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Influential Oklahoma lawmaker presses Ryan Walters to buy inhalers for schools after delay

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Influential Oklahoma lawmaker presses Ryan Walters to buy inhalers for schools after delay


The Oklahoma Senate’s budget chairman had a terse message for state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters on Thursday: Show him the money.

Sen. Chuck Hall, a Republican from Perry, made the point in a brief letter to Walters just one day after Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued a “letter of counsel to Walters regarding the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s yearlong delay in purchasing emergency asthma inhalers for public schools.

In his letter, Drummond told Walters and Education Department officials to act quickly to make sure public school students have access to the inhalers. “Waiting more than a year to ask for guidance, changing procurement methods multiple times and now requiring school districts to individually procure emergency inhalers is neither speedy or responsible,” Drummond wrote.

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Hall cited Drummond’s message, as well as the numerous attempts by lawmakers to get the agency to buy the inhalers. Hall wrote that Walters had “a clear opportunity and pathway to do the right thing that will benefit everyone.” He added that “there is now no excuse to not execute the delivery of these funds as expeditiously as possible.”

The Legislature funded the inhalers for every Oklahoma school district through a law passed in 2023, but Education Department officials have not spent the money.

‘I continue to be disappointed in the lack of action’

Hall also took issue with agency spokesman Dan Isett’s statement to The Oklahoman on Wednesday which said the “OSDE has been distributing funds for inhalers for the past two years.”

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“My concern is the timeline of this statement,” Hall wrote. “The law to provide the $250,000 for the program only took effect last year. If this statement is accurate, I would also appreciate information on the vendor you used to distribute the inhalers.”

Hall said he believed a single supplier, the Brendon McLarty Memorial Foundation, was the lone entity in the state that could distribute inhalers to schools and train administrators and teachers on proper inhaler use.

More: Oklahoma attorney general criticizes Ryan Walters, OSDE over delayed inhaler purchase

“I have been in communication with the foundation after reading your spokesman’s statement, and they said they are unaware of OSDE distributing any funding for school inhalers,” Hall said.

For several years now, lawmakers have been trying to ensure emergency asthma inhalers are in schools.

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In 2019, lawmakers passed legislation that allowed the state to partner with the McLarty Foundation to buy emergency asthma inhalers. That measure, Senate Bill 381, authorized schools to stock emergency albuterol inhalers in the event that a child goes into respiratory distress and required at least two staff members at the school be trained on how to use the inhalers.

In 2023, lawmakers, again partnered with the McLarty Foundation to develop and pass legislation that earmarked $250,000 to buy albuterol inhalers and spacers for all Oklahoma school districts.

While Hall told Walters he respected his diligence in asking for guidance, he said he was disappointed by the yearlong delay in processing the funds.

“I continue to be disappointed in the lack of action as this money has been available for over a year,” he wrote. “Please end the delays and distribute this funding immediately.”



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Oklahoma

WATCH: Oklahoma OT Jake Taylor Bye Week Interview

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WATCH: Oklahoma OT Jake Taylor Bye Week Interview


JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers.

During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more.

In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide.

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John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools.

Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national “Beat Writer of the Year” from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma’s “Best Sports Column” from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two “Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting” Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association.

John holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK.

Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.



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WATCH: Oklahoma DB Eli Bowen Bye Week Interview

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WATCH: Oklahoma DB Eli Bowen Bye Week Interview


RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is deputy editor at AllSooners and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City.

Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more.

Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com.

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Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters.

Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 



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Freeze the Philosopher on Oklahoma Regrets and Georgia Bulldogs Focus

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Freeze the Philosopher on Oklahoma Regrets and Georgia Bulldogs Focus


Hugh Freeze can read a situation in hindsight. The Auburn coach fully understands the magnitude of the mounting losses. After a 2-3 homestand to start the season, the Tigers head to Sanford Stadium to play the Georgia Bulldogs.

Auburn heads deeper into their SEC schedule with more questions than answers. During media availability, Freeze tried to answer a variety of them.

Regrets

The Oklahoma game presented an opportunity to shock a good team. In hindsight, Freeze recognized this. Now, that doesn’t make anything more palatable. The Auburn coach lays out a few occasions where the game needed to go far differently.

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“Let’s start, that first half, it easily could’ve been 24-7 at half,” said Freeze. “We get down to the one or two, and two shots from there we went with a package that we’ve worked on for several weeks. I truthfully regret not giving it to Jarquez (Hunter) down there at least once.

You’re going to miss some field goals, but it’d have been nice to have gotten that one right before half, for sure. Certainly, (Towns McGough) is very capable of making those, but that happens. The first half, it’s really not scoring the touchdown, and I thought the offense did a good job getting us in field position to kick a field goal. I thought that was a really good drive. This was a weird situation, but the play right before we had to go mayday, and it was good to see us execute mayday really well.”

Of all of the above stated, the Hunter piece stands out most. Hunter, by far, the most talented back on the roster needed to touch the ball more, during the entire afternoon. Veering away from a proven back for a gimmick formation with a quarterback who hasn’t taken any live snaps all year sinks into the realm of overthinking the obvious. 

The Long Plan

Prevailing thought resides with those that believe Auburn will completely fall apart and struggle to make even the most tertiary of bowl spot. Yet, those games still need playing. Similarly, like most coaches, Freeze attempts to assess the situation, finding a common enemy.

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“The media is into this spiraling and keep them together. If that is a question about your team, then you probably are not going to have a whole lot of success,” said Freeze. “In life, you don’t get the chance to spiral and then have success, and it’s the same way in football. That will be my lesson today that I have planned since the summer, which I think is perfect for our moment, and I am going to give some real-life examples of myself.

“At times in life you have to draw the line on what am I really in this for and what did I really sign up for? What happens when you sign up for a job and it doesn’t go the way you want, do you spiral? There is not another option. We get the opportunity this week to go play one of the top teams in the country with a really young, building team, and we see it as a another great opportunity.”

Overview

Auburn lost a game which they should’ve won, plain and simple. Yet, they still need to go on and play and win some games. Regardless of what words uttered or written, the onus stays with the ability of winning more games. Now, the team needs to compartmentalize the ancillary and stick to the matter at hand.

One game at a time is a cliche for a reason. The focus for the Auburn Tigers is Georgia, not trying to play the entire schedule this week.

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