OEA

Oklahoma House Minority Leader Emily Virgin comes on Fried Okra to discuss SB210 (absentee voting with signed notary), the budget outlook, and how Governor Stitt should spend federal education dollars.

We are also joined by Putnam City North social studies teacher, Aaron Baker, who reads his original poem "Those Who Can't" and answers questions on how he uses his talents to advocate for the classroom.

Paul Shinn, Budget and Tax Senior Policy Analyst with the Oklahoma Policy Institute, does a fantastic job summarizing how the legislature will even begin building a budget on Monday, what a potential financial crisis means, and the options our state has to cushion the damage for public services.

Also, OEA member and Tahlequah resident Chuck Pack and President Alicia Priest break down the Association's Fund for Children and Public Education, how it helps promote education-friendly candidates outside of member's dues dollars, and how you can create great change by giving just a little.

Links from the podcast

FCPE - okea.org/fcpe

- Horace Mann e-learning library: https://www.horacemann.com/teaching-online

- NEA COVID-19 Grants: https://www.neafoundation.org/for-educators/covid-rapid-response-grants/

After Governor Stitt announced the possibility of using federal COVID-19 dollars for school vouchers, Oklahoma educators came out in waves to let him know what students and schools in the state actually need. So much so, that they temporarily crashed the Governor's website. Amanda Ewing breaks down where those efforts currently stand.

Pastors For OK Kids' Clark Frailey also joins Fried Okra to speak on the important connection between faith and the history of public schools in Oklahoma.

Amanda Ewing helps explain the drama at the Capitol before looking at candidate filings and how it impacts educators, including which races you will be able to vote for an OEA member.

Piedmont 6th grade science teacher and 2019 Oklahoma Science Teaching Association Middle-Level Teacher of the Year, Melissa Lau, who has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and NowThis, joins the podcast to discuss how she and her students have handled the transition to distance learning. Lau also reminisces about her time as a PolarTREC educator traversing the north slope of Alaska with scientists and how that has shaped her paradigm as a teacher.

OEA's executive director of legislative and political organizing, Amanda Ewing, returns to Fried Okra to break down the wild week at the Capitol.

David Glenn from NEA Member Benefits also drops by to explain all of the incredible benefits educators receive just by being a member of OEA.

State Senator Roger Thompson of Oklahoma's 5th District joins friED OKra to talk about the legislature returning for a special session on Monday and answers questions on what Oklahoma's budget may look like this year and next.

The Congresswoman for Oklahoma's 5th District, Kendra Horn, joins friED OKra ahead of the House of Representatives' vote on the $2 trillion stimulus package that just passed the Senate and how it affects Oklahoma students, educators, and communities.

We also catch up with NEA Director of Government Relations, Marc Egan, who curates the education aspects of the CARES Act in detail.

Oklahoma State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister returns to friED OKra to discuss the statewide school closures and answers questions to help students, educators, parents, and community members through this unprecedented time.

Carrie and Alicia also speak with Terri Gray from the OEA Elections Committee, who shines a light on OEA's democratic process and how members can participate in elections happening right now.

In the second ever episode of friED OKra, our hosts Carrie Coppernoll Jacobs and OEA President Alicia Priest sit down with Oklahoma State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister, who provides an update on the coronavirus and answers questions on what educators and parents should expect.

The Oklahoma Retired Educators Association (OREA) Executive Director Sabra Tucker also joins friED OKra to discuss the house's unanimous vote to pass a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for retirees and the years of advocacy that led to this moment.

In our inaugural episode of friED OKra, our hosts Carrie Jacobs and OEA President Alicia Priest discuss the current legislative session with OEA’s associate executive director of legislative and political organizing, Amanda Ewing. Including a cost-of-living adjustment for retirees, the overall budget, and bills on virtual school boards.

We also hear from Mustang ESP’s Margaret Brown and Candis Ryczkowski on their incredible story of the years-long process it took for them to organize a bargaining local from scratch.