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Oklahoma to vote on first religious charter school in US

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Oklahoma to vote on first religious charter school in US


April 11 (Reuters) – An Oklahoma college board is about to vote on Tuesday on whether or not the state will permit the primary taxpayer-funded spiritual constitution college within the U.S. – a call that guarantees to ignite a authorized battle testing the idea of separation of church and state.

The Statewide Digital Constitution Faculty Board will vote on an utility backed by the Catholic church for the creation of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Digital Faculty, deliberate by its organizers to supply a web based training for kindergarten by way of highschool initially for 500 college students and ultimately 1,500.

The board is a state entity that considers purposes for constitution faculties – publicly funded however independently run – that function just about in Oklahoma. The board’s three voting members all had been appointed by Republican state officers.

The college would price Oklahoma taxpayers as much as $25.7 million over its first 5 years of operation, its organizers mentioned. The thought for the college got here from the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma Metropolis. The regulation college on the College of Notre Dame, a Catholic establishment in Indiana, helped with the appliance.

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Any authorized combat over St. Isidore may check the scope of the U.S. Structure’s First Modification “institution clause,” which restricts authorities officers from endorsing any specific faith, or selling faith over nonreligion.

Supporters and critics of the proposed college predicted a authorized combat whatever the end result of Tuesday’s vote. Church officers have mentioned they hope the case will attain the U.S. Supreme Court docket, whose 6-3 conservative majority has taken an expansive view of spiritual rights together with in two rulings since 2020 regarding faculties in Maine and Montana.

Brett Farley, govt director of the Catholic Convention of Oklahoma, mentioned St. Isidore is meant primarily to fulfill the wants of rural households who need a Catholic training however don’t stay near any bodily faculties.

Farley, whose group represents the church on public coverage points, mentioned the current Supreme Court docket selections made him optimistic that the justices would ultimately permit a publicly funded Catholic constitution college.

The proposal’s critics have warned of the results of permitting taxpayer-funded spiritual faculties.

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“People must get up to the fact that spiritual extremists are coming for our public faculties,” mentioned Rachel Laser, president of the advocacy group People United for Separation of Church and State.

It stays an open query how the college would steadiness federal and state non-discrimination guidelines reminiscent of these barring discrimination based mostly on sexual orientation. The college’s said goal in its utility is to rent educators who stay by the doctrine of the Catholic church, which in response to the U.S. Convention of Catholic Bishops considers homosexuality a sin.

Farley mentioned he couldn’t reply questions on any hypothetical case of hiring a homosexual instructor or admitting a homosexual scholar, however expressed confidence that the college may “sq. with state rules, federal rules and function inside the protections that precedent has given us.”

“This concept of separation of church and state just isn’t constitutional, it is not wherever within the Structure’s textual content,” Farley mentioned.

Laser disagreed and mentioned her group would combat the Catholic church in any courtroom over St. Isidore and every other publicly funded spiritual college.

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“There may be an assault being waged on public faculties in Oklahoma, and that assault is to transform public faculties into spiritual faculties,” Laser mentioned.

Robert Franklin, chairman of the Statewide Digital Constitution Faculty Board, wouldn’t reveal how he deliberate to vote however mentioned that “most all exterior contacts which have reached out to me are vexed and against the request of the archdiocese’s utility.”

Franklin mentioned all three voting board members must agree for the college’s utility to be permitted.

Reporting by Brad Brooks in Lubbock, Texas; Extra reporting by John Kruzel in Washington; Enhancing by Will Dunham and Donna Bryson

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.

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Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz: December 22

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Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz: December 22


Join News 9 Sports Director Dean Blevins, News On 6 Sports Director John Holcomb, and Toby Rowland for this week’s edition of the Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz.

Sunday, December 22nd 2024, 11:25 pm

By:

News On 6,

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News 9

This week on the Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz, Dean Blevins, John Holcomb, and Toby Rowland begin the show with their opening takes.

Toby’s Top 3

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OU, OSU, TU Recap

Viewer Question

Thunder Update: Caruso 4-Year Contract Extension, No Christmas Game

OU, OSU, TU, ORU Basketball Recap

OSU Wrestling Beats Virginia Tech

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Oklahoma transfer LB Dasan McCullough commits to Nebraska

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Oklahoma transfer LB Dasan McCullough commits to Nebraska


Oklahoma transfer LB Dasan McCullough commits to Nebraska

Oklahoma transfer linebacker Dasan McCullough has committed to Nebraska, he confirmed on Instagram Sunday afternoon.

