The season for legislative interim studies is quickly coming to an end. I would like to thank those lawmakers who have dedicated time and effort to ensuring that the studies which the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) requested were handled superbly. Each of the studies which we followed involving children were enlightening and others we were an active part in, I felt, were useful for policymakers. OICA is deeply concerned though about one upcoming study, and we want to encourage Oklahomans to pay close attention to the conversation. Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, was granted a study entitled “The Effectiveness of Properly Administered Corporal Punishment.” This study will be heard before the House Rules Committee on Monday, Oct 21. The study is in no doubt a response to the efforts over the past two sessions to end the practice of corporal punishment on disabled students in Oklahoma schools, a measure OICA strongly supported. Olsen was one of the most outspoken opponents of this effort to prevent government employees from hitting disabled children, some of whom might not even understanding for what they are being punished. Our OETA conversation on this topic can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=EIHt1rr4wl0 on YouTube. Olsen is clearly on the opposite side of this issue from OICA and many other child advocates. His study description outlines that he will have the testimonies of two or three superintendents, two child psychologists, one opposing view, testimony of a homeschooling father, and a brief look at the Scriptures. Despite one opposing view on the agenda, the title of the study presents its forgone conclusion: inflicting violence upon children is an encouraged means of discipline. Under Oklahoma law, "Corporal punishment" means, as defined in 70 O.S. § 13-116, the deliberate infliction of physical pain by hitting, paddling, spanking, slapping, or any other physical force used as a means of discipline. It is estimated that about 130 rural schools across the state still administer corporal punishment to students, usually, but not always, with the permission of a parent or guardian, with just over 60 of those districts still using corporal punishment on children classified in some special needs category, including severe cases. I know one aspect, the belief that this is allowed under scripture, will likely be frustrating for me to hear. Representative Olsen and I strongly disagree about whether the Bible condones the topic, as was highlighted in our OETA conversation. Bishop James Nunn, recently retired from the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference, sums up my views of this topic here: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/opinion/columns/2024/05/03/opinion-united-methodists-do-not-condone-corporal-punishment-bishop-says/73517371007/ . The bottom line: using violence to discipline children is not Biblical. I would encourage you to either attend or listen to the study and reach out to your own state senator and representative with your views on the topic. All interim studies are open to the public to attend, along with members of the press who wish to cover the topic. The meeting will be streamed over the internet at https://former.okhouse.gov/Video/Default.aspx should you want to watch but are unable to attend. Select the study by the Rules Committee. For those wishing to attend in person, the study will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in room 206 of the Oklahoma State Capitol at 2300 N. Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City. Public parking is in the large lot south of the Capitol building. If this topic is submitted as legislation again next year, OICA will keep you informed, and will again support any measure to end the practice of corporal punishment on disabled students in school.

