate a lawsuit for relief of violations of their religious freedom.

Though Judge Kistler did remove ‘The Board’ as a collective from the lawsuit, the Stillwater Public Schools District and each individual Board Member – in their role as SPS Board Member – involved in the meeting the night of April 12, 2022 when Brice Chaffin was removed from the podium by Stillwater police for reciting scripture, will remain in the suit.

Jenni White, ROPE President, Brice Chaffin, Parent, Tracey Montgomery,
ROPE Parental Rights Director, Nancy Blalock, ROPE Treasurer

This was excellent news.  The public elects each individual Board Member and every member of the public should expect that each individual school board member will follow the Constitution and the laws of the State of Oklahoma in commission of their duties as they are sworn to do when taking their seat on the Board.

A rather jaw-dropping moment occurred in the courtroom after the Judge denied the dismissal and declared a pre-trial hearing would be scheduled for November.  One of SPS’ attorneys (there were two) addressed the judge.  He noted that the specific school board meeting addressed by the ROPE/Chaffin lawsuit had been recorded and widely disseminated.  He then told the Judge that SPS did not want a jury trial.

Gosh, why could that be?  The fact that if a jury had to rule on the way SPS School Board Members treated Chaffin based on the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act during that meeting it would result in a slam dunk decision in our favor?  Most likely, yes.

ROPE and Chaffin are asking for nothing more in the lawsuit than for a public apology to be made to Chaffin and fees to reimburse attorney Seidler.  We are not asking for anything else.

Here are a couple things to think about:

  • Taxpayers paid for TWO ATTORNEYS to deal with a lawsuit that could have been resolved via a PUBLIC APOLOGY for mistreatment of a parent and community member by SPS Board Members during one of their regularly scheduled open meetings.
  • How much money will it cost taxpayers – and how much will the ATTORNEYS MAKE OFF TAXPAYERS – to fight a suit in which SPS is clearly in the wrong and over a simple public apology?

Government schools are out of control.  Parents know this, but many don’t know what to do about it, or want to overlook the fact because they don’t want to go against teachers and administrators who might single out their child for retribution.  

Hopefully – if we win the lawsuit and SPS is forced to publicly apologize – it will go a long way toward giving accountability of school board members back to their communities and the citizens who elect them.

The only way it doesn’t, is if parents and citizens don’t capitalize on the win and work to hold their own school boards just as accountable for their behavior.

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Part 2: Senator Jake Merrick’s Loss Engineered At The Hands of Oklahoma’s School Choice (Voucher) Cabal Who Helped Spend Nearly 350 Thousand Dollars To Elect His Opponent

While every political campaign has numerous points for failure from fundraising to voter contact, a post mortem of Jake Merrick’s re-election campaign shows that a combination of dark money and redistricting probably did more than anything to sink the re-election campaign of a fine man and public servant.

When I wrote Part 1 of the series, I reported that OCPA, through their Dark Money group Catalyst Oklahoma, had spent $50,620 FOR Merrick’s challenger, Kristen Thompson after spending over $100,000 FOR Merrick’s special election through their dark money group People for Opportunity last year.

I also reported that Senator Merrick – while voting yes in the Senate Education Committee – voted no on the Senate floor on the extremely contentious bill – SB1647 – which would provide publicly funded vouchers to private schools.

INDIVIDUAL CAMPAIGN DONATIONS

Searching the Oklahoma Ethics Commission website is painstaking, but not hard. 

According to Kristen Thompson’s campaign Pre-Primary Ethics Commission report, she had a bit over sixty thousand dollars in her campaign account.

According to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, Jake Merrick had a little over $12 thousand dollars.

According to records posted to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission website, Kristen Thompson’s campaign contributions have been a ‘who’s who’ of Oklahoma School Choice (voucher) proponents and Big Government Republicans.  For information;  individuals can donate up to $2,900 per candidate, unlimited committees $5000 and limited committees $2500. 

Lucia Frohling and Jill Shero both work for ECKO – Every Kid Counts – an organization run by Education Secretary Ryan Walters which supports school choice, including vouchers.

Ryan Martinez wrote a $1,000 check from his campaign account (Friends of Ryan Martinez) to Thompson’s campaign in December of 2021.  Martinez is a Representative from the Edmond area who was the House Chair – along with Senator Lonnie Paxton, the Senate Chair – of the state’s legislative redistricting efforts.  In March, Friends of Ryan Martinez donated another $1,700 to Thompson.

