OCPA column: Washington smear tactics in Oklahoma

Washington smear tactics in Oklahoma

By Jonathan Small

Smear tactics are nothing new in Washington, D.C., but those tactics are now being used in Oklahoma.

During U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings, critics portrayed him as a drunk and a rapist. Fortunately, lawmakers saw through those attacks and confirmed Kavanaugh.

Sadly, similar character assassination, recently carried out in Oklahoma, sidelined a qualified nominee for the State Board of Education.

This sad episode began when Gov. Kevin Stitt recently removed Kurt Bollenbach from the State Board of Education and named Melissa Crabtree of Enid as his replacement.

Bollenbach was clearly out of step with conservatives and the governor who appointed him. His removal was justified, because Bollenbach vocally supported efforts to bar Christian schools from serving children who receive scholarships through a state program. The regulations cited to justify that action were illegally adopted, as an opinion by Attorney General Mike Hunter soon made clear. It was obvious new blood was needed on the board.

In response, school-choice opponents launched a smear campaign against Crabtree. Sadly, they succeeded, and she withdrew from consideration.

Small: Hofmeister, State Board of Education discriminating against Christians

Anti-Christian discrimination reaches Oklahoma

By Jonathan Small

It’s no secret government officials often target traditional Christians for harassment, but Oklahomans often view that as a problem that happens in other states, not here. Sadly, that’s not true.

In 2010, lawmakers passed and the governor signed into law the Lindsey Nicole Henry (LNH) Scholarships for Students with Disabilities program. It provides state scholarships for certain students—those with special needs like autism, or foster children—to attend private schools.

A few things are required for schools to participate. The LNH law requires that participating private schools comply with the antidiscrimination provisions of a section of federal law that bars discrimination “on the ground of race, color, or national origin.”

Those are the only three categories listed. Yet, under the leadership of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister, the OSDE drafted new regulations that added “religion” and “sexual orientation” to that list.

OCPA: OK Dep't of Education must stop discriminating against Christians

OCPA: OK Dept. of Education must stop discriminating against Christians

OKLAHOMA CITY (November 11, 2020)— Jonathan Small, president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, issued the following statement today regarding apparently illegal action taken by the Oklahoma State Department of Education to restrict student opportunity and bar Christian schools from participating in the Lindsey Nicole Henry (LNH) Scholarships for Students with Disabilities program.

“By unilaterally rewriting state law, the Oklahoma State Department of Education is restricting educational opportunity for some of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable children, including students with special needs and foster children, while also engaging in anti-Christian discrimination that is likely to prompt successful lawsuits. Rather than double-down on illegal and unconstitutional discrimination, OSDE and the State Board of Education should immediately repeal their illegal and discriminatory rule that harms children, and approve the applications of Altus Christian Academy and Christian Heritage Academy, as they have approved the applications of numerous other private Christian schools over the last decade. That will not only avoid embarrassment for the state, but also ensure Oklahoma students and schools are treated with the respect they deserve.”

Stitt announces four appointments to State Board of Education

GOVERNOR STITT ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENTS TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Oklahoma City, Okla. (April 26, 2019)— Governor Kevin Stitt announced today four appointments to the Oklahoma State Board of Education.

“Each of our new board members is a qualified leader who is passionate about education in our state,” said Stitt. “They will bring strong representation from across Oklahoma in order to help invest in and guide the direction of our public school system. I look forward to working with the entire board as we move toward Top Ten status in education.”

The appointments are as follows:

Jennifer Monies currently serves as the Senior Director of Public Affairs for Saxum. Prior to this, she worked as a political reporter at The Oklahoman in Oklahoma City and Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C. She served in a press and policy advisory role for Speaker of the House Chris Benge and then Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman. She built the State Chamber of Oklahoma's Communication Department from scratch and managed internal and external communications and marketing for the pro-business organization. Before joining Saxum, she most recently ran an education nonprofit for over four years, advocating for improvement in Oklahoma's PK-12 education system. Jennifer lives in the urban core of Oklahoma City with her husband and two children. She has served on the Community Advisory Board of her neighborhood elementary school and currently serves on the board of her son's school. She holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Texas and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma.

