Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro joins our own legislative guru, Amanda Ewing, for a fascinating (almost terrifying) conversation about what it looks like when a state starts down the slippery slope of vouchers and the negative consequences it has on our students. Then Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Sean McDaniel gives an insightful breakdown on the current condition of education funding, the forecast for the future, and what our state lawmakers need to do to suppo...
Jan 29, 2021•48 min
OEA legislative and political organizer Ellen Pogemiller discusses the outlook for the upcoming Oklahoma legislative session and how they dissect the mountain of bills proposed. She also shares the importance of local school board elections and the ways in which we can get involved. We are also joined by Elizabeth Suddath, executive director of prevention services at the State Department of Education, who will hold their fifth annual trauma summit, "Awareness to Action: Creating Trauma-Informed ...
Jan 22, 2021•37 min
Misty Bradley, vice chair of the Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee (PLAC) joins the podcast to discuss how parents and educators are allies in the fight for the future of public education and getting all of our students back in the classroom safely. Alicia and Carrie then have an informative and timely conversation with Dr. David Chansolme, medical director of infection prevention at Integris, who breaks down the challenges of misinformation in pandemic.
Jan 15, 2021•42 min
Our first guest in the new year is the executive director of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, Kari Watkins, and we talk about how we can engage with students after watching an attack on our federal government my American citizens -- something our state is unfortunately familiar with. OKCNM has released a "Better Conversations" series to help educators and parents facilitate these discussions in healthy ways. Fried Okra is also joined by Oklahoma State Treasurer Randy McDaniel, who...
Jan 08, 2021•40 min
Friend of the podcast, Dr. Donna Tyungu, who is a pediatric infectious disease specialist at OU Health Children's Hospital, returns to Fried Okra alongside first-timer, Dr. Chris Aston, who is a Research Associate Professor in Pediatrics at OU Health. They join Alicia and Carrie to share important data they have collected regarding the pandemic in our schools. We are also had the profound pleasure to be joined by Darcy Stowe and Dr. Jace Wolfe from Hearts for Hearing. Stowe is a Speech-Language ...
Dec 18, 2020•48 min
Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Jena Nelson joins a special edition of Fried Okra to break down the wild week in education from the state board meeting on A-F grading to Governor Stitt releasing a video mentioning OEA.
Dec 18, 2020•21 min
State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister returns to Fried Okra to give us up-to-the-minute details on where things stand currently across Oklahoma public schools, what qualities make a good school member, and what the outlook is for a new year with a vaccine on the horizon. Stay tuned until the end where we lighten things up with a holiday lightning round!
Dec 11, 2020•46 min
Known primarily as 'The Voice of the Sooners,' Toby Rowland has recently added children's book author to his resume with his debut book "Unhitch the Wagon: The Story of Boomer and Sooner." Fried Okra had the pleasure of speaking with him about that journey from Oklahoma kid to sports media stardom to becoming a published writer. You can purchase his book online and in stores where books are sold or visit the website unhitchthewagon.com. Brittany Phillips is the Oklahoma FCCLA (Family, Career, an...
Dec 04, 2020•40 min
Oklahoma State School Board Association executive director Dr. Shawn Hime joins the podcast to break down the role of school boards across the state, their importance, and how you can run to make a difference in your community. Visit ossba.com for more information on how or someone you know can run for school board. Friend of the pod, David Glenn, returns to Fried Okra to discuss benefits our members can take advantage of, especially NEA's Discount Marketplace for the holiday season. Visit neamb...
Nov 20, 2020•38 min
OEA recently joined the MASK (Masks Are Saving Kids) Coalition recently, spear-headed by Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy CEO Joe Dorman. Dorman joins the pod to break down their campaign to have a statewide mask policy, which included a billboard you may have seen, and the frustration of the state school board's recent vote. State Senator-Elect JoAnna Dossett, an educator and OEA member, takes time from her Senate orientation to speak with Fried Okra. She discusses how she went from an Owa...
Nov 13, 2020•46 min
OEA's Ellen Pogemiller makes her podcast debut to break down what the election meant for the Oklahoma legislature, how the education caucus was able to add new members, and how successful the Fund for Children and Public Education's candidates were on Tuesday. Friend of the pod, Andy Moore from Let's Fix This OK, returns to our post-election show to provide a civics lesson and a little less politics for these historically unusual times.