As a longtime advocate for children’s success, I have grown accustomed to conversations from multiple perspectives which shed light on aspects of policy. I have also been the target of frustration from many individuals and organizations who are either adamantly opposed to any change in a policy, or those who are unwilling to consider points of view when it limits their own personal freedoms, even for the greater good. This has increased with the advent of social media. Through time, I have gotten used to it; it is just part of the job when one wants to find solutions to legitimate problems. This was the case when I participated in a legislative interim study examining issues with children “falling through the cracks” of society when they are isolated. Far too many families choose to withdraw their children from public, private, charter, or virtual schools to hide abuse under the guise of home schooling them. While this association is not fair for the home school community to be linked to that, the trauma for these abused children is real. In many circumstances, these children do not receive any type of education and far too often are the victims of abuse, neglect, prostitution, and sometimes even death. Once discovered, those who live will undergo years of therapy and medical services to help them overcome the trauma they have endured. As reported by the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, a 2014 study of child abuse so severe it could be termed child torture found that 47% of victims had been removed from school to be “homeschooled”. In many of these instances, removal from school was typically initiated following the closure of a previously open child welfare investigation. Statistically, the vast majority who choose home school are doing a fine job educating their children, oftentimes in ways that public schools cannot. With a specific focus on a few children, these individuals or cooperatives of parents can accelerate learning and provide unique opportunities for their children to learn. But home schooling is not for everyone. Most families do not have the time or the resources for a parent to dedicate the time needed to do the job properly under the Compulsory Education Act, which dictates that all children must be educated at an appropriate grade level. But what about those children who have no one to watch out for them, to ensure they are not being subjected to the worst that humanity could imagine? One case is that of Athena Brownfield, a child found dead when a child welfare case was opened regarding her sister who was found roaming streets unsupervised. Unfortunately, it is typical for dozens of children to die each year under similar circumstances, and thousands more to fall into the abuse category. When I offered that a dialogue be established to look at concerns and produce solutions, the reaction online was that “rights would be removed” for their own families and that “government is bad.” If not done correctly, I agree policies can be too intrusive, but that usually happens when the conversations I just mentioned do not happen. As an advocacy organization, it is the job of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) to shed light on policies impacting children, all children, not just those under the supervision of the state. We can protect proper home schooling, but also find ways to protect children who are being harmed under those laws. I hope as the conversations continue with rational voices, that more will join civilly and agree to formulate solutions. If not, I am sure that I will read all about it on social media.

Inspiring youth to engage in policy is an important facet of the mission undertaken by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA). Through our more than four decades of work in creating awareness, taking action, and supporting policy to improve the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma’s children, we have worked to elevate issues impacting young people from birth until they reach adulthood and potential solutions to those problems. One of our favorite endeavors offered toward this is our Kid Governor® program. We serve as the state affiliate for this initiative developed by the Connecticut Democracy Project. Kid Governor® works with local educators in public, charter, and private schools to provide lesson plans to 5th graders about civics, the importance of voting when they are old enough, and how candidates use campaigns to promote issues. The curriculum is approved by the Oklahoma State Department of Education to ensure it is age-appropriate and within lesson plan standards. The program’s goal is to not only educate about civic engagement, but to also conduct an election in which one 5th grader becomes Kid Governor®, elevating awareness in a policy area dear to them. Kid Governor® is designed to be presented in classrooms, but several issues prevented this from happening last year. OICA had almost 30 classrooms registered, but by the time the program was set to kick off in October 2023, each classroom had declined the invitation. Teachers shared with us three main reasons: • Some teachers needed that additional time to make up for learning loss and help the youth pass grade-level standardized tests. • The next issue was classroom overcrowding in that this had created such a nightmare for teachers due to teachers leaving the profession that other teachers were covering double the number of students normally taught. • The final and most troubling reason was fear that his program might somehow alienate some and somehow put the teacher at risk with their job for teaching a program that upset parents, administrators, or other officials due to misunderstanding. This was despite the fact the state Department of Education had approved the curriculum. With that, OICA worked with partners to try a new model for a year as an after-school program so as to not lose another year of providing this material. We have joined Oklahoma 4-H to present this for 4-H members in 4th through 6th grades. We decided to invite students from all three grade levels this year so they can learn and expand the reach for the program, cover those students who missed the opportunity to learn last year, and recruit interest for those who will be 5th graders next year. If you know of a child who is in this grade level, this is an opportunity to get a first-hand look at government, voting and civic participation. During the event to be held on October 26th, 4-H members will also have the opportunity to campaign and elect a 5th grade-level Kid Governor for a year-long term of office. Parents or guardians can register now at okla.st/4h-kidgovernor if their child is already in 4-H. The deadline is October 15 While any Oklahoma student may attend and participate, they must be enrolled in 4-H as a member of a club. If a child wants to sign up for 4-H, please contact your county OSU Extension Office to learn more. For a listing of offices, go to https://extension.okstate.edu/ and learn how to get involved in this youth program. We hope this program will be beneficial, especially as students in this age range certainly are paying attention to politics and issues in the world.

