OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) – The bidding requirements to supply 55,000 Bibles to Oklahoma public schools has been amended following reports of the original requirements severely limiting Bibles that would qualify.

The original requirements stated the Bibles chosen would have to include American founding documents such as the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Bill of Rights. The Bibles would have had to also contain the Pledge of Allegiance.

However, now those qualifications have been amended to state those additional documents can now be provided separately from the Bible.

In addition, cost will now be a factor in awarding the bid, according to the new RFP.

The two Bibles many pointed to which met the original strict requirements were either endorsed or promoted by former-President Donald Trump.

The first was Lee Greenwood’s Bible titled, “God Bless the USA Bible” and it sells for $60 online. The second bible was the “We The People Bible” and it sells for almost $90 online.

Associated Press reported the changes were made to save taxpayer money.

Read our extensive coverage of Ryan Walters’ drive to bring Bibles to Oklahoma public schools below:

| READ: Bidding now open to supply Bibles to Oklahoma schools, Trump-endorsed Bible meets strict requirements |

| READ: Newly formed Oklahoma Freedom Caucus supports initiative placing bibles in classrooms |

| READ: Lawton House Representative weighs in on OSDE $3 million request for bibles |

| READ: Ryan Walters requests additional $3 million to supply bibles in Oklahoma classrooms |

| READ: Local legislators react to ‘Bibles in every classroom’ memo from state superintendent |

| READ: ‘Theocratic Leader’: State Superintendent says Bible will be in every Oklahoma classroom |

You can view the new RFP with the amendments below:

Copyright 2024 KSWO. All rights reserved.

OKLAHOMA (KXII) – Tribal youth programs can now apply for grant money from the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs.

More than $500,000 in grant money is available, in hopes of preventing delinquency among tribal youth.

The grants are intended for programs that honor indigenous traditions and work to help children in need.

A press release from the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs stated that the money is made possible through the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the money will go to agencies that work to strengthen youth development and combat truancy, substance use and other delinquent behaviors.

Organizations can apply here.

November 8 is the final day for programs to apply for grant money.

Copyright 2024 KXII. All rights reserved.

For once this season, the Sooners seem to be getting healthier rather than suffering more injuries. 

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables on Monday during his coach’s show said that he expects OU to start getting some receivers back in action soon; however, it might not be in time for the Red River Showdown against top-ranked Texas at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Venables specifically mentioned Deion Burks, Jalil Farooq and Andrel Anthony. 

“I feel good, for sure, from a receiver standpoint, we’ll have some guys back in a few weeks,” Venables said. “Jalil and Burks, you know, we’ll see where Burks is here in the next couple of days.”

Burks seems to be the only receiver the Sooners could get back for their matchup against the Longhorns, but he also might be the biggest addition. He missed OU’s last game against Auburn after getting injured in the loss to Tennessee. 

Even after sitting out a game, Burks is still the Sooners’ leading receiver this season. He has 26 receptions for 201 yards and three touchdowns in four games. He hasn’t caught a TD since catching all three in Week 1 against Temple, though. 

Burks transferred from Purdue this past offseason. He led the Boilermakers with 47 receptions, 629 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. 

Farooq has been sidelined since breaking his foot in OU’s season opener. Venables announced after that game Farooq would miss 6-8 weeks. It will be exactly six weeks from then on Friday. Venables also noted that Farooq will be out of a boot in “a couple of days” and can start getting back into shape after that. 

Last season, Farooq caught 45 passes for 694 yards and a pair of TDs while starting all 133 games for the Sooners. 

Anthony also hasn’t caught a pass since that season-opener against Temple in late August, but also like Farooq, could return soon. After transferring from Michigan, Farooq suffered a season-ending injury last season during his first year in Norman. 

“We’ll get a couple of those guys back pending there’s no setbacks along the way,” Venables said. “And that’s great, you know? And they’re excited. It’s good to have those guys back around. Andrel had another little clean-up surgery. He feels really, really good. He had that sometime here recently, and he feels really good, but so we’ll see where that is here in the few weeks, as well. 

“We’ve had some other guys that have been banged up. They’ve just kind of been fighting through it, so that helped these guys get your normal bumps and bruises – that’s going to happen. But hard to believe that here, in just a few days, we’ll be halfway through the regular season just like that. But it’s exciting.”

All these receiver injuries came as sophomore Jackson Arnold struggled at quarterback, ultimately leading freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. to make his first career start against Auburn in OU’s last outing. Hawkins is also expected to start against Texas on Saturday. 

Even of the three updates Venables gave, he didn’t mention Nic Anderson, who put together one of the best seasons ever by an OU freshman receiver last year. Anderson finally made his season debut against Tennessee in Week 4, but was then immediately injured again and hasn’t been on the field since. 

The Sooners also lost wideout Jayden Gibson for the season because of a knee injury suffered during fall camp.