With the beginning of the school year for several Oklahoma districts only weeks away, teachers across the state are confused by a new mandate involving the use of Bibles in the classroom.

Educators and parents, both for and against the new mandate, are protesting with signs and chants at Wednesday’s state board of education meeting.

Additionally, some teachers could lose their teaching certification if the board votes accordingly.

In total, six teachers from across the state could have their teaching licenses suspended or revoked.

One of those is Ardmore band teacher Alison Scott, who gained national attention in early July when she posted a comment on social media that seemingly supported the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

After the post made waves on social media, Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters spoke out and threatened the teacher’s license.

“I think it was absolutely disgusting to see an Oklahoma teacher out praising or celebrating the assassination attempt on President Trump,” Walters said. “This is incredibly dangerous territory that we’re in, and it’s just completely inexcusable behavior for a teacher.”

Walters is also expected to discuss teaching using historical documents such as the Bible, and what the meeting agenda is calling “rogue” district administrators.

Also, according to the agenda, Walters says he’ll discuss illegal immigration and what he says burdens Oklahoma schools.

The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m.

RANDALL SWEET

Randall is a recruiting analyst and staff writer at AllSooners focusing primarily on OU Football and the recruiting trail.

Working as a journalist, Randall has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and high school sports across the state.

A 2022 University of Oklahoma graduate, Randall hails from Lubbock, TX. While in college, Sweet wrote for the OU Daily in addition to working with Sooner Sports Pad and OU Nightly. Following his time at OU, Sweet served as the Communications Coordinator at Visit Oklahoma City before leaving to join the team at AllSooners. The West Texas native has bylines in the Norman Transcript and is a Staff Writer for Inside the Thunder.

Randall holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK. 

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Oklahoma is poised to receive almost $800 million in federal grant funds to expand internet access across the state.

Mike Sanders, executive director of the Oklahoma Broadband Office, said this week that Oklahoma, Montana and Vermont would receive a total of $1.6 billion from the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment – BEAD – program this year.

“This is a game changer,” Sanders said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

On Thursday the National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced approval of the state’s Initial Proposal Volume II, which outlined the selection process. Sanders said the Oklahoma Broadband Office has a year from the approval date to complete the process and award funds to eligible internet service providers.

Created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the BEAD program is a $42.45 billion state grant program. The states, U.S. territories and Washington, D.C., received billions in federal funding to deploy or upgrade high-speed internet networks to ensure the public has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed -internet service. 

Sanders said Oklahoma would eventually spend a total of $1.3 billion in federal funds to expand internet access in remote areas. While the $797 million grant was “by far the largest pot,” Sanders said, he added that private funds would supplement that investment.

More: High-speed internet grants of more than $300 million awarded by Oklahoma officials

Sanders said the BEAD program was the largest high-speed internet expansion effort in Oklahoma history.

“We’re going to be changing generations for the better,” he said. “Whether it’s education, whether it’s heath care, whether it’s economic development. This will level the playing field between areas that have had high-speed internet and those who have not.”

Once the expansion is complete, he said, Oklahomans will see the benefits for years to come.

How will the federal money be used to expand broadband in Oklahoma?

Sanders said Oklahoma’s $797.4 million share of the program will be used to fund last-mile connections for unserved and underserved homes and businesses. However, before the award process can begin, the office will administer a challenge process to determine which locations in Oklahoma are eligible for funding.

Under the program, BEAD-eligible entities — the states, territories and the District of Columbia — are required to submit proposals to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for approval. The initial proposal must show how each entity plans to spend their BEAD allocation.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes an earmarked $65 billion investment to expand affordable and reliable high-speed internet access in communities across the United States.

All states submitted their initial proposals last December.  

Opinion: Older Oklahomans need affordable high-speed internet service ― and the skills to use it

One year from initial proposal approval, states must submit a final proposal that details, among other things, the outcome of the selection process and how the state will ensure universal coverage. Oklahoma’s grant was the largest of the three awarded. The two other grants included $668 million allocated to Montana and $228 million to Vermont.

Gina Raimondo, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, said a reliable internet connection was a necessity that enables access to jobs, health care and education.

Sanders said federal approval of the state’s plan was the result of many months of intensive planning and stakeholder engagement.

“We want to ensure we can bridge the digital divide in this state once and for all,” he said. “Our office will continue to ensure this money goes directly to areas that don’t have high-speed internet access.”