While the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) primarily works with state policies, there are often federal issues which we try to engage our advocates in calling for better opportunities. One of these policies is support for the bipartisan “Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act,” which would invest critical new resources in Title IV-B and provide needed policy improvements. We have joined the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics in calling for congressional support for the enhanced efforts described below. This week, the U.S. House of Representatives, by an overwhelming 405-10 vote approved the bipartisan Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act (H.R. 9076), with all five of Oklahoma’s members of Congress voting “Yea.” The measure now moves across the Capitol to the United States Senate, and our U.S. senators need to hear your support. There are two parts to Title IV-B in federal law. The first, Title IV-B Part 1, Child Welfare Services (CWS) of the Social Security Act, was first established as part of the 1935 Social Security law. Title IV-B part 2, Promoting Safe and Stable Families, started in 1993 as part of a federal budget agreement. It began as Family Preservation and Family Support but was amended to the current name and charged with delivering family preservation programs that sought to prevent foster care placement through intensive focused and limited efforts to help families at a crisis stage. Over the past year, bipartisan leadership in Congress has brought critical attention to the need to reauthorize Title IV-B and better support strong families. The Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act responds to priority areas outlined in consensus recommendations for reauthorizing Title IV-B of the Social Security Act. Family support is the main emphasis of the bill. By boosting federal backing for keeping children with their families in family-based foster care placements as much as possible, the legislation would create a clear commitment in federal law that poverty is not neglect. This underscores the role of family preservation services for families experiencing a crisis related to a lack of resources and focuses on the vital role of strong families in supporting thriving children. The Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act would further bolster support for kinship caregivers. The bill would also authorize discretionary funding for competitive grants for each of the next four years to support programs that sustain meaningful relationships between covered foster children and their incarcerated parents. Further, the legislation would enact policy improvements that complement mental health efforts and support trauma-responsive child welfare systems that promote healing. This bill would expand by $10 million annually the Court Improvement Program, which is the only direct child welfare-related federal funding that state and tribal courts receive to manage children’s cases in court across the nation each year. The bill would put another $10 million annually for Regional Partnership Grants which address the intersection of parental substance use and child welfare involvement. The bill goes further by allocating more funding for tribal sovereign nations, reduces barriers to tribal participation in IV-B, and supports oversight of implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act. We at OICA support the Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act as an important step toward a modernized child welfare system that better supports children and families. Please reach out to Oklahoma’s two U.S. Senators – Sen. James Lankford and Sen. Markwayne Mullin – to ask them to support this legislation

With National Voter Registration Day occurring on September 17, which is also Constitution Day, there has been much excitement geared around ensuring people are able to cast a vote, not only in the upcoming General Election on November 5, but also for every subsequent election held.  Unfortunately, Oklahoma’s voter turnout has been dismal the past several elections, ranking anywhere from 48th to 50th among states for percentage of voters submitting a ballot. Some might ask, “What does this have to do with child advocacy?” When advocates work through the different levels of government, the officials who have been selected by this minority of registered voters are the ones who are deciding the policies. I have been very fortunate to work with some great elected officials, often surprising me with just how solidly they have supported youth issues. One of the parts of my job at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) that I most enjoy is getting to work with officials to shape solutions to benefit Oklahoma’s children. Many officials have truly stepped up in times of need to provide better opportunities for youth. Voting has not always been accessible to all Americans. White, property-owning males were the first legal voters in our newly formed nation. Then, the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed by Congress on February 26, 1869, and ratified by the states on February 3, 1870, granted Black American men the right to vote. It took nearly 50 years, but Congress passed on June 4, 1919, and the states ratified on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. Then, on June 2, 1924, Congress enacted the Indian Citizenship Act, granting citizenship to all Indigenous Americans born in the U.S. The right to vote, however, was governed by