Investigative Journalism
Hofmeister Legal Defense Fund Files First Report with Ethics Commission
May 1, 2017 - 10:03am CDT
May 1, 2017 By Jay Chilton, CIJ The special function committee formed to accept donations for the purpose of paying for the legal defense of state Superintendent Joy Hofmeister has filed its first report to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission. Hofmeister has been charged with five felony counts o... READ MORE
Linked to Hofmeister Fraud Charges, American Fidelity Continues Political Action
April 28, 2017 - 1:16pm CDT
By Jay Chilton, CIJ Among the political candidate, campaign consultants, and political groups mentioned in the prosecutor's affidavit against Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister and four others, one name stands out. American Fidelity is an Oklahoma City-based insurance company t... READ MORE
As OHLAP Celebrates 25 Years, Smalley, Henke Pursue Reforms
April 19, 2017 - 9:40am CDT
By Jay Chilton, CIJ OKLAHOMA CITY—The Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP), otherwise known as Oklahoma’s Promise, celebrated 25 years with a rally at the state Capitol on Tuesday with Chancellor Glen Johnson and the State Regents for Higher Education touting what they see as the progr... READ MORE
OEA, OSSBA Won’t Donate to Hofmeister Legal Defense Fund
March 30, 2017 - 2:51pm CDT
By Jay Chilton, CIJ OKLAHOMA CITY — On Feb. 23, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission approved a special function committee named the “Joy Hofmeister Defense Fund.” The state’s largest teachers’ union and school board association both said they will not donate to the state Superintendent’s legal defense... READ MORE
State Board of Education Approves Le Monde International Charter School
March 27, 2017 - 9:15am CDT
By Jay Chilton, CIJ OKLAHOMA CITY – For the second time this year, the State Board of Education has approved a charter school which was previously denied by a local school board. The appeal from the Le Monde International School, a French immersion public charter school, was granted with a 5-2 vote... READ MORE
Speakers Question Bias Reporting System, Lack of Intellectual Diversity at OU
March 16, 2017 - 3:18pm CDT
[Part one in a series] March 16, 2017 By Jay Chilton, CIJ Policies and official actions by leadership at the University of Oklahoma claiming to enforce “diversity and inclusion” actually deny First Amendment rights for students and promote a particular point of view at the state’s flagship uni... READ MORE
OKC Charter School Earns Character Award
March 3, 2017 - 2:23pm CST
By Jay Chilton, CIJ OKLAHOMA CITY — The Dove Science Academy Charter School, near the corner of NW 23rd Street and Western Avenue in OKC, was recognized as one of six schools to be named Oklahoma Schools of Character by OKcharacter.org, Character.org, and the state Department of Education. On Fr... READ MORE
Leaders React to Oklahoma Senator’s ‘Truly Shocking’ Mengele Comparison
February 24, 2017 - 4:20pm CST
By Jay Chilton, CIJ OKLAHOMA CITY — In a Feb. 20 meeting of the Oklahoma Senate Education Committee, state Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, invoked Nazi officer Josef Mengele when criticizing school choice legislation being considered by the committee. “I have told other senators I call this bill the ... READ MORE
Educators, Policymakers Decry ‘Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations’
February 21, 2017 - 1:16pm CST
By Jay Chilton, CIJ “One of the (Seminole school) board members looked at me and said, ‘Paul, your expectations are too high for these people,’” recalled Paul Campbell, founder and chairman of Advance Rural Education, before the State Board of Education voted unanimously Jan. 26 to approve a cha... READ MORE
