Oklahoma

Student’s death shines new light on LGBTQ+ policies in Oklahoma schools

Published

10 months ago

March 1, 2024

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Student’s death shines new light on LGBTQ+ policies in Oklahoma schools

The week in extremism, from USA TODAY.

The death of a transgender student after a fight at an Oklahoma school has placed new focus on the state’s hostile stance toward LGBTQ+ people. Meanwhile, a government report finds that social media and gaming companies continue to host extremist propaganda and recruitment efforts. And extremism is a top concern for voters, according to a new nationwide poll.

It’s the week in extremism.

Student’s death shines light on Oklahoma’s treatment of LGBTQ+ community

Nex Benedict, a teenager from the Tulsa, Oklahoma, suburb of Owasso, died earlier this month, a day after they were involved in a fight in a high school bathroom. Nex, who used he/him and they/them pronouns, identified as gender expansive, an umbrella term that describes people whose gender identity expands beyond traditional gender norms, according to the National Institutes of Health.

While it remains unclear whether the fight contributed to Nex’s death, the case has placed new focus on Oklahoma’s treatment of the LGBTQ+ community.

Several students in Owasso told The Oklahoman they had experienced bullying because of their gender identities and sexualities. “I was bullied pretty much every day, consistently,” said Ren Stolas, 20, who is transgender. “That’s why this hurts a little extra.”

On Wednesday, 350 local, state and national organizations sent an open letter to senior officials at the Oklahoma State Legislature calling for the removal of state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, who they say has been hostile towards the state’s LGBTQ+ community.
Last month, Walters appointed Chaya Raichik, the far-right influencer whose controversial posts have preceded dozens of bomb and death threats, to a statewide library advisory board. That move had sparked outrage from the LGBTQ+ community.
As USA TODAY reported, Raichik does not meet the state’s own basic requirements for the position. In an interview with a Washington reporter last weekend, Raichik acknowledged she has only been to Oklahoma once, and shed no new light on her qualifications for the state position.
The open letter also calls for an investigation into the Oklahoma Department of Education, “to determine what actions and policies have led to a culture where rampant harassment” of gay and trans students.

Police officials have said in a statement that Nex’s death was not the result of injuries from a fight, adding that the findings were preliminary and investigations by the medical examiner’s office and the police department remain under way.

Report: Gaming sites, social media ‘often used’ by domestic terrorists

A report released this week by the Government Accountability Office concludes that domestic terrorists often use social media and online gaming sites to spread propaganda and “to radicalize, recruit, and mobilize” people online.

The FBI identified lone offenders and small groups who have been radicalized online and commit violence over political grievances as “one of the most significant terrorism threats” facing the country, the report says.
While the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have mechanisms to share information about extremists on social media and gaming sites, “neither agency has developed a strategy that articulates how it identifies and selects companies to engage with or the goals and desired outcomes of those engagements.”
The report’s primary recommendation: To develop just such a strategy. The FBI should should share information related to domestic violent extremism with social media and gaming companies, the GAO said.

Poll: Extremism top concern for voters

The primary concern to U.S. voters currently is political extremism/threats to democracy, according to a new nationwide Reuters/Ipsos poll.

21% of respondents to the three-day poll said extremism was their top priority, while 19% said it was the economy and 18% said immigration. Crime and corruption (7%) and war and foreign conflicts (5%) were far behind.
Democrats mostly named extremism as their top concern, while Republicans overwhelmingly chose immigration.
The majority of Americans (71%) told pollsters the country is on the wrong track, and only 13% said it is heading in the right direction.

Statistic of the week: At least 17

That’s how many people were killed by domestic extremists in 2023, according to a report released late last week by the Anti-Defamation League. The number of fatalities is down from 2022, in which domestic extremists killed 27 people, per the ADL.

Will Carless is a national correspondent covering extremism and emerging issues. Contact him at wcarless@usatoday.com. Follow him on X @willcarless.

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Oklahoma

Firefighters respond to commercial fire in Oklahoma City

Published

4 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Firefighters respond to commercial fire in Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma City Fire Department responded to a commercial fire near the area of NW 10th and N Western Avenue.

OKCFD were at the scene of a commercial fire around 7 p.m. Saturday night, when they arrived there was heavy smoke visible from multiple floors of a boarded up building.

One adult female was found in the building and taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

At this time no cause has been reported.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.

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Oklahoma

Navy Coach Brian Newberry Talks Oklahoma Prep, Going for 10 Wins

Published

11 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Navy Coach Brian Newberry Talks Oklahoma Prep, Going for 10 Wins

NORMAN — Bowl season is a bit unconventional for Navy.

The Midshipmen annually play against Army six days after the bowl schedule is released. That was the case this year, as Navy beat the Black Knights 31-13 on Dec. 14.

Beating Army is always a highlight for the Midshipmen. But the drawback for them is that they have less time than their bowl opponent to prepare for the game.

In this case, that’s Oklahoma. The Sooners will enter the game with more than two weeks of preparation for Navy’s triple-option offense.