Mike Cantrell – an originator of Oklahoma Energy Resources Board (OERB) and an 11-year member of the Board of EPIC Charter Schools, who left the Board as depositions began for the criminal investigation which culminated in the arrest of EPIC’s founders, David Cheney and Ben Harris for alleged embezzlement of state tax dollars, donated $1,000. 

Josh Cockroft – Governor Stitt’s Political Director.

Glenn Coffee – former Oklahoma Senator and Pro Temp and General Counsel for the Oklahoma State Chamber who was implicated in the Joy Hofmeister/Fount Holland conspiracy to coordinate with an independent campaign working for her election against former State Superintendent Janet Barresi. 

Jim Dunlap – A long-time lobbyist in Oklahoma. 

Donelle Harder – who has worked for Governor Stitt – by way of Washington, D.C. – in several capacities and currently manages his 2022 re-election campaign. 

Linda Huggard – a long-time Oklahoma Republican party member gave the maximum allowed for an individual donor – $2900.00.

Chris Kannady, an attorney and State Representative for Cleveland County wrote a check from his campaign account (Friends of Chris Kannady) for $1500 to Thompson’s campaign.  Kannady told the New York Times that he had led an effort to purge then-elected Republicans from the State House in 2018 because they were a “cancer” to the Party. In July, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission made public that it will sue the Conservative Alliance PAC, from which dark money donated via the Prosperity Alliance was used to oust as many as 11 Conservative House members that year.  His campaign pays a consultant called the James Martin Company LLC, owned by Jenna Worthen, wife of Trebor Worthen, former partner with Fount Holland of AH Strategies, an organization who, with client Joy Hofmeister, was charged in a 2016 dark money scheme to oust former State Superintendent Janet Barresi.  Today, Trebor runs Sooner State Leadership, a 501C4 dark money group running adds against Governor Kevin Stitt.  Kannady also apparently works with CAMP (Campaign Advocacy Management Professionals), run by Worthen’s former partner, Fount Holland.  Just a quick glance Kannady’s campaign account is eye-opening.  For the first filing period in 2022, Kannady had $341,154.42 and his contributions are a “who’s who” of Oklahoma and national PACs including $10,000 of donations from the OKC Fraternal Order of Police $5,000 and Marathon PAC $5,000. 

Trent Smith, the CEO of Accentra, is also co-owner of Sooner Medical Staffing with House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols and was appointed to the Oklahoma State School Board by Governor Kevin Stitt. 

Republican House member Preston Stinson donated $1,000 to Thompson via his campaign fund – Stinson for House.  Stinson was prominently featured in the state audit against EPIC Charter Schools management organization, Community Strategies.  Ben Harris appointed Stinson to the Community Strategies Board – the governing body for Epic One-on-One Charter School and Epic Blended Charter School in 2016 – and later Community Strategies-CA, alleged to be the ‘shell’ company used by Epic Youth Services through which to receive management fees from Epic California creating profits for Harris and Chaney (#49 of Affidavit of Probable Cause).  Preston Stinson received 55% of all campaign donations from EPIC founders and family for his 2020 campaign for the House of Representatives.

Former one-term State Superintendent Janet Barresi not only donated the $2,900 maximum to Kristen Thompson, she introduced her at an Oklahoma Conservative PAC meeting where Kristen shared her message with the audience AFTER OCPAC had committed to endorsing Jake Merrick again for his second campaign for Senate.  Fully committed to Common Core during her tenure as State Superintendent, ROPE was nevertheless able to help repeal the bill mandating Common Core in 2014. 

Jennifer Carter, former Cheif of Staff for Superintendent Janet Barresi is now the Oklahoma liaison for the American Federation for Children – an organization fronted by the DeVos Foundation to push school choice (vouchers) across the country.  Jennifer’s husband Ray Carter writes for the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs – an organization working for vouchers – recently in the news for its alleged mis-treatment of the wife of House of Representatives member and attorney, Anthony Moore.  Moore’s wife dismissed the filed Victim Protective Orders after the primary election.  

The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber PAC provided $1,500.

The State Chamber PAC kicked in $1,000.

Friends of Anthony Moore – who now has had an Oklahoma Bar Association complaint filed against him by OCPA President Jonathan Small for the VPO’s filed by his wife prior to the primary – donated $1,000 from his campaign fund (Friends of Anthony Moore 2022).

