State Audit Reveals Massive Mismanage-
ment of Funds at TPS
On Feb. 26 Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd released a long-awaited state audit of Tulsa Public Schools, and it documented a wide range of financial irregularities, including bonus payments made to TPS employees by the TPS Foundation that bypassed school board authorization.
State Audit Reveals Massive Mismanage-
ment of Funds at TPS
On Feb. 26 Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd released a long-awaited state audit of Tulsa Public Schools, and it documented a wide range of financial irregularities, including bonus payments made to TPS employees by the TPS Foundation that bypassed school board authorization.
Oklahomans have fared the year with their resolve intact, faith strengthened and a greater fire within. The new year will once again meet a people prepared.
Tulsa Public Schools Promotes Ebony Johnson To Supt.
The Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education voted to approve interim superintendent Ebony Johnson as permanent superintendent in a 4-2 vote on Dec. 11.
Through a new successful program to launch brick and mortar storefronts for local entrepreneurs, six small businesses popped up downtown this month as part of the 2023 Popup Downtown program, now in its second year.
Post Pandemic Food Insecurity Worsens for Black Americans
An end to government pandemic relief programs has worsened food insecurity and other measures of well-being for thousands of north Tulsans and millions of other Americans.
Most Oklahomans are familiar with the state’s historic All-Black towns, the significance of the independence established by their residents, the economic freedom earned and the modest safe haven provided throughout the country’s and state’s racially charged history.
The City of Tulsa has unveiled a new ranking of neighborhood conditions in the city that fails to include several key Black neighborhoods among those areas pinpointed for top priority for city resources.
State Spending $4 Million To Set Up Private School Tax Credit Program
The state is spending almost $4 million with a contractor
to set up and administer a new private school tax credit program. That’s four times what the Oklahoma Tax Commission estimated in the spring when lawmakers were finalizing the policy.
Funding Disparities Plague Historically Black Colleges & Universities
The Biden administration has urged governors in 16 states to rectify the underfunding of historically Black land-grant universities, which has resulted in a deficit of $12.6 billion in funding over the past 30 years.
Hughes Van Ellis: Survivor, Community Advocate, Eternal Optimist
The most poignant story he told was of being an infant in the community of north Tulsa in late Spring of 1921, when a massacre, highlighted by the murder of over 300 people, wiped out the entire neighborhood.
9.29.2023
2001 Tulsa Race “Riot” (Massacre) Commission Report Update: From Rhetoric To Remedy
The Interim Study report, built on the 2001 Report recommendations, is now informed by recent data from historians and contributors, who passionately shared their findings throughout the three-hour session.
The Rebuilding of Black Wall Street: Scenes From The Revival of The Community
Tulsa, Okla. The first episode of Sunwise Media’s “Rebuilding Black Wall Street” on OWN TV, which aired Sept. 29, follows the journey of Montika Collins. The nurse and midwife is building the only Black-owned birth center in Tulsa. The A-frame building sits on a majestic eight acres of wooded land in north Tulsa, surrounded by oak trees, serenity, and luxury.
A Conversation With Tracy Manuel, Oklahoma Teacher Of The Year
Tulsa Public Schools is undergoing a period of regrouping. Administrators at TPS are looking for ways to raise the test scores of students, lift the classroom experience and address other challenges. It is an apt moment for the community of educators, parents, students, and concerned citizens in the North Tulsa community to turn to its most tried and true resource: teachers.
State Education Board To Allow Right-Wing Curriculum In Schools
OSBE has formed an “ongoing partnership” with PragerU - a self-professed right-wing ideological provider - to provide lesson plans, videos, and other educational material to public schools across the state.
American Bank of Oklahoma Settles North Tulsa Redlining Charges
American Bank of Oklahoma used the illegal practice known as redlining in majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in the Tulsa area, according to the Justice Department.
State Board Renews Accreditation For Tulsa Public Schools
The Oklahoma State Board of Education (OSBE) renewed Tulsa schools’ educational accreditation for the current academic year in a meeting on Aug. 24 in Oklahoma City. The decision followed an impassioned campaign launched by Tulsa Public Schools Board members and a groundswell of public support from Tulsa schools’ patrons for TPS to maintain its accreditation.
Special Edition: The Future Of Tulsa Public Schools
FEATURED STORIES: Tulsans Unite To Oppose Bid For Takeover Of The City’s School System; TAKEOVER! What It Means For Tulsa Public Schools; STATE BOARD: Poised To Take Over Tulsa Public Schools; Tulsa Philanthropies And Tribes Rally Support for Tulsa Public Schools; State Superintendent Walters Continues Attack on Tulsa Public Schools.