Brian Bobek currently helps manage the largest global account for BP Lubricants, where he has worked for over 18 years. Devoted to his work, Bobek has fervently traveled the United States for a vast majority of his career, landing accounts in multiple regions. Bobek spearheads local outreach at Capitol Hill High School. He provides snacks for the teams before games, mentors teenagers through hardships and hosts their annual All Sports Banquet. In addition he created a free ACT prep night, open to any student in the area struggling with test anxiety and preparedness. He also devotes his resources to the community by partnering with Tulsa Hope Academy, which provides a new opportunity to students who have been in the criminal justice system, homeless, addicted to drugs, abused or need someone to assist in getting them back on the right track. Bobek and his wife, Toni, reside in Oklahoma City, and together they have four children and one grandchild. Born and raised in Oklahoma, Bobek is a product of Tulsa Public Schools, having attended Tulsa Edison High School. He received his bachelor’s degree from The University of Oklahoma.

Estela Hernandez has been in the Construction and Real Estate business for 15 years as a small business owner and a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams. Hernandez is also known for her role in Oklahoma politics, serving as Vice President of Engagement for the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Vice Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, and Commissioner on the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women. She has served as School Board Member and is a former Spokeswoman for Mundo-Fox Oklahoma City. Due to her professional and civic accomplishments, she has received multiple awards, and serves on various boards. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business. Hernandez has been married for 17 years and is the mother of three children, who attend school at Putnam City School District, OKC Public School District, and Epic Charter Schools.

Kurt Bollenbach currently serves as an oil and gas operator for Teocalli Exploration, LLC, where he manages approximately 500 wells in northwest Oklahoma. Prior to working in the oil and gas industry, Bollenbach served as an attorney at a variety of legal offices, including Harrison & Mecklenburg, and the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Upon completion of Officer Basic Course in 2006, Kurt was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany where he acted as general counsel for Commanders, provided legal assistance to Service members, and acted as a military claims officer. Kurt received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University in 2002 and completed law school at the University of Oklahoma in 2005. Bollenbach resides in Kingfisher with his wife and two children, who attend Kingfisher Public Schools.

William E. “Bill” Flanagan is currently the Mayor of Claremore, Oklahoma. Mr. Flanagan, a retired certified public accountant and personal financial specialist has owned and operated a public accounting firm, specializing in individual, small business and corporation tax, as well as personal financial consulting for 35 years. He served many years on the Claremore Park Board and previously served on Claremore’s City Council. In addition, Mr. Flanagan served as President for the Board of Directors, Hope Harbor Children’s Home for over 20 years. In 2004, he was named Claremore’s Citizen of the Year; and the Claremore Chamber of Commerce honored him with the 2014 Career Achievement Award. He has served as a board member for the Rogers State University Foundation in addition to serving on various other local and state boards in leadership roles. Mr. Flanagan earned a bachelor’s degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and was licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in 1975.  He and his wife Mary Lou have three children and four grandchildren.

On April 1, Gov. Stitt announced the appointment of Carlisha Williams Bradley who currently serves as the Executive Director for Impact Tulsa. Bradley is also the Founder and CEO of Women Empowering Nations. A leader in the Tulsa and Oklahoma education community, Bradley previously worked as the Executive Director for Tulsa Legacy Charter Schools and the Schools Systems Leader Fellow & Senior Consultant at Tulsa Public Schools. She also served as the Regional Vice-President at Lighthouse Academics and worked as an 8th Grade Math Teacher and KIPP Through College Director at KIPP Reach College Preparatory. Bradley holds a Bachelor of Arts in African & African-American Studies and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship & Venture Management from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Public Administration from Syracuse University.

The State Board of Education is the governing board of the public school system of the state of Oklahoma. Members are charged with pursuing and implementing reforms that will boost student performance and ultimately help to create the kind of educated, highly skilled workforce that will bring more and better jobs to the state.

Hofmeister remarks on new appointments to State Board of Education

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 26, 2019) – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister made the following statement today after Gov. Stitt announced four new appointments to the State Board of Education. Hofmeister chairs the board.

“General Lee Baxter, Cathy Franks, Bill Price and Bob Ross have served on the State Board with distinction, passion and genuine commitment to Oklahoma’s schoolchildren. I will miss working with each one, and I thank them for their service on the board,” Hofmeister said.

“At the same time, I am excited by the appointments announced today by Governor Stitt. I already have had the honor of working with Estela Hernandez and Jennifer Monies; I know both to be tireless and exceptional advocates for strong public education. I look forward to getting to know Brian Bobek and Kurt Bollenbach. We all have hard work ahead of us, but there is reason for great optimism.”