state law. Until 1957, some states barred Indigenous Americans from voting. The Voting Rights Act of 1965, extended in 1970, 1975, and 1982, abolished all remaining deterrents to exercising the right to vote and authorized federal supervision of voter registration where necessary. In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the act involving federal oversight of voting rules in nine states with histories of discrimination. As 2024 is the 100th anniversary of federal voting rights for Indigenous Americans, OICA is working on a voter awareness project which will impact young Oklahomans. With permission from the Ben Harjo estate, we are using his “Warriors of Fire” print as the basis for a poster for each high school in Oklahoma, including the link for registering to vote online. Ben was a personal friend and an avid voter, so his wife Barbara loved the idea of using this to encourage people to register. Thanks to generous support from the Cherokee Nation, we have the initial funding raised for the printing. If you would like to assist with this effort, you can go to oica.org to make a donation; for each $100 donated, the donor will receive a copy of the poster. Additionally, OICA this week will kick off our “Chalk the Vote” efforts for educators in the upcoming General Election. We have gotten off to a late start with some staff changes in our office, so I am looking forward to announcing our new team members in a column soon. I also want to note that on Monday, I celebrated my eighth anniversary working for OICA, and I was honored to attend the 94th birthday celebration of Melvin Moran on Saturday. We share September 18th as a birthday, but I am a few years behind him. Happy birthday, Melvin!

We are just about one week away from National Voter Registration Day, which is celebrated on September 17. Voting is regarded as one of our Constitutional rights and obligations as citizens of the United States. It is the process which cumulatively allows us to select those who will represent us in elective office and to determine certain policies put before us on the ballot. In Oklahoma, many organizations have chosen to promote nonpartisan voter awareness and registration. The Oklahoma Libraries Association (OLA) and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL), along with the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma (LVW), have put together tool kits to help groups promote the need to register and the right to vote. You can get the OLA/ODL toolkit at https://www.oklibs.org/news/681453/ODL-and-OLA-Partner-to-Equip-OK-Libraries-for-Voter-Registration-Drives.htm . The LVW link is https://my.lwv.org/league-women-voters-oklahoma . Additionally, the Oklahoma Academy is dedicating their upcoming Town Hall to increasing voter turnout, and the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) operates Chalk the Vote, an effort to increase teacher turnout in voting. This can be found on OICA’s social media. If you are not already registered, applications can be accepted at any time but must be received at least 25 days prior to an election to cast your vote. You can go to https://vote.gov/register/oklahoma to confirm your registration, but note, it is a felony to alter voter information to prevent someone from voting. One opportunity presented to those who are allowed to register to vote is to sign up online. Go to https://oklahoma.gov/elections/ovp.html to register . All Voter Registration Applications – including those submitted online – are reviewed and manually processed by the County Election Board prior to approval. Once an application has been approved, the voter will receive by mail a Voter ID card confirming the registration, which is an allowable identification for use at polls. If an application is unable to be approved, the County Election Board will notify the applicant by mail. Additionally, I want to highlight some voting rights extended to Oklahomans. Pre-registration – Persons who are at least 17½ years old may pre-register to vote in Oklahoma if they meet all eligibility requirements but cannot vote until they turn 18 years old. This ensures that the Constitutional right to vote is allowed to those who will turn 18 on or right before Election Day. Provisional voting – Any voter whose name does not appear in the precinct registry, does not show a valid ID, believes an error has been made regarding his or her party affiliation (for a primary election or subsequent runoff), or for other reasons allowed by law, may cast a provisional ballot. This is often the case with a person changing their name on a driver’s license but not updating the voter registration to reflect the new name. Once the verification occurs on the ability of the person to legally vote in the precinct where the ballot was cast, the vote will be added to each race total. In Oklahoma, provisional ballots are not counted if the voter casts a ballot in an incorrect precinct. Felony conviction – A person convicted of a felony may register to vote when he or she has fully served his or her sentence of court-mandated calendar days, including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by any court. A convicted felon who has been pardoned may register once a pardon has become official. Questions regarding voter registration should be directed to your County Election Board, or the State Election Board at (405) 521-2391. I hope these tips will assist you with ensuring that you are registered and have the right to cast your vote on November 5 and every election following.

