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Oklahoma Board Rejects Initial Proposal for Catholic Charter School

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Oklahoma Board Rejects Initial Proposal for Catholic Charter School


The Archdiocese of Oklahoma Metropolis, which goals to run the web college in partnership with the Diocese of Tulsa, could have the chance to resubmit its utility after addressing the board’s considerations, and the board could have 30 days to approve or deny the revised utility.

A statewide board in Oklahoma voted Tuesday to reject a proposal introduced by the Oklahoma Catholic Convention to create a digital, non secular constitution college, which might be the primary of its form within the nation whether it is finally authorized.

The Oklahoma Statewide Digital Constitution College Board voted unanimously on Tuesday to disapprove an utility, first introduced in February, to create St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Digital College, pending revisions.

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The Archdiocese of Oklahoma Metropolis, which goals to run the web college in partnership with the Diocese of Tulsa, could have the chance to resubmit its utility after addressing the board’s considerations, and the board could have 30 days to approve or deny the revised utility.

Brett Farley, government director of the Oklahoma Catholic Convention and a board member for the proposed college, instructed CNA it’s “extra typically the case than not” that the constitution college board disapproves the primary draft of a college’s utility, as an alternative giving the varsity an opportunity to return and deal with the board’s considerations. He mentioned the plan’s backers are “not discouraged in any respect” and that they’ve already submitted some revisions to the board.

Whether or not the varsity is finally authorized or whether or not its utility is lastly denied, there’s prone to be litigation. Within the U.S., constitution colleges are free, publicly funded colleges which have extra flexibility of their operations and administration than conventional public colleges. Oklahoma’s present guidelines for constitution colleges state that they have to be “nonsectarian” of their “packages, admission insurance policies, employment practices, and all different operations.”

The concept for St. Isidore, which might purpose to serve 1,500 college students on-line inside Oklahoma by its fifth yr of operation, has the backing of Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt in addition to former state colleges superintendent Ryan Walters. Proponents of the plan say the web college can be a boon for rural Oklahoma college students who should not have a Catholic college of their space. If the state’s constitution college board approves the varsity, it will be the primary non secular college to be funded as a constitution.

Farley instructed CNA that Oklahoma’s “extra favorable laws” for charters in contrast with different states, in addition to current Supreme Courtroom precedent, places the backers of the varsity on “strong authorized footing.”

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He mentioned their utility was crafted, partially, with assist from the Notre Dame Legislation College Spiritual Liberty Clinic. He reiterated that he believes Oklahoma’s authorities because it at the moment stands presents a “favorable atmosphere to barter protections for non secular liberty” to make sure that the varsity’s Catholic identification isn’t threatened by the acceptance of public funds.

The event of the Oklahoma proposal comes following two U.S. Supreme Courtroom selections issued in recent times that advocates say may open the door to public funding for non secular constitution colleges. In 2020, the Supreme Courtroom’s ruling in Espinoza v. Montana Division of Income discovered that the state’s Blaine Modification, which prohibited non secular colleges from taking part in a state scholarship program, violated the First Modification.

And the courtroom’s ruling in Carson v. Makin, issued in June 2022, struck down Maine’s coverage barring college students in a student-aid program from utilizing their assist to attend “sectarian” colleges, ruling that the coverage violated the Free Train Clause of the First Modification by figuring out and excluding “in any other case eligible colleges on the idea of their non secular train.”

The Archdiocese of Oklahoma Metropolis pushed for the approval of the varsity after former Oklahoma Lawyer Common John O’Connor issued an advisory opinion late final yr stating that due to the Supreme Courtroom’s current rulings, Oklahoma’s provisions banning non secular colleges from accessing public funds as charters might be unconstitutional. He cautioned that this authorized change wouldn’t imply that non secular colleges utilizing public funds “can essentially function nonetheless they need.” Present Oklahoma Lawyer Common Gentner Drummond withdrew his predecessor’s opinion on the matter.

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Oklahoma

Golden State takes home win streak into matchup with Oklahoma City

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Golden State takes home win streak into matchup with Oklahoma City


Associated Press

Oklahoma City Thunder (13-4, first in the Western Conference) vs. Golden State Warriors (12-4, second in the Western Conference)

San Francisco; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EST

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BOTTOM LINE: Golden State hosts Oklahoma City aiming to extend its five-game home winning streak.