OKC Firefighters Association PAC Fund – $5,000.

Turnaround Team Pac donated $1,500 to Thompson.  Governor Stitt has frequently called his first four years the “Oklahoma Turnaround”.  In fact, his latest TV ads for his re-election campaign prominently feature this concept.  The Oklahoma Ethics Commission filing for Thompson list a PO box in Jenks, Oklahoma as the PAC’s address.  It is listed as an ‘unregistered’ PAC and there is no filing for the PAC with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, but Turnaround Team PAC is registered with the FEC in Newport, Kentucky.  The treasurer for the PAC is listed as Kevin Broghamer from Newport, Kentucky, who is also the registered treasurer for Governor Stitt’s Oklahoma campaign account.  As of 7/14/22, the PAC has $110,000.  Donors include;

REDISTRICTING

For the past year, the House and Senate worked on re-drawing House and Senate districts across the state.  This is done every 10 years in conjunction with the collection and distribution of the decade’s CENSUS data.  Here is a picture of Merrick’s original district with the new district transposed over the top with red.

Note the approximate location of Merrick’s house (the small red dot nearly on the new southern district line) – especially compared with before.  Prior to re-districting, Merrick’s neighbors could vote for Merrick.  Now, only the neighbors to the north had that opportunity.  Truly very odd.  

It almost seems as though the powers that be wanted to re-district Merrick right out of his district.  Losing a large chunk of voters with whom Merrick lived and already had voter recognition was tough.  

With 9,485 votes in the election, Merrick lost to Thompson by 833.  Merrick won Canadian county by 210 votes (total voters 3,036), but was beaten soundly in Oklahoma County by 1,043 (3,746 to 2,603 – total voters 6,449).  Merrick had an uphill battle when most of the voters in this election were in Thompson’s backyard.

PACS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

These PACS spent money FOR Thompson (except Job Creators Action Fund).

These PACS spent money AGAINST Merrick.  There was no PAC spending FOR Merrick.

The School Freedom Fund, is a dark money super PAC that is registered by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).  It was given $15 million dollars by the founder of the PAC, Jeff Yas, a resident of Pennsylvania who earned his billions via gambling and playing the stock market.  Yas did not donate money to Trump, but to libertarian, Gary Johnson, but he is a rabid supporter of “school choice” and donates frequently to “school choice” PACS.

{Interestingly, OCPAC’s Bob Linn, quotes Jeff Yas in the OCPAC email of July 11th 2022 where he touts the “money following the kid” (vouchers).}

A large chunk of School Freedom funds have been donated to the Protect Freedom PAC and the Club For Growth. 

In Oklahoma, according to the Ethics Commission, the Chairperson for the School Freedom Fund is David McIntosh whose email url reads “clubforgrowth.org”.

Also according to Ethics Commission reports, the School Freedom Fund PAC spent $75,206 FOR Thompson and $119,546.23 AGAINST Merrick.

Then, there’s Common Sense Conservatives, LLC.  Here is the address for the PAC.

Yup.  A Reesor’s parking lot. 

There is no email listed for the Director whose name is simply listed as “Walt Lowe”.  

There are a couple Walter Lowe’s in Tulsa, but not anyone who stood out as being someone associated with a PAC – like an attorney.  I have tried the number listed on the PAC and it does not work (1-918-236-6078) it’s a constant busy signal as though it’s not a working number.  I have checked the Oklahoma Secretary of State website for the LLC.  Guess what?  Big shocker there – nothing listed.  I even tried the FEC and there’s no listing there either.  It’s an LLC – according to the Ethics Commission website, so I wouldn’t be able to locate it on the IRS website for non-profit filings.  I can’t locate it under “Committees”, I can only find it under “Independent Expenditures”.  I’m so mad about it, I filed an Ethics Complaint on the PAC 7/20/22.

Common Sense Conservative (FAKE) PAC spent $66,310 on Digital Ads through an organization in Tennessee called Counterpoint Messaging LLC AGAINST Merrick.

In fact, this PAC spent $207,592.17 against a whole slew of candidates – J.J. Stitt and Brady Butler running against Darcy Jech in SD26, Chris Toney running against Brenda Stanley in SD42, Deb Campbell and Jennifer Sengstock in HD50 against Marcus McEntire, Ron Lynch in HD60 running against Rhonda Baker and Karmin Grider running in an open seat for HD31.  ALL candidates but Grider lost.  Grider is in a run-off.