It is back to school time for children of all ages across the United States. As children prepare for their academic year, one critical aspect is reading literacy. Reading is the fundamental key to academic and career success. In studies delivered by the National Literacy Institute, on average, 79 percent of U.S. adults nationwide are literate, while 21 percent of adults in the US are considered illiterate. 54 percent of adults have a literacy below a 6th-grade level (20 percent are below 5th-grade level). Low levels of literacy cost the US up to $2.2 trillion per year in reduced productivity. Different factors contribute to this metric, but certainly one gauge is our graduation rate. According to US News and World Report, in 2023 the average state graduation rate across 49 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. (with Oklahoma being the only state to not submit data that year) was 79 percent in reviewing the 2021-2022 academic year, up two percentage points from the year prior. Additionally, in 2022, data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card,” showed that only 33% of fourth graders and 31% of eighth graders scored at or above grade level in reading, with much of that learning loss coming from pandemic era school lessons taught virtually. When do children usually learn to read? There is no single answer to this question, as reading skills can vary from child-to-child. However, according to the National Reading Panel (NRP), most children start reading at around 6 to 7 years old, while some children learn as early as 4 to 5 years old. Children as early as two years old have incredible brains that allow them to learn more and learn faster than they can when they are older, so reading to them begins this process at that earlier age. I was thrilled to hear a Rotary program presented by an OKC Metro school superintendent highlighting her experiences and expectations for the school year with the issues facing children on the northeast side of the city, including early childhood literacy. She shared a sign-chart from several years ago showing how few of her three-year-old students were able to write their names at the beginning of school compared to the end gains based on the support from the teachers. Now, imagine the jumpstart to learning if these students came to school knowing simply how to properly write their own names, and it is not isolated with just this school. We expect much from students in school, but a great deal of their success depends on how much they learn at home. Parents who read to their children and provide learning opportunities are increasing the odds of preparing them for success in life. Beyond that, we as a society also have grown to expect so much more out of our schools above educational attainment. A successful program offered by the state is placing social workers into school sites to assist with helping children and their families attain success through connecting access to programs which provide support systems, such as SNAP (food), help in filling out applications for driver’s licenses and other needed government documents, and even assisting with locating jobs.  If parents must spend less time trying to find ways to survive, they have more time to spend with their children, including reading to them. This helps break the cycle of illiteracy and provides a foundation for future success for graduation rates and educational attainment for children, and a better foundation of success for our entire nation.

There are few constants in life, but change is one of those. Transformation can bring about levels of anxiety and hope, but we have to adapt to keep going or improve upon the situation. When I received word that Dr. Deb Shropshire, the current Director for Oklahoma Human Services, will be leaving her role, I was saddened to learn of this impending change. I feel that she has done a tremendous job with the resources which have been provided and directives given to her by elected officials while balancing her administrative duties over the agency. Deb and I first became acquainted when I began work at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy nearly eight years ago. In her role of leading Human Services’ Child Welfare Division, much of the work we both undertook often overlapped. I found her always willing to visit about policy, share ideas for improvements, and never dismissing anyone even when things did not fall under her scope of work. When Governor Stitt appointed her as the new director of Human Services almost two years ago, I said it was “one of his best decisions as governor.” I stand by that today as she has navigated a very difficult job and brought forth many policies which have improved difficult systems of care, even when many policymakers, including the governor, have called for flat budgets and no increases. Human Services has struggled with many tough cases in recent years, including child deaths. I firmly believe many of these problems could have been averted with the right resources provided by policymakers, including increased salaries and benefits for employees. If state agencies could hire enough workers and provide enhanced training for their staff, along with a smaller amount of caseloads, in turn having the ability to give more attention to these critical