Legal Challenge Filed Against Publicly Funded Religious Charter School
They’ve asked an Oklahoma County judge for an injunction to stop the process of opening the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School. The group argues in its filing that the school is unlawful because it would discriminate against students by excluding, disciplining or expelling students based on their religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and other characteristics.
Ernie Fields: Jazz Icon, Trailblazer, Tulsa Loyalist
On Aug. 1 and 2, 1939, a big band from Tulsa assembled at the studio of Vocalion Records in New York City to record an album. The singer Melvin Moore did the vocals. Trumpeter Amos Woodruff performed a soulful solo. The top song on the album was “Going Back to T-Town,” by Oklahoma musician Jimmy Webb.
OK Attorney General Joins Lawsuit Over Tribal Gambling Agreements
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s new Republican attorney general accused Gov. Kevin Stitt on Tuesday of failing to follow state law and said he’s stepping into a long running legal dispute over tribal gambling agreements Stitt signed in 2020.
Will Justice Prevail For 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Survivors?
TULSA — With Tulsa County District Judge Caroline Wall’s dismissal of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre survivor’s case, the burning question is whether there is any remaining hope for justice for the victims of the most murderous, violent acts in the city’s history.
Oklahoma Governor’s Feud With Native American Tribes
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt’s ongoing feud with many of the Native American tribes in the state has grown so contentious that fellow Republicans in the Legislature and the state’s attorney general are considering pushing him out of tribal negotiations altogether.
NATION (WORD IN BLACK) — Most certainly, Black/Pan-African history is a 24/7/365 history that can’t be contained in February. Every day of every month of the year has something to say about Black power, Black brilliance, Black resistance and Black love. But yo, July is literally overflowing with important moments from our ongoing, trans-generational story.
Man In Mental Health Crisis Killed By Passing Truck After OKC Police Abandon Him
OKLAHOMA CITY (OKLAHOMA WATCH) — Shirley Antwine’s son had been arrested by Oklahoma City police at least 15 times when she called for their help again in the summer of 2021. Ernest Antwine was left stranded on the side of Sooner Road surrounded by an overgrown field and abandoned buildings.
Thousands of Residents In Oklahoma Remain Without Power
TULSA (AP) — Thousands of residents in Oklahoma and Louisiana remained without electricity Wednesday as work crews continued to repair power lines damaged by weekend storms. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, less than 92,000 customers remained without power.
TULSA - It’s only Tuesday night, and every seat at Fixins Soul Kitchen, 222 N. Detroit Ave., is taken. Across the spacious dining room of the new Fixins is the scene that Black Tulsans have been waiting for. Not since the heyday of Greenwood faded decades ago has one place in Tulsa become such a see and be seen locale for Black locals and visitors.
What Oklahoma Lawmakers Did and Didn’t Do For Teachers And Students
OKLAHOMA (OKLAHOMA WATCH) — After months of negotiations, lawmakers committed to putting $625 million in additional recurring appropriations into public education. Here’s a look at what the Legislature did and didn’t do for teachers and students during the 2023 session.
TULSA - Just over a year ago, City of Tulsa officials approved of the bold plan to bring a sprawling center of retail stores, offices, residences, and a hotel to the heart of the Greenwood District. The community’s overwhelming sentiment was that the plan should prioritize engaging Black construction firms. Beyond that, the project should allow Blacks to own a part of the new space.
Tulsans Remember Tina Turner, A Down-To-Earth Rock Star
TULSA — Even back then, fans recall, at all of 29, Tina showed up at the North Tulsa-based Big Ten Ballroom with her self-styled diva glamour: killing it in a black miniskirt and white knee-high boots, prancing across from one corner of the stage to another, belting out 'A Fool in Love' and other signature songs, all the while sweating up a river.
OKLAHOMA — Republican lawmakers in the Oklahoma legislature have pushed through a comprehensive program that will give families an incentive to send their children to private schools over public schools. he new legislation will likely weaken Tulsa Public Schools and other public school systems across the state by diverting millions of dollars from them.
James Kavin Ross: North Tulsa Loses A Fierce Community Advocate
TULSA — Ross, a stalwart North Tulsa leader who documented the history, culture and life of Black Tulsa for a generation, died Monday, May 8. He was 60. Ross was a self-styled historian and gifted videographer who used his skills at engaging people and storytelling in interviews of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre survivors.
Another Relief Program's End Returns Some Oklahomans To Food Insecurity
OKLAHOMA (OKLAHOMA WATCH) - It’s been three years since Melissa Moore turned to food pantries to keep meals on the table. When her food stamp benefits increased to $500 a month during the pandemic, she could feed her family of three without tapping her disability check.