In total, PACS spent $158,615.17 FOR Thompson and $185,856.23 AGAINST Merrick, meaning that Thompson benefitted from a WHOPPING $344,471.40.  

What in the world?  Sadly, how is Kristen Thompson not a bought and paid for candidate by special interest dark money PACS whether she means to be or not?  The fact that Oklahoma elections can be BOUGHT like this should concern every voter in the state, not just those in SD22.

WHY DARK MONEY PACS WORK

Most voters don’t work to be educated about issues or candidates.  They don’t study candidates or even subscribe to organizations from which they could get an idea of what issues candidates stand for.  Consequently, when they see an ad on Facebook calling Jake Merrick a “fake Republican who supported government overreach”, they’re likely not going to look up his voting record, emotions will kick in and Jake will get kicked to the curb.  Same with the crazy mailers Fount Holland and his buddies make up.  

Former state Senator Ron Sharp knows how this system works all too well.  He was attacked by the “school choice” crowd using EPIC money and lost his seat to Shane Jett in 2020. 

WHY CAMPAIGN ACCOUNTS SHOULD BE BARRED FROM CONTRIBUTING TO EACH OTHER

Note the number of campaign accounts listed in Thompson’s contribution reports: 

  1. Friends of Anthony Moore
  2. Friends of Chris Kannady
  3. Friends of Ryan Martinez
  4. Stinson for House 2022

Four separate campaigns donated to Thompson.  Let’s say I donated to Friends of Anthony Moore.  I expected that money to go to support his election/re-election campaign, I didn’t expect he would donate my funds to another candidate I might not like instead.

Truly, this is a form of money laundering.  Money comes into the campaign for campaign expenses, but it’s then donated to another campaign who then donates it to another.  Where is accountability in this round robin?  If an elected official wants to donate to a campaign.  It should be out of their own pocket, not out of funds citizens provide in good faith that it will be used for their campaigns.

HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM

Though this month (7/22) the Ethics Commission recently shut down arguably the most influential PAC in Oklahoma – the Senate Republican PAC – due to ethics violations, over the years, the legislature has taken away more and more of the Commission’s ability to preside over dark money and other campaign issues.  

If we are to take back our elections and elect candidates we want representing our community instead of people from out of state willing to throw around truckloads of cash to get candidates elected to forward their agendas in our legislature, or the school choice voucher cabal here in Oklahoma who use in-state and out-of-state donors to push their political will, we must give the Ethics Commission the tools they need to fight for campaign accountability.

Nothing beats an educated voter, but until we have a million of those, we need an Ethics Commission armed and ready to beat back unethical campaign behavior to keep good candidates like Jake Merrick from being steamrolled out of office.

Explain to your legislator that Oklahoma absolutely must give the Ethics Commission the ability to prosecute any electioneering that occurs against Ethics rules and ask them to sponsor legislation next year toward that end. 

It’s our only hope.

——————–

FYI:  CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THOMPSON: Catalyst Oklahoma $50,620, School Freedom Fund $75,206, American Energy Action Fund $9,862, Job Creators Action Network $22,927.17 

CONTRIBUTIONS AGAINST MERRICK: School Freedom Fund $119,546.23, Common Sense Conservatives $66,310

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Dr. April Grace Should NOT Be Elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction for These Reasons

Unfortunately, Ron Arthur was a coach in the Shawnee Public School system for years while charges of sexually inappropriate behavior with students were alleged but never researched.  In addition, though April Grace will claim to be a Republican, those in the education cartel – dubbed #oklaed on social media –  back Grace.

Since July of 2021, newspaper outlets and other media sources have finally brought to light a scandal which many Shawnee parents know well – the continued employment of Coach Ron Arthur by the Shawnee Public School (SPS) system under the direction of Superintendent Dr. April Grace from 2016.

In July, 2021, an investigation into an allegation of sexual misconduct found that Coach Arthur had been admonished numerous times for inappropriate behavior.  Coach Arthur was jailed in early August and placed on paid suspension by SPS.  At that time, his attorney said he was innocent of all crimes;

“My client has cooperated and told the sheriff’s office that there was a consensual act with that particular individual but he was graduated from high school at the time,” attorney Shelley Levisay said. “So he was not a student.

The victim – who self-reported to authorities – said the incident occurred while he was 17, after graduation but while he was still participating as an athlete in school sports functions.

Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Deputy, Amber Soule, wrote, in her arrest affidavit that she had 

“located 8 admonishments and suspensions of Ronald Arthur for his vulgar and sexual comments to male students and vulgar comments about female students, allegations of having inappropriately touched a male’s buttocks, sending inappropriate text messages to students and having contact with students alone when he was not allowed to per his previous reinstatements”

August 19th, Dr. Grace wrote a statement about the arrest which was posted to the Shawnee Public Schools website.  In the letter Dr. Grace provides a timeline of action taken by the administration AFTER Coach Arthur’s arrest, and ends the letter with;

Shawnee Public Schools fully supports the legal due process afforded to anyone accused of inappropriate behavior with minors and the punishment enforced through the courts. We do not tolerate the behavior that is alleged and have acted swiftly to provide documents and full cooperation and will continue to do so throughout the investigation.

The letter makes no mention, however, of the previous complaints about Coach Arthur or what action was taken following the 8 admonishments and suspensions Deputy Soule had uncovered through her investigation of his file going back – apparently – to 2007.

September 3rd, Coach Arthur resigned SPS, charged with three sex crimes: second-degree rape, forcible sodomy and soliciting sexual contact with a minor by use of technology.

April 2022, State Senator Shane Jett (R-Shawnee) called for a multi-county grand jury to review the case of Coach Arthur after an alleged victim reported that he was targeted by Arthur in 2007.  The victim claimed he had repeatedly reported the abuse without any action forthcoming.

The first Monday in June, 2022, a former student sued Arthur for “actual and punitive damages” for the 2021 sexual encounter for which he was charged and SPS for ignoring the reports of sexual misconduct that allowed his actions to continue.

Later in June, Pottawatomie County Court dropped 2 of the three charges, but ordered Arthur to stand trial for the felony count of “solicitation of a minor”.  He will return to court in August.

Truly this is outrageous.  No person should be enabled to continue sexual relationships with children, but certainly not at the TAXPAYERS EXPENSE.  Why the Pottawattamie County authorities could find information about Arthur but Grace and the SPS Board could not makes no sense.  Why then would ANYONE within the SPS system – let alone the Superintendent – allow this on their watch?  

The lack of reasonable answer to THAT question is the reason no voter should declare a vote for  Dr. April Grace for State Superintendent. 

WHO SUPPORTS DR. APRIL GRACE?

In addition, Grace’s campaign is supported by the very people who support the SYSTEM and not parents.

According to State Ethics reports, Shawn Hime – President of the OSSBA (Oklahoma State School Boards Association) – and Ann Caine, Director of Education Leadership at OSSBA – have so far both donated $2,800 (the maximum amount an individual can give to a campaign is $2,900) to Dr. Grace’s campaign.  OSSBA is the organization that has NOT withdrawn from its parent organization NSBA (National School Boards Association) after President Biden’s Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, asked NSBA to send a letter to President Biden’s Attorney General, Merrick Garland, asking him to meet with federal and local law enforcement and state AGs toward the goal of “addressing” school board outbursts and “threats”.  Twenty-eight (28) states – Texas and Wisconsin this year – in all have left NSBA over its treatment of parents.  OSSBA HAS NOT.  

Rick Cobb – Superintendent of Mid-Del Public Schools has also given Superintendent Cobb was one of the first to denounce HB1775 – the ‘stop CRT’ bill in Oklahoma – last year.  In addition, he was a prominent member of the “teacher caucus” who, in 2016, began targeting legislators they deemed ‘against’ public education.  Teachers – backed by this group; many of whom changed their political affiliations to run – ran and won many seats in the legislature in order to forward policies favorable to public education.  He is also a proponent of using tax-payer funded email systems to send emails to community families in support of raising taxes to increase the public school budget.

Former General Leo Baxter has given the maximum amount to April Grace’s campaign.  General Baxter – who serves on the Board of OCPA, and was a State Board of Education member – fought ROPE and teachers wanting the new Oklahoma Standards to be free of Common Core.  Here are just a few of Baxter’s posts on social media during that time:

Then there was this, from Rick Cobb’s blog March 19, 2016 where he calls Dr. Sandra Stotsky – a preeminent Professor of Education and one of two members of the Common Core Validation Committee who would not sign off on the standards – an “arrogant miscreant”:

All this to say – as our parents told us – you are the company you keep.

