Opinion

Whether it’s due to impatience, a “me first” attitude, aggressiveness or distraction, drivers running red lights cause more than 1,000 fatalities every year, putting not only their own lives at risk but also the lives of other road users. National Stop on Red Week was Aug. 4-10 and AAA is taking the opportunity to remind drivers that ignoring traffic signals can have dire consequences.

Let’s just cut to the chase. Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters is Oklahoma’s Christian Nationalist Indoctrinator-in-Chief. Walters has been vocal about his stance against what he perceives as left-wing indoctrination in education. Walters has consistently framed his actions and policies as a countermeasure to what he describes as a pervasive influence of left-wing politics in the classroom. He claims that liberal activists and media have politicized education.

The arrival of August in Congress means that both the House of Representatives and the Senate are out of session and the annual district work period has begun. In other words, this is a time when members of Congress are able to spend the month back in their districts with their constituents and local communities.

The largest tax cut in state history will take effect this month. As a result of legislation passed earlier this year, Oklahoma will eliminate the state portion of the grocery sales tax on Aug. 29. That means all Oklahomans will pay 4.5% less on groceries every time they visit the supermarket. Shoppers will still have to pay local grocery taxes, and some items, like alcohol and prepared foods, are not exempt from state taxes. But I’m hopeful this tax cut will help families across the state who have seen grocery prices skyrocket due to inflation. As a mother of three, I know my family’s grocery bills have increased significantly.

Many Oklahomans are still planning to hit the road for a vacation before summer ends. Nothing can ruin your fun like having to cancel a trip, getting hurt while away from home or returning to a costly incident at your house. Fortunately, different types of insurance can help in the situations I just described. Whether planning an expedition overseas or just a quick weekend trip to the lake, let’s talk about insurance before you take off. Travel insurance encompasses several categories of policies like trip cancellation, travel medical, emergency medical evacuation, accidental death and dismemberment, baggage loss and cancel for any reason (CFAR) policies. These coverages can help reimburse the cost of a trip you cancel, pay for medical emergencies while traveling and cover the cost of lost baggage and personal items. A good way to determine your travel insurance needs is to consider the cost of your trip, the duration of your journey, how far away you will be traveling, if you’re going abroad and which kinds of activities you will be doing. For example, you probably won’t need travel insurance for a trip to grandma’s house two hours away. You will, however, want to consider it if you’re going on a hiking trip in the Himalayas.

On July 24, I had the honor of witnessing a moment of rare unity in the oftentimes divided and chaotic Congress when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered remarks to a joint meeting of Congress in Washington, DC.

As August rolls around, we’re gearing up for our Annual Meeting in September. After the success of last year’s drive-thru format, we’re excited to bring it back. Record attendance last year demonstrated that this format is more convenient, allowing greater participation from you, our members. While we miss the entertainment, meals and fellowship of our traditional meetings, this new approach ensures that we conduct business and members can use their membership efficiently and conveniently.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters released Instructional Support Guidelines for Oklahoma Teachers, including historical context, literary significance, and the artistic and musical influence of the Bible. The guidance also includes provisions for every Oklahoma teacher to be provided a physical copy of the Bible, the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Ten Commandments as resources in every classroom in a school district.

House Democrats advise Oklahoma school districts to continue following Oklahoma Statute that outline subject matter standards and reiterate that revisions are subject to legislative review before implementation as written in 70 O.S. § 11-103.6a-1 (OSCN 2024). This reminder comes after the State Superintendent sent out mandatory guidelines for Oklahoma public schools on Bible usage in classrooms.

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters issued guidelines Wednesday for how teachers should include the Bible in public school curriculum that include requiring analysis of biblical stories and art.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond recently took over as attorney for the Oklahoma Charter School Board after determining its members had approved a state contract with St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School which he believed was unconstitutional.