The Warriors are 9-3 against Western Conference opponents. Golden State is second in the Western Conference scoring 117.6 points while shooting 46.5% from the field.

The Thunder are 10-4 against Western Conference opponents. Oklahoma City averages 115.2 points while outscoring opponents by 11.3 points per game.

The 117.6 points per game the Warriors average are 13.7 more points than the Thunder give up (103.9). The Thunder are shooting 46.2% from the field, 3.3% higher than the 42.9% the Warriors’ opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Draymond Green is shooting 43.1% and averaging 8.7 points for the Warriors.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring 29.2 points per game and averaging 5.1 rebounds for the Thunder.

LAST 10 GAMES: Warriors: 7-3, averaging 115.5 points, 50.1 rebounds, 29.9 assists, 8.6 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.2 points per game.

Thunder: 6-4, averaging 116.5 points, 40.8 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 11.3 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.6 points.

INJURIES: Warriors: Jonathan Kuminga: out (illness), De’Anthony Melton: out for season (acl).

Thunder: Chet Holmgren: out (hip), Ousmane Dieng: out (finger), Jaylin Williams: out (hamstring), Nikola Topic: out for season (acl), Alex Caruso: out (hip).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.




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Put out of office by voters, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice has no regrets • Oklahoma Voice

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Put out of office by voters, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice has no regrets • Oklahoma Voice


OKLAHOMA CITY – Yvonne Kauger’s interpretation of the law and the paths she’s blazed outside the courtroom have shaped the foundation of Oklahoma’s justice system for decades.

When the 87-year-old retires Dec. 1, she’ll collectively be the longest serving Oklahoma Supreme Court justice and staff attorney.

She’ll also be the first Oklahoma Supreme Court justice in state history to not be retained by voters following a dark money campaign that targeted her as a liberal judge and as being too old. 

But being first isn’t new to Kauger.

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She was the first female staff attorney at the Oklahoma Supreme Court. 

Gov. George Nigh appointed her to the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 1984, two years after he appointed the first female justice, the late Alma Wilson. 

Kauger has spent 52 years working for the state’s highest court as either a judge or staff attorney.

Cases before the court ranged from the constitutionality of laws, taxes, abortion access and tribal issues, to name a few.

The same year as her appointment to the bench, she was adopted by the Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma on sacred tribal ground in Colony. Her family has deep ties to the tribe.

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“It’s more of an honorary position, but I was the first person since statehood to be adopted by the Cheyenne Arapaho,” Kauger said. 

Kauger has no Native American blood, but always wanted to be an Indian, she said.

In 1987, she co-founded Red Earth, which features Native American culture, art and dancers.

The following year, she founded the Sovereignty Symposium. The national legal conference held in Oklahoma City educates people about tribal sovereignty and government.

She is known for asking tough and direct questions from those who appeared before the court during oral arguments and not letting attorneys off easy when they can’t answer.

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Former Oklahoma Chief Justice Steven Taylor introduced her when she was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.

“No living Oklahoman has influenced the course of the law in our state more than Justice Yvonne Kauger,” Taylor said.

He said she guards the institutional foundation of the state’s highest court.

Chief Justice M. John Kane IV said he will be sad to lose her as a colleague.

“Her toughness, her kindness, her vision have been an institution in our court for my entire career,” said Kane, who was appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt in 2019.

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Kauger has vivid and mostly fond memories of her childhood in Colony and young adult years. She played basketball in high school. She still has the faded newspapers showing her modeling the latest fashions when she was younger. She lost her sister in a plane crash as a young adult.

Kauger put herself through the Oklahoma City University School of Law, graduating first in her class in 1969. 

She was instrumental in creating the online case tracking system for the state’s courts and transforming the old Wiley Post building that then housed the Oklahoma Historical Society into the Judicial Center.

Not being retained has advantages for Kauger, who plans to write at least two books and start a docent program for the Judicial Center, where she was instrumental in picking out the artwork.