Between Grace’s inability to prevent a sexual predator from contacting students on her campus and some of the major funders to her campaign, we can be very well assured that Dr. April Grace (who was unable to be present for our Republican State Superintendent Forum) is NOT the person we need to have in the top spot at the Oklahoma Department of Education.

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Part 1: Jake Merrick Supported, Then Worked Against By Oklahoma Council For Public Affairs (OCPA) Dark Money Groups

Jake Merrick won a special election for now-Congresswoman Stephanie Bice’s open Senate seat last year.  Senator Merrick is a Conservative, pro-life, pro-2nd amendment, small business owner who has served Oklahoma well since his special election.  Oklahoma Council for Public Affairs (OCPA) dark money helped him in his first election.  Here’s the rub:  After voting YES in committee, he voted NO (on the Senate floor) on a bill to send public money to private schools (voucher – SB1647). This election cycle, OCPA is using many thousands of dollars to influence voters AGAINST HIM through a different dark money group.  

What is “dark money”?  Dark money is money spent on political campaigns where – since 2010 – the names of the donors to the campaign don’t have to be disclosed.  The money can come through STATE or FEDERAL sources – or both. To learn more about “dark money”, click here.

In March of 2021, an Oklahoma PAC called People for Opportunity, Inc. gave over 100 thousand dollars to an organization called WPAi – a political polling, research and analytics team – run by Chris Wilson – in support of Jake Merrick.

Who is People for Opportunity?  

According to the Oklahoma Secretary of State’s office, People for Opportunity was begun in 2020 by Jonathan Small – the President of OCPA and Dave Bond – the Vice President for Advocacy at OCPA.

Trent England is the David and Ann Brown Distinguished Fellow for the Advancement of Liberty and the Executive Director of Save Our States, a project with OCPA.

OCPA has long been an organization in part dedicated to the idea of School Choice – which includes ‘vouchers’; providing parents with tax dollars to send their children to private schools.

OCPA is often funded by grants from the Walton Foundation (during campaign cycles apparently), the State Policy Network – an organization of which they are an affiliate – as well as private and other donors.  Because they are a private, non-profit organization, however, they do not have to report the source of their donations, only their expenditures.

In 2019, OCPA did make two expenditures.

One to the American Federation for Children – a school choice organization – and one to the OCPA Impact Inc organization.  

OCPA Impact Inc., also does business as OCPA Oklahoma Policy Solutions, Inc. under the same EIN (tax number).

In 2019, they reported $19,933 in revenue, but again, from where that came who knows.  Where it was spent was not recorded on their tax form either.

In fact, OCPA has LOTS of organizations registered with the OK Secretary of State’s Office.  Unfortunately, our state is not a fan of transparency as it costs a minimum of $5 to request ANY documents from the SOS office on any registered organization and upwards of $10 per document to actually see the paperwork the SOS’s office requires for filing.

Why so many organizations associated with OCPA? 

Where did the 100K come from for the donation through People for Opportunity?  

Who knows?  The only way to find out any information about these dark money groups is painstaking and not something many people are going to do.  This is sad, because people who SPEND MONEY TO ELECT or REMOVE elected officials have INFLUENCE over the candidates they help elect.

This election cycle, an organization listed as Catalyst Oklahoma recorded expenditures of $50,620 for Jake Merrick’s opponent Kristen Thompson.

Who is Catalyst Oklahoma, Inc. ?

Catalyst Inc., is a dark money subgroup of OCPA with the Principal listed as Charles Sublett – a member of OCPA’s Board.

There is no 990 filing for Catalyst Oklahoma for 2019 and above, though there’s little the form would tell us but to whom the organization has given money.

Why would OCPA work so heavily in dark money in Oklahoma?  Why have so many organizations and sub-organizations with so many different names associated?  What does OCPA have to hide?

Why spend so much money to help Senator Merrick win and then turn around and spend more money to unseat him?  If OCPA is so fired up about “empowering parents” by offering “school choice”, why not put the money being spent on elected legislators into starting new schools to help kids?  How does it ’empower parents’ to spend so much money on legislative activities?  

Dark money always leaves unanswered questions while it influences the legislative process in ways most ‘average’ Oklahomans can’t.

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More Reasons We Support Dr. John Cox

In case you’ve not seen our Facebook posts with further explanations as to why ROPE has chosen to support Dr. John Cox for Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction, I’m going to paste them into the blog where you can share them with all your smart friends who are NOT on social media!

