Dr. April Grace joins the podcast to share why she's running for state superintendent, her solutions to the issues facing public education, and how disheartening it can be when people tear away at the fiber of what it means to be an educator.
In our last episode for this legislative session, we recap the wild season at the Capitol, where #oklaed stands going into next year, and a look-ahead to the imperative June primaries. We also speak with Jason Harris from the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center about opportunities for educators to visit museums this summer to discover field trip and curriculum opportunities. Fried Okra will be on a short hiatus, but no worries, Okrazies, we will be back for next school year. Have a great summer!
In a year with huge numbers available for the state budget, it was disappointing to see the lack of urgency to support public education in resources, pay, and respect. We wrap up how so many missed the bigger picture and the few who attempted to address real issues like the teacher shortage.
First, the Oklahoma legislature calls for a special session. Now, the governor wants in on the action by calling a special session of his own. We break down what it all means on what should have been Sine Die at the Capitol.
On this week's episode, we break down why a "flat" budget for education fell flat, how it seems like a super majority of his own party doesn't even trust the governor to distribute funds and has called for a special session, plus we connect the dots on out-of-state billionaires paying the secretary of education well over six figures to lobby for voucher schemes.
It is an honor to bring you our 100th episode of the public education podcast for Oklahomans! Thank you for being a part of the Fried Okra family and we hope to be with you for hundreds more. This episode, we recap the joy of returning to an in-person Delegate Assembly last week, where OEA members join together in camaraderie and sharing input and ideas from all over the state. We also discuss the home stretch of legislative session, including where education stands in the budget process.
As the Oklahoma legislative session completes deadline week, we recap it all. From the highs of defeating SB 1647 in a marathon late-night vote to the lows of political retaliation against those educators whose voices defeated the monstrous voucher bill to everything in between. If it's #oklaed related from this year's legislative session, we break it down.
Two bills, SB 638 and SB 1579, target the voices of educators with surgical precision. Ivy Riggs explains where these targeted attacks on education associations originate and wonders why state leaders are not using their time and energy to focus on real problems like the teacher shortage. Then we are excited to be joined by Katy Leffel, Director of the Oklahoma School Foundations Network at the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. Leffel is a former Putnam City teacher who helps support school fo...
We are thrilled to be joined by Jessica Eschbach, the 2021 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year from Norman, about her year representing teachers throughout the state and her perspective on the work Oklahoma educators do every single day. Legislative maestro Ivy Riggs also returns to breakdown where things stand with committee and filing deadlines. We also discuss how so many bills seem to target only educators.
Each week during session, one of OEA's legislative and political organizers joins the pod to break down what's happening at the Oklahoma Capitol. This Friday, we'd like to introduce you to our newest legislative and political organizer, Tyler Outlaw! Tyler was a middle school social studies teacher before joining OEA's staff. He talks about going from teaching about the civics process to living it every day. Then Rep. Mark McBride (R-Moore) makes his first appearance on Fried Okra to discuss HB ...
On this episode of Fried Okra, legislative guru Ivy Riggs breaks down how a small group of people with a large pool of money can turn their wish lists into copy-and-paste legislation in states across the country. Then we are thrilled to be joined by former educator and OEA member, Rep. Melissa Provenzano, on her journey through the various levels of public education all the way to fighting for public schools as an elected representative inside the Capitol.
SB 1647, a voucher bill that could have destroyed rural public education, was defeated on the senate floor after a marathon vote late Wednesday night. We discuss the huge victory, the anxiousness of the evening, and how there are so many people to thank for protecting our public schools. Then we are thrilled to be joined by Rep. Tammy West, who authored HB 3374, a bill that would institute a pilot program for community schools in Oklahoma. The bill passed the house by a vote of 78-12 and now mov...
After many expected SB 1647 to be heard on the Senate floor this week, the Senators left for the weekend without holding a vote on the massive voucher bill. This delay is almost entirely due to the advocacy of you, OEA members, our partners in the Oklahoma Education Coalition, and all the community members who have used their voices to stand up for public schools. Ivy Riggs reminds us, though, that just because it doesn't have the votes now, doesn't mean it won't in the future. So stay vigilant....
Legislative expert Ivy Riggs returns to the pod to break down the first "deadline week" at the Capitol. Find out the good, the bad, and the ugly on where education bills stand, including a monster voucher bill making it through committee. Please contact your lawmakers, share your story, and let them know our public dollars need to remain in public schools that serve over 90% of Oklahoma kids! Each year, the Oklahoma Aspiring Educators Association selects a school to receive funds for the Outreac...
In Carrie's final show as host, she delivers a heartfelt eulogy for her childhood teacher and an important message for all educators to understand the lasting impact they create. We also speak with Fried Okra's next host moving forward, friend of the show and legislative wizard, Ellen Pogemiller, on the current state of the fight against vouchers at the Capitol.