“This is the most wonderful building and has one of the best Indian art collections,” said Kauger, who can see the state’s court building from her nearby home across the street from the Capitol. “We’ve told the history of the state through the art.”

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Her Taos Pueblo-style home, including the garage, is filled with art, whether it is paintings or sculptures. She is also an artist.

“I call it a new beginning,” Kauger said. “That iron curtain has dropped. I don’t bear a grudge. Sometimes I think it’s serendipitous because I probably would have never quit.”

Kauger has a tradition. 

After every retention ballot, she purchases something for herself.

After one retention election, it was living room furniture. One year it was a car. This year, it was a zero-gravity heat massage chair.

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Kauger said she has no regrets about anything she has done. She said the job of the court is to follow the law based on the facts, regardless of what some might believe.

“Do right. Fear not,” is a motto she lives by.  

Despite racking up an impressive list of firsts, honors and awards, Kauger said that is not her legacy.

“My legacy is my family,” she said, referring to daughter Jonna Kirschner, two grandchildren and a great grandson.

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Oklahoma LB Kip Lewis Proved Again He’s a ‘True Gamer’ With Alabama Pick Six

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Oklahoma LB Kip Lewis Proved Again He’s a ‘True Gamer’ With Alabama Pick Six


NORMAN — Kip Lewis must have something against the state of Alabama. 

In September, he sealed Oklahoma’s unlikely comeback victory over Auburn with a Pick Six. 

Saturday night, he repeated his heroics — this time to bury the No. 7-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. 

With Alabama down 17-3 and needing a score to get back into the game, Jalen Milroe didn’t see Lewis. 

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The OU linebacker didn’t care. 

He snatched the ball out of the way and outraced the Crimson Tide 49 yards the other way, stepping over a Milroe half-hearted tackle attempt en route to the end zone. 

“(They) came out of a formation that we’ve been studying all week, and Coach (Zac) Alley had everybody prepared, nailing us down with the details,” Lewis said after the win. “And so I read my keys, did what I was supposed to, and I was proud that he threw, because I was like, ‘What if I’m standing right here?’ But you know, just finishing and making sure I get to the end zone after I caught it.”

Lewis and the Sooners never looked back, as the Pick Six put the exclamation point on the 24-3 win. 

The redshirt sophomore burst onto the scene last year for Oklahoma by playing a crucial part in the goal line stand against Texas. 

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Then in his first year as an established starter, Lewis has delivered in both of OU’s SEC wins. 

And while he turns it on every Saturday, Lewis said the interceptions never come his way in practice. 

“I drop (passes) in practice a lot,” Lewis said with a smile. “I drop ’em a lot, and I just say, ‘Hey guys, look, in a game, it’s a catch, don’t worry.’ That’s what I tell them all the time.”

Alley confirmed Lewis’ struggles to hold onto the ball during practice, but praised the growth the young linebacker has shown to play a key role at the heart of Oklahoma’s defense. 

“I don’t know; he dropped them in pregame too,” Alley said with a smirk. “I think when the lights come on, he’s a different dude. He’s a true gamer. There’s not a lot of those guys. He’s a good practice player, no doubt about it, but man, when the lights are on and the stage is bright and matter, he’s at his best when it matters the most.”

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The interception from Lewis wasn’t the only contribution from the Sooners’ front seven. 

They held Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe to just seven rushing yards, and OU’s defensive line and linebackers dictated play at the point of attack. 

Lewis finished with no tackles, but he and fellow linebacker Danny Stutsman disrupted everything the Crimson Tide tried to do. 

“I’m so proud of them. And the other guys like Kip,” Stutsman said. “Comes up big with a huge play. Just proud of him.”

Partly thanks to Lewis’ contributions, the Sooners are now bowl eligible. 

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Oklahoma will be able to utilize those extra practices to continue to develop and be better prepared headed into 2025. 

But for now, Lewis was just happy he could help deliver OU coach a signature win and send the seniors out in style. 

“It’s really good. Just building momentum into going into next year, I think it’s gonna really say what this team is,” Lewis said. “Just some hard, gritty fighting team that’s never gonna quit, never gonna give up. A lot of people counted us out this season and thought we should just write it off. And so we had other plans.”



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