issues, we would see far fewer problems. In addition, if Oklahomans would be vigilant and willing to “get involved” by reporting when they suspect a child is the victim of abuse or neglect, far fewer traumatic cases would rise to that level upon investigation by the state. Oklahoma has anonymous reporting for suspected abuse and neglect situations for the very reason as it is too difficult even to get people to “get involved,” like what we saw with the child death in Midwest City a few weeks ago. Yes, it might be a hassle if an investigation occurs and nothing is found to be wrong, but I, and I hope most others, believe it is better “to be safe than sorry” with concerns regarding children. Over the past few weeks, Dr. Shropshire has been the focus of negative attention with a few lawmakers and other individuals tied to elected officials. Much of what has been called into question is outside the scope of her job, so I do not blame her if she finally had enough as her reason to leave. However, if she was forced out because someone had a politician’s ear, then it is a tragedy which will set a horrific precedent for the agency. As we move forward, and a new individual will take over this role, I am trying to have hope that things will improve. I also know that I must do my part to help make this situation for a new director positive and ensure the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy contributes when help is needed for improvement for foster youth and the others served by this agency.

In Tulsa, much attention over the past several months has been focused on the Tulsa County Family Center for Juvenile Justice. More than 20 people have accused employees of sexually assaulting and harassing them while they were detained. The allegations range from adults having sex with minors in detention to drugs being provided to these children. This would have continued if not for one whistleblower raising awareness of the crimes. This tale rings far too familiar to similar circumstances that happened in the 1980s with the criminal activity that led to the “Terry D. Lawsuit” filed against the state of Oklahoma; the lawsuit which led to the creation of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA). By all appearances, multiple failures occurred in procedures and policies designed to protect these youth. Instead of helping them on their way to overcoming issues that led them to allegedly becoming a risk to their community and themselves – the entire concept behind the term “juvenile justice” – most faced worse circumstances. Oversight and the abilities of the employees have been a critical failure. Policies to ensure that these workers from the center performed their jobs and did not stray into illegal activity were easily ignored. A solution which would have helped prevent this catastrophe would be to have a law in place to allow for easier monitoring by watchdog organizations from the state. Rep. Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa, and Sen. John Haste, R-Tulsa, wisely authored HB 2313 in 2021. That measure would have modified the duties of the Office of Juvenile System Oversight (OJSO). The measure, had it been signed into law, required the OJSO to conduct inspections of privately operated children’s facilities not less than annually or as needed. OJSO needs access to all children and youth facilities to conduct site visits and speak with residents, not just those under the state. OICA encourages lawmakers to take this legislation up again next session, and this time pass it into law to help prevent the tragedy in Tulsa or anywhere else in Oklahoma from ever happening again. Other problems cited are the ability to pay workers adequately to attract a pool from which to select the most qualified staff, along with inadequate mental health programming provided for the youth. Resources must be sufficient from the city, county, and the state to alleviate these failures. Additionally, the educational programs offered through Tulsa Public Schools need to be restructured. The Office of Juvenile Affairs operates a charter school for youth housed at the Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Tecumseh to specifically focus on needs and a similar model should be considered for Tulsa. This would allow for specialized programs for addressing the many students on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and keeping them up to speed for when they return to the classroom upon release. To be even more proactive, efforts must be made to help prevent youth from even being led into harmful situations. The school-based social worker program operated by Oklahoma Human Services helps provide support for young people in public schools which provides helpful resources to survive. OICA would like to see at least one of these workers in every school building to help ensure children are receiving support services which will only enhance their learning and keep them out of trouble. Additionally, finding ways to alleviate issues such as childhood hunger goes a long way to preventing negative outcomes. People want to point at one specific person or policy, but by all appearances, this is more a collapse of the overall system on many fronts. I hope the ideas presented here will provide a roadmap to overcome the failure of this system.