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The 6-foot-5, 235-pound McCullough spent the past two seasons in Norman with the Sooners. He began his college football career in 2022 at Indiana, where he earned Freshman All-American status.

McCullough will come to Nebraska with one season of eligibility remaining.

McCullough, who played Oklahoma’s versatile hybrid linebacker/safety position called the Cheetah, suffered an injury before the start of Oklahoma’s fall camp this season and missed the first five games. He returned to the field in October and played in the final seven games, the last five of which he started. He recorded 17 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in 2024.

In 2023 at Oklahoma, McCullough played in 10 games and started seven while making 30 tackles with 3.5 TFLs and three pass deflections.

McCullough, who was a star recruit and ranked No. 61 nationally in the 2022 class, comes from a football family. His dad, Deland McCullough, played running back in the NFL and is currently Notre Dame’s associate head coach and running backs coach.

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While Deland spent three seasons as the Kansas City Chiefs’ running backs coach from 2018-20, Dasan played his high school ball at Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kansas. Deland became Indiana’s associate head coach and running backs coach in 2021, and Dasan, then an Ohio State verbal commit, flipped to Indiana not long after.

Dasan followed his father to Bloomington and made an impact right away. He played in all 12 games with four starts and racked up 51 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, four sacks and four pass deflections. He gained Freshman All-American honors and a Big Ten honorable mention selection.

— Steve Marik, Inside Nebraska staff writer,

Analysis

McCullough is a versatile backend defender that can play a variety of roles in Nebraska’s defense.

A rare blend of size and athleticism at 6-5, McCullough shows good speed and change-of-direction ability for his size. Has high-end instincts and IQ, which shows up in zone coverage and reacting against the run. Has had some intriguing flashes as a pass-rusher, but largely relies on athleticism to get into the backfield, still developing consistent pass rush moves.

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Technically sound tackler, though lean he’s got wiry body strength. Consistent aggression could improve as could hip fluidity. Athletic enough to hold his own in man coverage, technique can continue to improve, better in zone at this point in his career.

In Nebraska’s scheme, McCullough can play all three linebacker positions, rover or even safety if needed. He’s likely best at inside linebacker with a few pass-rush opportunities.

This addition provides Nebraska defensive coordinator John Butler something of a chess piece to move around his defense.

— Tim Verghese, Inside Nebraska recruiting analyst

Additional analysis

McCullough is a versatile and sizable defender who played both a traditional linebacker position and Oklahoma’s “cheetah” spot, which is roughly equivalent to the nickel. He also saw some periodic snaps as an edge rusher for the Sooners during his two years in Norman.

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McCullough at his best against the run, as he takes good pursuit angles, fills gaps responsibly and is a reliable tackler. That said, he’s intelligent and instinctive in zone coverage and can generally be trusted to hold his own in man-to-man matchups against tight ends and running backs.

McCullough ought to be quite the chess piece in John Butler’s defense, and could truly thrive in Lincoln depending on the Huskers’ specific vision for his diverse skill set.

— OUInsider writer Parker Thune

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Fears leads No. 14 Oklahoma against Central Arkansas

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Fears leads No. 14 Oklahoma against Central Arkansas


Associated Press

Central Arkansas Bears (3-8) at Oklahoma Sooners (11-0)

Norman, Oklahoma; Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

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BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Sooners -28.5; over/under is 145.5

BOTTOM LINE: No. 14 Oklahoma hosts Central Arkansas after Jeremiah Fears scored 30 points in Oklahoma’s 87-86 victory over the Michigan Wolverines.

The Sooners have gone 6-0 at home. Oklahoma has a 2-0 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Bears are 0-6 on the road. Central Arkansas ranks fourth in the ASUN with 23.8 defensive rebounds per game led by Brayden Fagbemi averaging 4.6.

Oklahoma averages 82.0 points, 5.2 more per game than the 76.8 Central Arkansas allows. Central Arkansas averages 9.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 more made shots on average than the 6.5 per game Oklahoma allows.

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TOP PERFORMERS: Fears is scoring 17.9 points per game with 3.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Sooners.

Layne Taylor is scoring 17.0 points per game and averaging 4.4 rebounds for the Bears.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sooners: 10-0, averaging 80.9 points, 29.3 rebounds, 14.1 assists, 10.1 steals and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.5 points per game.

Bears: 3-7, averaging 73.0 points, 34.3 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 8.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 38.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.7 points.

___

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




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