Nov 06, 2020•39 min
As educators know, state questions in Oklahoma can be a contentious avenue to try and create change within our state. Carrie and Alicia speak with OK Policy's Damion Shade about SQ805 and the empirical data you need to know before casting your vote. A former Yukon elementary school teacher, middle school principal, and Canadian County current poll inspector, Tresa Smith, explains the election process, its rules and procedures, and why Oklahomans can feel confident in their vote being counted.
Oct 30, 2020•49 min
"Calm Waters" began as an idea 28 years ago from a nine-year-old boy who had just lost his father. It now fulfills its mission to help suffering from grief and loss. Jordan Park shares how any school or student can seek out Calm Waters' services if they are dealing with death, divorce, incarceration, deportation, foster adoptive care, and/or deployment. Go to calmwaters.org for more information. Fried Okra also had the pleasure of being joined by longtime Norman educator, and National Teacher Ha...
Oct 23, 2020•39 min
OEA Legislative and Political Organizer and friend of the show, Ivy Riggs, returns to Fried Okra to break down everything we know so far regarding EPIC's current scandal and what can be done to prevent this kind of abuse of millions of dollars intended to help students in the future. Lee Ann Smith, director of single family programming at the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, joins the podcast to share some valuable information for educators who are looking to buy a home. OHFA has designed a spec...
Oct 16, 2020•45 min
There is less than a month until the election. These are crazy times. Which makes us all the more pleased NEA President Becky Pringle was able to join Fried Okra to discuss her vision for the future of public education and the role educators play in shaping it. Enjoy another special video addition of the interview above!
Oct 09, 2020•34 min
Rowdy Washburn and Rena Grissom of New Educators of Oklahoma Network, or NEON, explain the value of NEON and other resources within OEA for professionals in their first few years in the classroom. They also explain that, while this may be unprecedented times for everyone, new teachers especially are looking for guidance and understanding. Heather Sparks joined the OEA while still a student and has been a member and avid supporter ever since. The 2009 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year currently overse...
Oct 02, 2020•37 min
The State Department of Education has a Child Nutrition program that oversees federal food service programs, national school lunches, child and adult food care program, daycare centers, and many others that help feed Oklahoma children. Alicia and Carrie speak with their executive director, Jennifer Weber, about this important work. Alison Taylor is the president of the Oklahoma PTA and she joins the pod to discuss the importance of parents and education professionals working together with a comm...
Sep 25, 2020•41 min
This Friday we are joined by Kris King, lead organizer for VOICE (Voices Organized In Civic Engagement), who discusses their upcoming roundtable for Congressional District 5, which will include candidates and lawmakers from every level in the state. Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer, or P-EBT, provides benefits to people across Oklahoma. You may have received a letter with a card with their information. Do not throw it away! Jordan Park and Devin Schroeder from Hunger Free Oklahoma explains w...
Sep 18, 2020•39 min
The Census is a crucial aspect of how we count every person to ensure the proper amount of resources are allocated to your area, including representation. They happen every 10 years, which includes 2020, so Fried Okra spoke with Josh McGoldrick, chief of staff and general counsel for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce about how educators can help. If you have not filled out the census, please do so here or by phone at (844) 330-2020. OEA's Center for Advocacy is on the front lines ensuring that...
Sep 11, 2020•40 min
In honor of this extended weekend holiday, Fried Okra presents a special Labor Day episode. We are joined by American Federation of Teachers OKC's first ever Black president, Torie Shoecraft, about the importance of solidarity among workers and what the role of the labor movement going forward. We are also joined by the Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Labor, Leslie Osborn, who explains the unique and necessary functions of her department, like ensuring escalators and roller coasters a...
Sep 04, 2020•47 min
Our head of legislative and political organizing, Amanda Ewing, returns to the show to discuss recent primary elections in Oklahoma and what we need to be doing down this final stretch before the major election this November. OEA's teaching and learning center is a terrific resource that provides services such as traveling (or Zooming) to districts across the state offering free professional development. Laura Miller, one of our T&L specialists, joins the show to discuss their new "Tips and ...
