Recent "For The Children" Weekly Columns

There are some days when I wonder if the person who first said, “May you live in interesting times,” was applauded for this statement or condemned. The world has certainly become an interesting place with state, federal and international issues bombarding each of us through the news outlets and on social media. The resignation of Oklahoma’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters certainly topped that weekly list. Walters will be leaving this elected role prior to the conclusion of his first term to take on the role of chief executive officer of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a newly formed national organization that is described as an anti-teacher-union organization. He has indicated that he will assume this role on October 1, so he will leave the vacancy up for appointment by Gov. Kevin Stitt for the remainder of the term, which concludes in January 2027 following next year’s elections. As things move forward, and a new public education leader is selected, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) will continue to be a voice for improvements through school health and well-being policies. A key part of what OICA coordinates through schools is the Kid Governor® program for fifth grade classrooms. For this year, we have more than 1,000 students signed up to receive the lessons provided by their classroom teachers. Using award-winning materials we provide, these lessons educate about the importance of voting when they turn 18, the role of officials, and how citizens can engage with ideas. These students represent more than 25 schools participating across the state. OICA will also work with 4-H to hold a one-day conference for 4th-6th grade students in their program to learn these lessons. Both programs will hold elections and select new youths to hold the position of Governor. OICA will continue to work with the families who participate in both programs to provide support to them so they will be able to share their vision with civic organizations and at our own events. At the other side of the educational spectrum, OICA is holding a fundraiser around the annual OU/Texas football game. We are selling limited-edition collector T-shirts promoting Oklahoma to beat Texas, not just in football, but also in child well-being. Under KIDS COUNT data, our state ranks 46th in overall child well-being, compared to Texas, which ranks 41st. That is too low for both states. When you break down other categories, both states have significant statistical categories which do not reflect well on how our children are raised. We hope this t-shirt sheds light on ways we can improve, and the proceeds from these “Arch Rival” shirts go to support programs like Kid Governor® and the work we do for foster youth, homelessness, and education improvements. We are proud to partner with WWLS, The Sports Animal, with this shirt and will set up at the Bevo Bash on October 10 while they broadcast live. If you would like to directly make a difference in the work that OICA does through policy, our annual Fall Forum will be held in October. The conference will kick off with a virtual day on October 6 to look at the aforementioned KIDS COUNT data, where we will compare notes with what other states are doing successfully. Attendees will then gather in-person in Oklahoma City on October 15 & 16 to hear from presenters and share ideas. Jill Mencke with the Oklahoma Policy Institute will present about child well-being data, and then we will hear from our keynote speaker, former lieutenant governor and Cameron University President Jari Askins about the importance of being engaged positively in the lives of youth. If you are interested in supporting our work through purchasing a t-shirt or by attending Fall Forum, go to https://www.oica.org to learn more.

Recently, Rep. Danny Williams, R-Seminole, along with Reps. Colin Duel-R, Guthrie; Gabe Woolley, R-Broken Arrow; Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle; and Stacy Jo Adams, R-Duncan, hosted an interim study on a unified statewide family court system to help improve outcomes for Oklahoma children in deprived cases. The study brought together advocates and judges to discuss specialized courts which would allow for attorneys and judges to have an increased level of expertise in both laws and best practices in determining rulings that would ultimately best benefit the children involved in cases. Removing a child from a home is a very traumatizing event, both for the young one and the parents. Many families struggle to afford a legal defense in making the case for why they should be able to keep their child rather than being sent to foster care or another avenue. Efforts were made a few years ago to implement a standard for “high quality legal representation” (HQLR) to help attorneys be able to afford to take on cases which would help lead to quicker reunification for families. The Oklahoma Office of Family Representation (OFR) reported that just a few years into implementation, HQLR now covers about half the counties in the state and nearly two-thirds by year end. The goal, if funding is provided by the state, is to have this in all counties by the end of 2026. The study also allowed lawmakers to hear from three judges, two from Oklahoma and one from Texas, on disparities in Oklahoma’s family court system. Specialized courts, like those operating in Texas and other states, could better serve children and families in the state’s care. Among the models reviewed was the Texas Child Protection Courts (CPCs), which are dedicated solely to handling Child Protective Services cases. CPC judges undergo specialized training in foster care, youth trauma, and CPS procedures, allowing them to manage caseloads more effectively. This is like other court systems already in Oklahoma handling drug cases, veterans’ issues, and most recently, proposed business courts. Texas began with four CPCs funded through a federal grant; it now operates 31 courts managing more than half of the state’s CPS dockets and are funded by the Texas Legislature. CPC judges are appointed by regional presiding judges and serve as either associated judges or former judges. Their decisions are subject to appeal by elected judges, ensuring a fresh look at each case. While this has increased the number of judges practicing law in a specialized area, Texas has found this has significantly decreased costs associated with multiple hearings by judges who are not specialized in this area, along with reducing the human cost of dealing with long-term trauma for children who are forced into the foster care system for extended periods of time. “By having judges who specialize in family and child welfare cases, we can make sure these matters are heard by someone who truly understands the system and the trauma many of these children have faced,” said Representative Williams. “We owe it to these children to build a court system that works for them." Additionally, Reps. Mark Tedford, R-Jenks, and Erick Harris, R-Edmond, will hold a conversation about parental equity in divorce proceedings. We have equally high hopes this study will lead to a reduction in drawn-out, expensive divorce and custody lawsuits which cause disruption in the lives of children. This study will be held on October 21 and is open to the public. The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is very appreciative to the lawmakers for holding studies over this topic, along with OFR Director Gwendolyn Clegg, Associate District Judge Brett Butner, retired Associate District Judge Doris Fransein, and Texas Associate District Judge Robert Hofmann for presenting. Conversation about the issue is the first step in addressing the problems experienced in this area, and we believe this was a significant step forward. 

