Southwest
Parents and students need school choice, not religious bigotry
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Politicians across the nation claim they want a world-class education system that ensures every child receives the education they deserve.
How we get there is the source of debate. Despite spending hundreds of billions of dollars in recent decades on our public education system, we have very little to show. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the U.S. hovers near the middle of the pack internationally in standardized test scores even as other countries have advanced. One report said, “The U.S. struggled the most in math, where 15-year-olds in 29 other countries had higher average scores than Americans.”
This is unacceptable. And while there are a variety of reasons for our education stagnation, we believe that one answer is to provide families more choice, including private, religious schools.
AHEAD OF KEY SUPREME COURT ARGUMENTS, HERE’S WHICH STATES HAVE PASSED SCHOOL CHOICE MEASURES
Parents in Oklahoma have been fighting for more education freedom for decades. One way Oklahoma responded was by expanding access for new and innovative charter schools as alternatives for parents seeking a better education for their children, including offerings such as a French-immersion school.
The U.S. Supreme Court will decide if Oklahoma can let a Catholic school join its charter program. What will the court have to say? FILE: The court is seen on Nov. 15, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)
But Oklahoma’s choice is under attack once again at the United States Supreme Court.
In Oklahoma, we have been battling two different lawsuits trying to destroy faith-based options for parents to choose. The ACLU, Freedom from Religion Foundation and others filed the first suit. Shockingly, the attorney general of Oklahoma, Gentner Drummond, filed the second.
The aim of both suits is to prevent the Statewide Charter School Board and our Oklahoma Department of Education from treating St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School the same as every other applicant who applies to be a charter school simply because it is faith-based. The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear arguments in the case.
Oklahoma is rural. To ensure parents in rural areas have expanded choices, virtual options are available. We believe in Oklahoma that parents are best positioned to determine the educational needs of their own children and that the Oklahoma Department of Education should give parents as many options as possible to meet a diverse array of needs. Some parents may choose their local school, some parents may choose a brick-and-mortar charter school in their area, some parents may prefer a virtual approach.
St. Isidore applied to be one of those options. They met all the academic criteria we require in Oklahoma to be a qualified option for parents. However, the ACLU and Attorney General Drummond objected, claiming that the state must discriminate against St. Isidore because it is Catholic.
Supporters of school choice responded that we are simply trying to expand options for parents, and we are not allowed to violate the Free Exercise Clause of the United States Constitution.
In fact, we felt bound by prior U.S. Supreme Court decisions prohibiting this kind of religious bigotry in educational choices, including Carson v. Makin, a recent case won by the Institute for Justice and First Liberty Institute against the state of Maine for doing precisely what Drummond is demanding be done here – engaging in religious bigotry against a faith-based educational option.
The argument, advanced by the ACLU and Drummond, is that religious bigotry is enshrined in the Oklahoma Constitution because it has two provisions that work together to prohibit government resources from aiding a faith-based educational program.
These provisions are sometimes called “little Blaine Amendments,” because they harken back to efforts by Senator James Blaine from Maine in the late 19th Century to ensure that no public funds would go to Catholic schools but rather would be reserved to the more Protestant-friendly public schools.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION
This effort to ban Catholic schools from receiving any aid is a “doctrine, born of bigotry,” according to Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. It is this bigotry that the ACLU and Drummond are attempting to continue, and it is this bigotry that we intend to end in Oklahoma.
For decades, politicians and activists pointed fingers at each other, each trying to blame another for the educational ills of our home state. Almost every solution offered sounds different and promising, but they usually have the same thing in common – they are government-led solutions.
We are trying to do something different in Oklahoma. We are trying to empower parents to decide for their families and force schools to compete for parents in an open market system. Some parents would like a faith-based option.
St. Isidore applied to be one of those options. They met all the academic criteria we require in Oklahoma to be a qualified option for parents. However, the ACLU and Attorney General Drummond objected, claiming that the state must discriminate against St. Isidore because it is Catholic.
Excluding that option in the name of 19th century religious bigotry is just another political agenda driving education policy.
Instead of fighting against parents and telling them that government officials know what is best for their children, we should instead listen to them. There is hope that the Supreme Court will give us this chance, a chance to take power away from government bureaucrats and give it back to the people.
Ryan Walters, Oklahoma’s state superintendent of public instruction since 2023, is a former high school history teacher and education reform advocate committed to parental empowerment and conservative policy initiatives in public education. Hiram Sasser is executive general counsel for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom for all.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM HIRAM SASSER
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM RYAN WALTERS
Read the full article from Here
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A 13-year-old girl in Texas narrowly escaped an attempted abduction in broad daylight Monday when a man tried to grab her from behind as she walked to school, authorities said. Officials said the suspect appeared to be wearing a ski mask.