From June 7th:

A story about Dr. John Cox and why history is important: (update at bottom)

Back in 2012 (or so), the Carter County Republicans asked me (and ROPE) to do a presentation for them about why we needed to fight Common Core. They had the meeting at a hotel near I-35. After speaking, Julia Seay and I and a few others went to Two Frogs down the road to have dinner. Dr. Cox had been to another of our presentations previously and came to dinner with the group that night.

Julia and I both wondered why on earth a Democrat was so interested in fighting Common Core, so, we grilled him – beginning with abortion. He shocked us. He said he was 100% pro life. We asked him about gun ownership and he was 100% pro-second amendment.

As we got further into our discussions, Julia and I both started laughing. Julia actually told him something like, “You’re more Republican than many Republicans we know!” He explained that he’d been brought up as a Democrat and where he lived, there weren’t any Republicans to vote for anyway. If he wasn’t a Democrat he couldn’t vote except in a general election, where he traditionally voted for Republicans.

During the Common Core fight, John consistently showed up to do what he could to push back against an initiative he knew would tie his hands as an administrator and dumb down learning for his students – WHEN FEW OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS – REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS – ANYWHERE IN OKLAHOMA DID.

Today we know that ROPE, Dr. Cox and all those who fought so hard against Common Core and federal intervention into state public education systems WERE 100% RIGHT about everything we said would happen with implementation of CC.

Since coming out with our endorsement of Dr. Cox yesterday, we have been lambasted and castigated by a prominent Christian once-supporter and had subscribers drop our email newsletter. This is all fine, as ROPE will fight to the death to allow people to express their opinions, but it is UNBELIEVABLY hurtful and frustrating.

To think – after all these years – that ROPE (or me) would support someone who supports policies I/we HAVE NEVER SUPPORTED is nonsensical. Why on earth would someone look at a label before taking the word of others who may know more about the person than they themselves – or even better – INTERVIEWING THE PERSON THEMSELVES?

Ronald Reagan was a Democrat. TRUMP was once a Democrat. One of the – hands down – most courageous, competent public servants we have in office – Cindy Byrd – was a Democrat and WE SUPPORT CINDY BYRD TOO!

I know that the devil has been seeding distrust since the beginning of time. I know he is the Father of Confusion and Lies. I know Conservatives have been through the ringer lately and trust is hard.

HOWEVER, allowing ourselves to tread water in a sea of emotion, where we all get spooled up in the back-stabbing, intrigue of ‘politics’ to make us feel as though we’re ‘doing’ something – we need to STOP AND THINK – and use discernment and reason to chart our course.

I’m not saying ANY man is perfect – only Jesus gets that label among humanity. All I’m saying is, the more we use emotion over reason and the more we desire to fight with one another, the faster we lose any chance of gaining the ground we’ve lost to the Communists – who are our REAL ENEMY and threat to individual liberty.

**I’m also going to add here – ROPE is not funded by anyone. We tried to be a PAC but it didn’t work. We have always supported this group on gas donations and out of our own pocketbooks. We don’t owe allegiance to anyone or any group. About what other advocacy group can you say that?

And from my personal Facebook page June 9th:

Yesterday, a person tagged me in a post that said they didn’t understand our stand for Dr. Cox because he has ‘never stood for parents’.

Here is the truth: Dr. Cox STOOD WITH PARENTS AGAINST COMMON CORE when only one or two other Superintendents did. But even that isn’t the issue here.

While Dr. Cox was labeled a Democrat, he STOOD WITH PARENTS against a FEDERAL TAKEOVER OF EDUCATION.

Here is the list of REPUBLICANS who stood AGAINST PARENTS and FOR FEDERAL EDUCATION: Former State Superintendent Janet Barresi, former governor Mary Fallin, former Senator Clark Jolley (who is running for state Treasurer and who wrote the bill to insert Common Core AND OTHER OBAMA EDUCATION INITIATIVES – into our state) and the state Chamber. Oklahoma Council For Public Affairs (OCPA) NEVER GOT INTO THE FIGHT FOR PARENTS AT ALL ON THIS ISSUE.

Who was right about Common Core? #ROPEWASRIGHT all it takes is a bit of internet search to find all the studies indicating just that.

As I’ve said before HISTORY IS IMPORTANT and if you choose to overlook it, you do so at your own peril.

In the end, who knows what Dr. Cox will do if elected – we can only go on our past experience with the man and the things he’s committed to us and the public. Obviously, Dr. Cox is human – as are we all.