After the events of the past week, I am just feeling drained and honestly experiencing a bit of despair. Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old political activist who had invigorated the conservative movement on college campuses, was assassinated by a young man in Utah. Despite what commentators and those joining in the fray online are saying, no motives have been revealed. The shell casings had language written on them which indicate leftist leanings, but those are also sayings used by far right leaning young people playing violent video games used to mock others. As the shooter was captured alive, I am sure we will learn more as he, his friends, and his family are interviewed, but the frenzy is indeed at a fever-pitch. There are those who want to point fingers at “the other team” to somehow not be labeled as a part of the reason that a sick person decided to silence a political voice who dared to speak out in public. On the same day, two high schoolers were shot by a third student at a high school in Colorado. While the Kirk murder dominated the news due to his star power and the fact that it was a political assassination, I was demoralized with how little people seemed to care that another school shooting had occurred in our nation. This especially struck me as a friend of mine has two children who currently attend that school. A few days ago, security.org published an article which did not improve my demeanor. According to them, a report released by K-12 School Shooting Database, a publication of the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS), shows a total of 118 active shooter incidents have been reported at K-12 schools in the U.S. since 1999. These shootings are defined by the CHDS as situations where the perpetrator killed or wounded targeted or random victims within the school campus during a continuous episode of violence. If you want to know the death total from those shootings, since 1999, 440 people have been killed and 1,243 injured in shooting events at these schools. If you want to delve into the compiled data, https://k12ssdb.org/all-shootings shows a breakdown of various data points. Any violent action against another human is a crime. When it comes to young people dying, whether it be a young father daring to speak about politics or students who should be safe in their school, it feels that much more of a tragedy. I am not going to get into the gun debate as I am a gun owner and strongly believe in the Second Amendment, but I also realize that something must be done to keep guns away from people who are going to use them for no other reason than to commit a crime. Last year, a Michigan judge sentenced parents of a convicted mass school shooter to 10 years in prison for “repeated acts, or lack of acts, that could have halted an oncoming runaway train” in not acting to stop their 15-year-old son from murdering four other students in 2021. Is this the perfect solution? No. Has someone else come up with something to stop these horrific acts? The answer is also, “No.” I do know that cuts to mental health support which we are seeing at both the state and national level will certainly not reduce these numbers. If you want to see better and live safer, now is the time to engage your policymakers at all levels and demand that these two latest shootings not just be the most recent in a long line of senseless tragedies that deprived families of their loved ones. 

Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy CEO Joe Dorman (far right) listens as U.S. Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, addresses a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City. In this week’s “For the Children” column, Dorman discusses “Civility Versus Hostility” in today’s political discourse. One of my goals with the “For the Children” weekly column is to keep people aware of issues involving child advocacy and policy updates so individuals and organizations can champion solutions to problems faced by youth. To me, it feels like many areas of conversation are growing harsher with distinct lines drawn over varying divides and other barriers. Politics is but one of those divides, but civility should prevail in discussion. Case in point: U.S. Sen. James Lankford, one of Oklahoma’s two federal senators who is also a Republican, spoke to the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City at one of our regular meetings. The senator discussed issues currently being considered in Congress, along with his views on policies. He took about 15 minutes of questions, including one from me about cuts brought forth to public broadcasting and changes to emergency management programs. He gave a very direct answer to my question explaining his position and concluded that we likely would have a different opinion, which he is correct. Afterwards, I thanked the senator personally and told him that I looked forward to our next visit, hopefully when I make it to Washington next month for an official visit about federal policy issues related to youth. Even though we do not see eye-to-eye on this and many other policies, I expressed appreciation on social media for him taking the time to speak to roughly 300 people in the club and for the work he has done to restore the ability for Americans to declare a deduction on their taxes for contributions to nonprofits. This is an issue that was created in 2017 that led to many not donating to receive a tax break, resulting in billions lost to charitable organizations overall. Unfortunately, I should not have been surprised at the ensuing posts from those who I have as connections on my pages. Most appreciated the civility in our dialogue, but others, including both liberals and conservatives, found reasons to post commentary that was not too flattering toward me for “not calling him out” and toward the senator for a variety of reasons. I grow as frustrated as anyone about various issues which I feel are important, but I know that name-calling and hostility are not going to move the needle. Others obviously have a different opinion and feel that it takes sharp action to either change a politician’s mind or motivate the public to vote someone out. While that might yield some success occasionally, I fear for what it does for our society to have young people see that as what feels to be the most taken pathway to make a difference in the world. And it is not just politics, as this attitude has creeped into our personal lives, dividing friends and family. If we are not willing to sit down and look those others in the eye and maturely discuss differences, problems will not be fixed. It will take individuals who are willing to “agree to disagree” on some points, ultimately finding compromise in areas which can be reached to fix many issues before us. This is how we encourage better behavior with future generations, and it starts at home, school, church, and other places as these children are learning from how we act as the adults in their lives. And while I certainly do not agree with every position a politician has, no matter who it might be, I am willing to appreciate the good that each of them does on individual issues. I will certainly continue to advocate for changing someone’s mind to hopefully come around regarding the rest, as I hope you will also, but remember, children are watching and learning with how we do this.