“It’s just a little different,” Navy coach Brian Newberry told reporters earlier this week. “They’ve known they’re going to play us for a little time now.”

Navy Coach, Oklahoma Native Brian Newberry Grew Up On OU Football

Navy does, however, enter the Armed Forces Bowl with momentum.

The Midshipmen (9-3) eased past Army last week in Landover, MD. They outgained the Black Knights 384-179 and forced Army quarterback Bryson Daily to throw three interceptions.

Navy’s rivalry win was its third in the last four games after the Midshipmen went on a two-game skid in the middle of the season. Newberry cited his team’s physicality in recent games, particularly in the Midshipmen’s drubbing of Army.

“I was so impressed with how our kids handled the moment,” Newberry said. “Army’s a really, really good football team. I thought we physically dominated the game in the way that we blocked, beat blocks, the way we tackled. I thought we outplayed them in all three phases, so I’m really, really proud of that.”

A stark difference between the teams is the number of players that have entered the transfer portal.

The Sooners have seen 25 players from their 2024 team enter the portal. The Midshipmen have suffered only one departure in the winter portal window with defensive back Lorenzo Vitti.

On one hand, that makes Oklahoma preparation tough for Navy.

“It’s interesting,” Newberry said. “We’re going through their two-deep and trying to figure out who’s going to play and who isn’t. It’s a little bit of a challenge in that regard. And it could certainly change with a different quarterback.”

But largely, the Midshipmen’s lack of transfers gives Newberry confidence that his team will be bought in for one more game in 2024.

“The portal can affect us, players can jump in the portal — we’re not getting that,” Newberry said. “It’s challenging to build a culture anywhere in college football right now, one that’s built on a certain level of trust. They know each other really, really well. They’ve fought through adversity. They stay the course, they pay the price and they have an opportunity.”

Navy will also play for more than just another win; the Midshipmen are looking to make history.

Navy has reached the 10-win mark just four times in program history. The Midshipmen did so three times under former coach Ken Niumatalolo from 2009-2019.

Having a shot at history while playing Oklahoma — the state that Newberry hails from — excites the coach.

“It’s the last time that this team gets to play together,” Newberry said. “They want to go out the right way against a storied program like Oklahoma. It’s a great reward to play in a bowl game, but it’s a game we want to win.”

The Midshipmen and Sooners will play in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth at 11 a.m. on Dec. 27.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma LB Kip Lewis Sees Armed Forces Bowl as Growth Opportunity

Published

19 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Oklahoma LB Kip Lewis Sees Armed Forces Bowl as Growth Opportunity

As Danny Stutsman departs from Oklahoma, Kip Lewis seems to be the next man up.

A redshirt sophomore linebacker in 2024, Lewis was one of the Sooners’ better defenders. In addition to his 28 solo tackles, Lewis intercepted two passes, running both of them back for touchdowns.

Lewis hopes to be the leader that Stutsman was over his four years at OU. But his goal isn’t to be a Stutsman clone.

“I feel like I’m my own player and my own leader in how I do things,” Lewis said. “Danny’s a great player, great leader. Taught me everything I need to know. I think I’m just my own person. I don’t think I need to step into his role and be the Danny. There’s only one.”

Lewis played and started in all 12 of the Sooners’ games in the 2024 season. It was his second season as a regular on OU’s defense after playing in just two games as a true freshman.

In Oklahoma’s first season as an SEC squad, Lewis and his defensive counterparts saw plenty of offensive stars. Between Garrett Nussmeier at LSU and Quinn Ewers at Texas, there was never really a dull moment for the Sooners during conference play.

Lewis will see a different type of challenge at the Armed Forces Bowl against Navy.

WATCH: Navy HC Brian Newberry Ahead of Armed Forces Bowl vs. Oklahoma

The Midshipmen — like the other service academies — run a triple-option offense. While Navy, Army and Air Force struggle to get the highly-touted recruits that other programs draw, the unconventional offense sets them apart.

Thankfully for Lewis, this style of offense isn’t new.

“I’m a little used to it. So it’s been a minute since I played it, but it brought me back to my roots playing the Wing-T. There’s a team called Pleasant Grove out there in Texas, so they used to give me a run for my money back in the day.”

Navy finished the regular season 9-3. The Midshipmen started the season 6-0 before losing three times in a four-game span.

They ended the season well, though, beating both East Carolina and Army by double digits to end the regular season.

Lewis and multiple of his teammates tuned in as the Midshipmen beat Army in the annual rivalry game.

“They showed a lot of fight, a lot of grit,” Lewis said. “I think that’s an important key into playing football.”

Lewis will play only one more game as an underclassman. Then, he’ll step into the role of other defensive leaders the Sooners have seen recently, whether that’s Stutsman, Billy Bowman Jr., Woodi Washington or others.

Games like the Armed Forces Bowl will help him get there.

“Just always having to bring my best effort every day,” Lewis said. “Just bringing everything I’ve got. Just every day, I bring my value into whatever that is, whatever I’ve gotta do for my team. I think it’ll be a big role.”

The Sooners will battle the Midshipmen on Dec. 27 in Fort Worth. The game is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.

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