We continue to remain friendly with Secretary Walters, but I did tell him, when I called to inform him of our endorsement, that one of the gravest concerns we have about his candidacy, other than his desire to see vouchers implemented statewide, is all the people with whom he associates.

In fact, his associates – all on ECKO’s Board of Directors – include former Policy Director for Mary Fallin, (Jake Yunker) – who, with former Secretary of Education Janet Baressi fought the repeal of Common Core – former Representative Lee Denney who fought against the repeal of Common Core and Jennifer Monies, who has worked extensively with the State Chamber who fought Common Core. This election cycle, Secretary Walters has had fundraisers thrown for him by both Jeb Bush – a Common Core and school choice proponent – and Betsy DeVos whose family runs the American Federation for Children 501(c)(4) and PAC; the (c)(4) of which reported 8 million dollars in revenues in 2019. Those names don’t inspire the idea of ‘parental rights’ to us, but the top-down, administrative, big government solutions of which we need to rid Oklahoma, not double-down.

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ROPE Endorses Dr. John Cox for State Superintendent

Every election since 2010, ROPE has announced support for a State Superintendent candidate.  We believe this position to be of paramount importance in the direction of education in our state.  This year is no different.

Four Republican candidates are vying for the State Superintendent’s chair:  Bill Crozier, April Grace, Dr. John Cox and Secretary of Education Ryan Walters.  ROPE held a candidate forum at Randall University on May 9th.  Mr. Crozier was unable to attend and April Grace backed out of her original commitment to appear.

WHY ROPE DOES NOT SUPPORT DR. APRIL GRACE

April Grace, Superintendent of Shawnee Public Schools, is under fire for allowing an alleged sexual predator to stay on the SPS staff.  In addition, her ethics filings find that her campaign is supported by American Fidelity Corp PAC, CCOSA administration, Former State Board Member Leo Baxter and Mid-Del Superintendent Rick Cobb, to name a few.  These are EXTREMELY concerning. 

Let’s not forget that American Fidelity, CCOSA and others were accused of conspiring with current Superintendent Joy Hoffmeister on a dark money PAC for her initial election.  Baxter and other State School Board members sued to stop the repeal of Common Core and, during the Oklahoma Standards re-write, spent significant time online lobbing verbal fireballs at any of us who dared to review the standards negatively.  In fact, there was an entire group of educators – including Rick Cobb – who fought any criticism of the standards during the re-write.  Anyone supported by a group of people so dedicated to the status quo and so hateful to others, need not be elected to statewide office.

BILL CROZIER

Bill is a very nice man – and a very interesting person – but, unfortunately, ROPE did not see him as a viable candidate in this race.

OUR TOP TWO CANDIDATES – Secretary Walters and Dr. Cox – WHY WE ENDORSED DR. COX

The ROPE Board interviewed both Secretary Ryan Walters and Dr. John Cox  several weeks after our Superintendent Forum.  They were very kind to take time with us – Dr. Cox via internet and Secretary Walters in person.

From our interviews and Superintendent’s forum, it’s abundantly clear both candidates love kids and are committed to pushing back against the educational status quo that so often inhibits parents from educating their children the way they see fit, but there are some divisions. 

ROPE has numerous concerns about the expansion of a voucher system in our state and fought vigorously to defeat SB1647 (2022) – the bill creating a voucher system for private schools.  Dr. Cox does not agree with implementation of a voucher system in Oklahoma.  Secretary Walters does.    

Though we also agree with Secretary Walters on many policy issues, he does not yet have the experience Dr. Cox has accumulated.  As Superintendent of Pegs School district for 28 years, Dr. Cox understands the difficulties imposed on educators – and superintendents – by unwieldy and burdensome state laws and federal programming, many of which negatively impact parental rights.

Recently, Dr. Cox stood up for the innocence of his students by telling a health official he would only give the CDC’s incredibly invasive, Youth Risk Behavioral Survey if he could send it home for parents to read.  He never received a return phone call asking the survey be administered.

History also plays a part.  Many of our Board remember Dr. Cox standing in solidarity with us and parents against Common Core – one of very few Superintendents who did.  We have witnessed him standing with parents and expect him to continue to do so. 

We appreciate Secretary Walters very much for running and we hope – no matter who wins the State Superintendent Chair – to work with both candidates in whatever capacity they find themselves.

Jenni White, ROPE President

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