Following Governor Stitt's divisive State of the State that promoted voucher schemes, and House Speaker McCall's statement that the House will not hear the SB1467 voucher bill, legislative expert Ivy Riggs returns to break down what it all means for educators. Ted Dintersmith is one of America's leaders in innovation, entrepreneurship, and education. He's written books such as What School Could Be and produced films like Most Likely to Succeed aimed at empowering educators already doing incredib...
We are just days away from this year's legislative session, which is sure to require our collective energy as much as any other with another onslaught of efforts to divert public funds to private schools and attempts to divide our communities through public education. OEA is also pushing ahead with positive bills — like a much needed pay raise for education support professionals. The dynamic duo of Ivy Riggs and Ellen Pogemiller return to the pod to break down what we can do to help.
The Oklahoma Education Association prides itself on being comprised of educators elected by their fellow members across the state. Adrienne Hall, chair of OEA elections committee, a volunteer position, joins the pod ahead of candidate filing this election season beginning in February. Our local legislative expert, Ivy Riggs, returns to Fried Okra to discuss a recent OEA member survey on the current state of education, how they are doing, and how the substitute shortage is affecting people. Spoil...
We are so honored to have Dr. Brian Duke, interim dean of college of education and professional studies at the university of central oklahoma, to talk about the teacher pipeline. Stay tuned following Dr. Duke's interview for
Friend of the pod and recently retired Paul Shinn, former Budget and Tax Analyst at the Oklahoma Policy Institute drops by to provide a helpful civics lesson on how this state formulates a budget and why this year's budget could have been better if lawmakers of the past had not been so short-sighted. The OEA Organizing Conference is always a fun and informative experience where members descend from across the state for an opportunity to come together and grow as advocates for their students, the...
Legislators have enormous power and control over our state's public school system, but how many of them actually know what goes inside the buildings? Oklahoma PTA's Vice President of Advocacy, Tammy McCartney, joins the podcast to discuss an exciting new chance for lawmakers to attend school for a day. Whether it's teaching a classroom, riding the bus, serving meals, or anything in between, the PTA is asking lawmakers to see their schools and educators in action. Speaking of legislators, a new s...
Educators in the OEA elect their peers to represent them at the local and state level. The national association is no different. National Education Association President Becky Pringle currently advocates for public schools in rooms with some of the most influential leaders in the United States, but that journey began as a science teacher in Pennsylvania. Fried Okra is thrilled to welcome back President Pringle to discuss the importance of amplifying the stories of students and educators around t...
The OEA has recently partnered with Dr. Elizabeth Risch from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine to tackle mental health issues in education. Dr. Risch is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect in the Department of Pediatrics and her clinical work focuses on assessment and treatment of youth who have experienced trauma. She joins Fried Okra to explain, among other things, why compassion, not "self care," is a more sustainable solution. We are also thri...
Heather Warfield, clinical and program director of Calm Waters, joins the podcast to shed light on a program that helps students through grief and what we can do to support those who have suffered a loss through this holiday season. OEA is a member-driven organization and its budget process is no exception. We speak with Vice President Cari Elledge, who chairs the budget committee, about how members can have input in where their dues dollars are allocated.
Due to a late return in the Census, the Oklahoma legislature returns for a special session on Monday. OEA director of legislative and political organizing, Ivy Riggs, returns to the pod to explain why it must happen, what bills have been filed, and how the timeline is expected to go.
Dr. Michael Crespin, director and curator of the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center, and political science professor, at the University of Oklahoma joins Fried Okra to break down the recent redistricting of congressional districts in Oklahoma, how that process works, and why certain groups use it to benefit themselves. Then Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association President Shawna Mott-Wright speaks with Katherine and Carrie ahead of OEA's Committee Saturday. It's an illuminating ...
You can't spell Fried Okra without FEIO. The executive director of the Film Education Institute of Oklahoma, Trevor Rogers, joined the pod to discuss the booming film and television industry in our state, the opportunities it provides our students, and how educators can connect with FEIO to access their free programs and curriculum. (Visit feiok.org for more info) The illustrious Ellen Pogemiller makes another return from Capitol Hill to discuss the interim studies being presented on the record ...
Minco Superintendent Kevin Sims and Noble County Assessor Mandy Snyder recently presented to lawmakers for the interim study period on protesting property taxes, ad valorem, and the complexities of education funding in Oklahoma. They simplify and explain how these impact districts and communities throughout the state.
When it comes to education, educators are the experts. When it comes to health, health professionals are the experts. So Katherine and Carrie spoke with Dr. Mary Clarke, President of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, about the current state of the pandemic, what we can do to keep schools as safe as possible, how we can take care of each other while getting back to normal through vaccines and masks, and the appreciation both professional communities have for each other's care for children.
The OEA recently surveyed its members and the results are staggeringly clear; COVID is still an issue in our schools and educators desperately need our support. President Katherine Bishop and Vice President Cari Elledge look at the numbers and provide perspective on the human lives they represent. Then newly named associate executive director of legislative and political organizing, Ivy Riggs, returns to the podcast to talk about an exciting opportunity provided by OEA called "Run the Race," whi...