Aug 28, 2020•31 min
Legislative guru, Ivy Riggs, returns to the pod with Choctaw-Nicoma Park Association of Classroom Teachers President, Amber Spradlin, to discuss how people can still get involved in campaigns during a pandemic. Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, Jena Nelson, also shares her incredible journey from a life-changing high school teacher, to a career in the film industry, a switch to education, and ultimately using her voice to stand up for students and educators as Oklahoma Teacher of the Year.
Aug 21, 2020•38 min
State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister returns to Fried Okra to discuss everything back-to-school; the process, her proposal to the state board, how districts have responded, and how we adapt in the future. Local author and educator, Dennis Mathew, who was featured on our DEAR Oklahoma series last April, hops on the podcast to talk about his journey into being both a writer and speech pathologist. You can find his work at booksbydennis.com.
Aug 14, 2020•54 min
OEA legislative guru, Amanda Ewing, returns to Fried Okra to discuss the process of interim studies at the Capitol and which ones of the over 100 recently approved affect education. Speaking of interim studies, Rep. Jacob Rosecrantz, and Norman educator, Hailey Couch, speak on their collaboration for "How Play-based Learning Leads to Better Mental Health and Better Academic Outcomes" interim study. Research shows that play-based learning is essential for children's academic, social, emotional, a...
Aug 07, 2020•38 min
OU Medicine’s pediatric infectious disease expert, Dr. Donna Tyungyu, for a special video edition of Fried Okra to provide up-to-date accurate information that schools must understand in order to return safely. Stick around to just after the 28-minute mark to hear a fascinating conversation between members of OEA’s Native American Caucus, NEA Alaska President Tom Klaameyer, and Fairbanks, Alaska Athabascan educator Lynda Leal Prince. It’s an open and honest look at how Native American images hav...
Jul 31, 2020•54 min
Friend of the show and OEA Swiss Army Knife Ivy Riggs returns to Fried Okra and reacts to the State Board of Education voting 4-3 to not have any minimum safety requirements for Oklahoma school districts returning to in-person learning. We are also joined by Jarrod Scott, electrician for Putnam City Public Schools, about how education support professionals in his district organized to fight against outsourcing and how others in similar situations in Oklahoma can use their voices for power.
Jul 24, 2020•41 min
We hope you didn't miss us too much last week! But we're back this Friday with a special Fried Okra including former OEA members and current Oklahoma state representatives, Melissa Provenzano and Mark Waldron, who discuss their COVID-19 plan for the state moving forward. Also, we highlight yesterday's press conference calling for schools to return safely that included Alicia Priest, President of the Oklahoma Education Association; Clark Frailey, Executive Director of Oklahoma Pastors for Kids; J...
Jul 17, 2020•55 min
Oklahoma Education Association legislative guru and friend of the pod, Amanda Ewing, is back on Fried Okra to break down Tuesday's election results, what the passing of State Question 802 means for education, and how educators fared in their races across the state. Bargaining equitable and fair contracts that allow educators to advocate for the best policies for their students is an integral part of OEA's work. Rhonda Harlow has been on the front lines of bargaining, both as a member and an advo...
Jul 02, 2020•35 min
Fried Okra spans across the entire career journey of an educator, as we are first joined by Oklahoma Aspiring Educators Association (OAEA) President Nancy Melendez and Chair of the NEA Aspiring Educators, Rachel Immerman. They are two of over 50,000 future educators across the country, on over 1,000 college campuses, who have already begun advocating on behalf of their eventual students. Then, Alicia and Carrie have a conversation with two of the Oklahoma Retired Educators Association's most ste...
Jun 26, 2020•30 min
This week's episode is all about health, as our first guests are Corey Lively, CEO of the Elk City Hospital, and also friend of the pod, LeeAnne Power Jimenez, science and STEAM academic director for Tulsa Public Schools. They break down State Question 802 and why it is important for Oklahomans to vote YES on June 30. Fried Okra then has the pleasure of being joined by nurses Beverly Burk (Jenks Public Schools) and Tammy Kain (Mustang Public Schools), of the School Nurse Organization of Oklahoma...
Jun 19, 2020•39 min