The encounter happened as the teenager was walking to Central Middle School in Galveston shortly before 7 a.m., when she suddenly “heard footsteps approaching from behind,” according to the Galveston Police Department.
The unidentified man reportedly grabbed her from behind, sparking a brief struggle.
The teen bit the man twice and broke free without sustaining any physical injuries, officials said. She then ran directly to the school and informed her teachers, who called the police.
INVESTIGATORS RELEASE VIDEO OF POSSIBLE ABDUCTION, SHOWING WOMAN SCREAMING AS SHE’S PULLED AWAY
The man accused of attempting to kidnap a 13-year-old girl is seen walking in Galveston, Texas, Oct. 27, 2025. (Galveston Police Department)
The student’s parents later arrived at the school to accompany officers back to their apartment and retrace her route, helping them pinpoint exactly where the incident occurred.
Investigators obtained security footage from a nearby business that shows the student walking through the area, followed shortly by a man taking the same path, police said.
SUV DRIVER RUNS OVER 8-YEAR-OLD BOY ON BIKE, FLEES THE SCENE AFTER CHECKING ON INJURED CHILD
A man seen on surveillance video is accused of grabbing a 13-year-old girl walking to school in Galveston, Texas, Oct. 27, 2025. (Galveston Police Department/Google Maps)
Authorities said the video shows the suspect, believed to be a white or Hispanic male, wearing a black short-sleeve shirt, blue jeans and what appeared to be a ski mask.
Police also issued an alert to local medical centers, asking them to notify authorities if anyone sought treatment for bite-related injuries.
Police say a man with what appeared to be a ski mask tried to abduct a 13-year-old girl in Galveston, Texas, Oct. 27, 2025. (Galveston Police Department)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Officials urged anyone with information about the suspect’s identity to contact the Galveston Police Department at 409-763-3777.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Galveston Police Department for more information.
Read the full article from Here
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
FIRST ON FOX: The primary battle for Sen. John Cornyn’s seat in Texas continues to rage on as newly announced candidate, Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, unleashed on the incumbent in an interview with Fox News Digital, saying the GOP “has left him.”
Hunt, who entered the race earlier this month, did not mince words when ripping Cornyn over an alleged anti-President Donald Trump voting record and pointed to a number of Truth Social posts and reposts from Trump from 2023.
“John Cornyn has spent 35 million dollars over the course of the past few months to still find himself in third place and polling in the low thirties,” Hunt told Fox News Digital. “There’s still 20% of the electorate that’s undecided, which means that there’s clearly room for us.”
TEXAS FINDS THOUSANDS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS REGISTERED TO VOTE ON STATE VOTER ROLLS
Rep. Wesley Hunt, right, blasted Sen. John Cornyn, left, over his alleged anti-President Donald Trump voting record. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images / Allison Robbert/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“I’ve gotten into this race to give the true conservative Texan an option,” Hunt continued. “And that’s going to be between me and Ken Paxton, because, unfortunately for John Cornyn, he’s not going to make it. This party has left him.”
Cornyn punched back at Hunt’s claims in a statement to Fox News Digital, calling the congressman a “show horse.”
“Senator Cornyn has voted with President Trump 99.3% of the time he’s been in the White House,” Cornyn campaign senior advisor Matt Mackowiak told Fox News Digital. “Is Wesley Hunt calling President Trump liberal? Wesley Hunt voted for Hillary Clinton in 2008 and didn’t vote for Trump in November 2016.”
JASMINE CROCKETT ASKS WHAT BLACK WOMAN ‘HURT’ TRUMP IN THE PAST
Senate candidate Welsey Hunt is also facing Ken Paxton in the GOP primary. President Trump’s potential endorsement could play a big role in the election. (Left to right: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images; MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
“He’s missed 27% of all House votes THIS YEAR when President Trump needed him with a 2 or 3 seat margin,” Mackowiak continued. “While show horses like Wesley Hunt run their mouth, Sen. Cornyn works to effectively represent Texas, deliver conservative victories and advance Trump’s agenda.”
Hunt blasted Cornyn on the voting record the senator defended, saying the incumbent has not stood with Trump and is lying about his voting history.
“He has not stood with the president while he is trying to run ads, and he is saying he has voted with President Trump 99% of the time,” Hunt told Fox News Digital. “We all know that that’s a flat out lie. We also know that his Liberty score is 54%.”
VIRGINIA DEMS FLIP ON GERRYMANDERING, BLAME TRUMP FOR REDISTRICTING REVERSAL
“We also know that he is one of the most liberal senators of all the Senate on the Republican side,” Hunt added. “And he has been siding with the uniparty and siding with the RINOs for decades. We already know this. And the best thing about the primary voter here in Texas is that it’s a high information voter.”
Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, speaks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 15, 2024. (Mike Segar /Reuters)
Hunt also pointed to several Truth Social posts that then-former President Donald Trump posted in 2023 describing how “RINO” and “hopeless” John Cornyn joined Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in “trying to cobble together a series of massive concessions for Cryin’ Chuck Schumer and the Lunatic Left.”
Trump also hit Cornyn on gun control, saying on June 22, 2022, that “RINO Senator John Cornyn of Texas” will “go down in history as the first step in the movement to TAKE YOUR GUNS AWAY.”
Hunt would be the first Black statewide elected official if he were to defeat Cornyn and another primary contender, the sitting state Attorney General Ken Paxton, in the primary.
When asked what a historic win such as that means for the race, Hunt told Fox News Digital that being the first Black statewide elected official is “not important to me.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“What’s most important to me is the fact that I am an American and people are going to vote for me because of the way I view conservatism, the way I view Texas, and they’re going to judge me not based on the color of my skin, but by the content of my character,” Hunt explained.
Paxton could not be reached for comment.
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston
Read the full article from Here
Southwest
‘Meth Busters’: CBP officers in Eagle Pass halt massive drug shipment bound for United States
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Eagle Pass, Texas, intercepted nearly 90 pounds of liquid methamphetamine this week, uncovering the narcotics hidden inside plastic bottles during a vehicle inspection, officials said.
The discovery was made Oct. 29 at the Camino Real International Bridge when officers referred a 2008 Chevrolet Suburban for secondary inspection.
A closer search revealed five plastic bottles containing 88.8 pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $816,556, CBP said in a statement.
“This significant seizure was possible because of the continued vigilance and alertness our CBP officers put forth on a daily basis,” Port Director Pete Beattie of the Eagle Pass Port of Entry said.
CBP officers seized the narcotics, and Homeland Security Investigations special agents opened a federal inquiry.
COAST GUARD OFFLOADS RECORD-BREAKING AMOUNT OF DRUGS OFF FLORIDA COAST
90 lbs of liquid methamphetamine was confiscated by CBP officers at Eagle Pass, Texas on Oct. 29. (Customs and Border Protection)
On social media, the agency struck a lighter note, posting photos of the evidence with the caption:
“When there’s something strange, in a vehicle, who you gonna call? Meth Busters!”
The pun-filled post quickly drew attention online, but officials emphasized the serious stakes behind the operation, calling the seizure part of an intensified effort to block synthetic drugs at South Texas ports of entry.
ICE, CBP SEIZE 400 FIREARMS HIDDEN IN FAKE TRAILER WALLS AT SOUTHERN BORDER CROSSING
Federal authorities display barrels containing chemicals used to create synthetic drugs like methamphetamine during a news conference in Pasadena, Texas, on Sept. 3, 2025. (Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty)
Liquid-form meth shipments have become increasingly common along the border, according to CBP data. The agency has reported several similar interdictions in recent months, including seizures at Laredo, Brownsville and Pharr involving narcotics concealed in vehicle compartments and household containers.
Two men were arrested in July after law enforcement seized nearly 900 pounds of suspected methamphetamine worth approximately $1.7 million. (@FBIDDBongino via X)
CBP said it will continue heightened inspections along the Eagle Pass corridor, where officers process thousands of commercial and passenger vehicles daily.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP.
The agency urged the public to remain alert for smuggling activity and to report suspicious behavior through the CBP Tip Line or by contacting local authorities.
CBP did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for additional comment.
Read the full article from Here
New York’s BQE Is Falling Apart. The City Can’t Agree on How to Fix It.
Canadian freighter runs aground in Detroit River, second this month
How To Spend The Perfect Weekend In San Francisco
Chiefs vs. Cowboys: Three Bold Predictions As K.C. and Dallas Fight for Playoff Lives
North Miami marks 50th Thanksgiving Day parade
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Video: Two National Guard Members Shot Near White House
Alleged DC shooter entered US under Afghan resettlement push Mayorkas vowed would be done ‘swiftly and safely’
Trump yanks G20 invitation from South Africa over false genocide claims
2 National Guard members wounded in ‘targeted’ attack in D.C., authorities say
LIVE: Guardsmen shot in DC
-
World1 week agoFrance and Germany support simplification push for digital rules
-
News1 week agoCourt documents shed light on Indiana shooting that sparked stand-your-ground debate
-
World1 week agoSinclair Snaps Up 8% Stake in Scripps in Advance of Potential Merger
-
Science5 days agoWashington state resident dies of new H5N5 form of bird flu
-
World1 week agoCalls for answers grow over Canada’s interrogation of Israel critic
-
Politics1 week agoDuckworth fires staffer who claimed to be attorney for detained illegal immigrant with criminal history
-
Culture1 week agoDo You Recognize These Past Winners of the National Book Award?
-
Technology1 week agoFake flight cancellation texts target travelers