Oklahoma

Oklahoma Board Rescinds Catholic Charter School Founding Contract

Published

2 years ago

August 13, 2024

Oklahoma Board Rescinds Catholic Charter School Founding Contract

This article was originally published in Oklahoma Voice.

OKLAHOMA CITY — A contract founding the nation’s first religious charter school is now void, but it could be reestablished if the U.S. Supreme Court were to rule in favor of the school.

In its fourth time considering the measure, the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board finally agreed on Monday to rescind its contract with St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, effectively blocking the school from opening as a state-funded entity. St. Isidore, named for the patron saint of the internet, had already agreed not to attempt to open nor accept public funding in the 2024-25 school year.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court decided on June 25 that the concept of a publicly funded, state-established school that endorses a religion is unlawful and unconstitutional. In doing so, the Court ordered the state board to invalidate St. Isidore’s founding charter contract.

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The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa, which created the school, pledged to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Advocates for St. Isidore say denying the school of public funds because it is Catholic violates the right to religious freedom.

‘Up in the Air’: Oklahoma Families in Limbo as Courts Decide on Religious Charter

The board’s unanimous vote on Monday included a provision to reinstate the contract if the U.S. Supreme Court “reverses, vacates or otherwise nullifies” the state Supreme Court’s ruling. Father Stephen Hamilton, pastor of St. Monica Catholic Church in Edmond, prays before a meeting of the Statewide Charter School Board on Aug. 12 at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

The Statewide Charter School Board had declined multiple times to void the contract, instead voting July 30 to join Catholic officials in their appeal strategy. The board’s cooperation with Catholic officials was evident again on Monday when it had Father Stephen Hamilton, of St. Monica Catholic Church in Edmond, pray at the beginning of its meeting.

Chairperson Brian Shellem said the board was waiting for an appeals window to close and for further clarification from the Court on the ruling. He said last month that the board intended to follow the Court order but didn’t want to “short circuit” the legal process.

“Our board is always going to be in compliance with a court order,” Shellem said after Monday’s meeting. “Now, there’s those who wanted to rush the process, but there was a process and this board will always respect the process.”

Choice Supporters to Catholic Charter School Backers: ‘Proceed with Caution’

Shellem said an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court has not yet been filed.

The odds are long that the nation’s highest court will take up the case. The U.S. Supreme Court receives more than 7,000 requests a year to review cases, of which it agrees to hear about 100 to 150.

Meanwhile, pressure to rescind the contract mounted from Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who sued to strike down the school. Drummond asked the state Supreme Court to threaten a contempt citation against the board members if they again refused to follow the order in their meeting Monday.

Anyone held in contempt of a court order could face a fine of up to $500 or imprisonment up to six months, or both, according to state law.

“While it is appalling that the board took so long to recognize the authority of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, I am pleased that board members finally fulfilled their duty,” Drummond said in a statement after the meeting. “The proposed state-sponsored religious charter school, funded by our tax dollars, represents a serious threat to the religious liberty of all four million Oklahomans.”

Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com. Follow Oklahoma Voice on Facebook and X.

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Oklahoma

How to watch LA Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder: TV, live stream info for tonight’s NBA playoff game

Published

1 hour ago

May 5, 2026

Press Room

How to watch LA Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder: TV, live stream info for tonight’s NBA playoff game

Coverage of the 2026 NBA playoffs continues tonight on NBC and Peacock with a star-studded doubleheader. The action tips off at 7:00 PM ET, when Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers take on Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons. Then, at 8:30 PM ET, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers go head-to-head with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Peacock. Live coverage begins at 6:00 PM with NBA Showtime. See below for additional information on how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

LA Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Game Preview:

The No. 4 Lakers defeated the No. 5 Rockets in six games to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals. Los Angeles opened the series with a 3-0 lead, dropped Games 4 and 5, then bounced back with a 98-78 road win in Game 6. The win marked JJ Redick’s first playoff series victory since he took over as head coach ahead of last season.

Meanwhile, the top-seeded Thunder defeated the No. 8 Phoenix Suns 4-0, completing a First Round sweep for the third straight season. The Thunder look to become the first team to win consecutive NBA titles since the Golden State Warriors (2016-2017, 2017-18).

The Lakers and Thunder will both be without key players tonight. Luka Doncic has missed the last 11 games due to a grade 2 hamstring strain sustained on April 2 against Oklahoma City, while Jalen Williams missed the last two games for the Thunder with a grade 1 hamstring strain. Both players are considered week-to-week.

NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks

2026 NBA Playoffs: Bracket, schedule, scores, matchups for conference semifinals, including 76ers vs. Knicks

All the games — times, dates, where to watch — in one easy-to-check-out location.

How to watch LA Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder:

When: Tonight, Tuesday, May 5
Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder series preview, predictions – Do LeBron, Lakers have a chance?

What other NBA games are on NBC and Peacock tonight?

Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 1 NBA Playoffs – predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for May 5

How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:

NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock

Timberwolves steal Game 1 on road from Spurs

Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?

Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.

Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?

Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.

Brunson powers Knicks past 76ers in Game 1

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

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Oklahoma

This Day in Oklahoma History: F.D. Moon born in 1896

Published

14 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Press Room

This Day in Oklahoma History: F.D. Moon born in 1896

OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) – African American educator F.D. Moon was born 130 years ago on May 4, 1896, in what is now Lincoln County.

He began teaching in 1921 and in 1940 moved to Oklahoma City, where he became principal of Douglass High School.

Widely known as the “Dean” of African American education, Moon was elected to the Oklahoma City Board of Education in 1972, then became its first African American president in 1974.

He served during federally mandated desegregation in Oklahoma City Public Schools and died in 1975.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma AG urges agency to let states regulate sports prediction markets

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma AG urges agency to let states regulate sports prediction markets

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is pressing federal regulators to make clear that states — not the federal government — have authority over sports-related prediction markets, arguing the platforms function like sportsbooks without state oversight.

Drummond and 40 other state attorneys general filed a formal comment Thursday with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, urging the agency to reaffirm that it does not have jurisdiction over sports-related contracts offered through prediction markets. The coalition said prediction markets have effectively become unregulated sportsbooks.

Prediction markets, including Kalshi and Polymarket, allow users to trade contracts tied to the outcome of future events. Drummond said sports-related contracts on those platforms amount to gambling and should be regulated by states.

“This is unequivocally gambling, which means it belongs under State authority,” Drummond said. “States have long had the right and responsibility to protect their own citizens from the dangers of gambling, and that should continue to hold true whether bets take place on a prediction market or inside a traditional casino.”

In their letter, the attorneys general said users can make the same types of wagers on prediction markets as they can at traditional sportsbooks. “Any distinction between sportsbook bets and prediction-market bets is illusory,” they wrote.

The coalition said prediction market users can wager on game winners, point spreads and player statistics, while bypassing consumer protections and tax requirements mandated by state gambling laws. The attorneys general argued the contracts are entertainment-based gambling rather than tools for financial risk management, placing them outside the CFTC’s jurisdiction.

The attorneys general also warned that sports gambling poses risks to public health and financial security.

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They said states are best positioned to protect residents from those harms and asked the CFTC to confirm through rulemaking that it lacks jurisdiction over sports-related contracts, leaving states with the power to regulate or prohibit sports gambling.

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