Oklahoma Lawmakers Try For Second Year To Expand Pregnancy Help
OKLAHOMA (OKLAHOMA WATCH) - Lawmakers continue to be frustrated with a vendor hired to help pregnant women for expanded services under the state’s Choosing Childbirth Act. The slow pace of getting money to nonprofit organizations that provide crisis pregnancy care means that almost $8 mil. is sitting unused in a state account.
Tulsa Educators Who Overcame The Pandemic’s Challenges
TULSA — It all started when former McKinley Elementary School Principal Lynnette Dixon first got word that the global coronavirus pandemic would require her school – and all others across metropolitan Tulsa – to shut down after spring break. That was back in March 2020, when the seriousness of the COVID-19 virus was first surfacing.
An Historic Discovery Made In 1921 Graves Investigation
TULSA (EAGLE NEWSWIRE) - Today, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, forensic scientists and genealogists from Intermountain Forensics, the laboratory assisting the City with DNA analysis for the 1921 Graves Investigation, announced a historic update as it relates to the DNA and genealogical investigation from the 2021 and 2022 excavations and exhumations at Oaklawn Cemetery.
Students Of The COVID-19 Era: How the Pandemic Followed Them To Langston University, Oklahoma’s Only HBCU
TULSA – The COVID-19 pandemic may be waning across much of the globe. However, for many students of Langston University – the only Oklahoma HBCU – the effects still impact their lives.
As Voting Turnout Dips, Young Oklahomans Risks Losing Political Influence
OKLAHOMA (OKLAHOMA WATCH) — It all started when former McKinley Elementary School Principal Lynnette Dixon first got word that the global coronavirus pandemic would require her school – and all others across metropolitan Tulsa – to shut down after spring break. That was back in March 2020, when the seriousness of the COVID-19 virus was first surfacing.
TULSA - 'Built from the Fire' demonstrates how wealth is stripped away from black families whether at the hands of lawless white citizens, law enforcement personnel, or elected officials. It is also the story of black hope and the belief in the possibility of a brighter tomorrow.
It’s No Surprise: Black Tulsans Continue To Struggle At An Alarming Rate
TULSA - For the fifth straight year, Black Tulsans fared poorer than white Tulsans, according to every measure of well-being. The data supporting this alarming gap was revealed in the Tulsa Equality Indicators for 2022.
Proposals Would Restrict School Library Content And Limit Student Privacy
OKLAHOMA (OKLAHOMA WATCH) — The Education Department is considering new rules restricting school library content and requiring school staff to inform parents of major changes to a student’s identity at school.
Estimated 300K Oklahomans To Lose Medicaid Coverage
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Nearly one-quarter of Oklahomans receiving health care through Medicaid, about 300,000 people, will no longer be eligible by the end of this year, mostly because they or a parent earn too much to qualify, state health officials said Tuesday.
Oklahoma GOP-led House Passes Landmark School Choice Bill
TULSA - The OK Rep. House leadership this week pushed through a sweeping financial incentive package totaling $800m that would redirect taxpayers’ dollars to help public school families send their children to private schools.
Cherokee Nation Announces Plans For $18M Treatment Center
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — As a child welfare specialist for the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma more than a decade ago, Juli Skinner saw firsthand the impact of the opioid crisis on Cherokee families.
House Moves Education Plan: $500m Of New Funding, New Parental Choice Tax Credit
OKLAHOMA CITY (NONDOC) — House Speaker Charles McCall (R-Atoka) announced an education proposal, pairing school-choice reform with $500m of public school funding.
Latest Developments In The 1921 Graves Investigation
TULSA - Recent revelations have raised new questions concerning the integrity of the City of Tulsa’s 1921 Graves Investigation — the search for murdered victims of the Tulsa Race Massacre.
NATION — James Baldwin, American writer of profound insight, and sadly, a seer who appears to have precisely seen the current state of Black Americans and our relationship with law enforcement, warned us, almost 40 years ago.
TULSA – Ten candidates are vying to represent Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 2 seat, which represents a portion of North Tulsa along the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Expressway-Interstate 244 corridor. The position has become after Judith Barba Perez resigned because her husband has accepted a new job outside of Oklahoma.
Perez Resigns: TPS School Board Seeks Applicants for North Tulsa Seat
TULSA - The Tulsa Public School Board is gearing up to select a North Tulsa representative to replace Board member Judith Barba Perez. The Representative of District 2, since 2021, Perez abruptly resigned last Monday, effective after the next meeting of the TPS Board, scheduled for January 23.
Black Students Are Still Experiencing Pandemic Trauma
NATION (WORD IN BLACK) — People aren’t rubber bands. Even as kids attend school in- person full-time again and life slowly returns to normal, they aren’t going to snap back to who they were and how they felt before the COVID-19 pandemic. It had a deep and lasting impact on everyone, especially Black families and Black children.