"For the Children" Column for Week of Sept. 1, 2025

Interim study season at the Oklahoma State Capitol is kicking off this week, and the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is not only monitoring several, but we are engaging with authors for some of these reviews. Two studies will be held soon which I would like to highlight. The first is by Rep. Gabe Woolley, R-Broken Arrow, to cover the intent of his House Bill 1100 and House Bill 1164, two bills to restructure how Oklahoma Human Services employees may take children into foster care custody and strengthen the threshold necessary to remove children from homes. The result would be similar to what we see in tribal human services cases and with other states like Kansas and Texas. Another by Reps. Danny Williams, R-Seminole; Colin Duel R-Edmond; Woolley; Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle; and Stacy Jo Adams, R-Duncan would look at potential improvements to the Oklahoma Family Court system, with an emphasis on child-centered outcomes. This study will examine disparities in Oklahoma’s family court system and explore the creation of a unified statewide family court model. There is no question that positive changes must be made in these state foster systems designed to place children in the best possible situation until they can return home. In 2020, over 6,500 children were in custody of the state, and 450 were waiting for loving homes. While there have been significant improvements recently, there are about 5,800 children currently in the foster care system, with a need for more than 700 additional foster families to help provide stability for these children. Additionally, children often must be taken hours away from their communities to find a stable setting. In 2024, data showed that one-third of Oklahoma children in foster care were moved to homes or group facilities at least two counties away. Many current programs are working and should receive support. The school-based social worker program is one which has helped parents. Workers provide wraparound services, including completing complicated applications for food support programs, insurance submissions, and even driver’s license paperwork, which has proven to be effective in helping families maintain stability and better provide for their children, thus decreasing removals. Additional support for the Oklahoma court network to recruit judges who specialize in juvenile issues could decrease the time which children linger in the system, along with directing toward additional support services for families to receive the help they need for reunification. Unfortunately, our state suffers from a lack of such services, especially in the rural areas of our state. Often, judges are forced into juvenile dockets which they have no interest or experience in those types of cases. Incentives to recruit those to the bench who would want to work in this area, along with improved funding for familial services and additional funds to better train and reduce the case log for Human Services workers are needed. Another much-needed reform is legislation authored by Rep. Nick Archer which would increase the reimbursement rate for foster families by increasing that daily stipend. It has been almost a decade since rates have increased, and this has been a problem as families simply cannot afford to take children into their home without sufficient support to help provide for them. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, go to https://okfosters.org/oklahoma-human-services/ where you can learn more about how you can help a youth or a sibling set with the stability they need until they can return to their biological family. If you want to see better results for our children in this type of need, reach out to your own lawmakers to encourage support and certainly watch these studies at https://www.okhouse.gov or attend them when they are held at the Capitol.

On Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, 59 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students from across Oklahoma gathered at the Oklahoma County OSU Extension on office as the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy and Oklahoma 4-H hosted the 2024 Kid Governor® Conference, in cooperation with the Connecticut Democracy Project. The students learned about Oklahoma government and conducted a campaign for the next Kid Governor® of Oklahoma. The 2025 Oklahoma Kid Governor is Emma Stephens, and she and her cabinet were sworn in at the State Capitol in February of this year. On Saturday, Aug. 9, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) partnered with the Foster Care Association of Oklahoma (FCAO) to hold a back-to-school bash for more than 350 foster youth and caregivers. The event was held at Wheeler Park in Oklahoma City, and multiple partner organizations provided resource information for families. Thanks to a generous donor, OICA sponsored the music supplied by the Rockin’ Roly Polys, a kid’s rock band, and dinner was provided by Dado’s Pizza. We also thank the Oklahoma City Fire Department, longstanding supporters of foster care assistance programs, for being present to visit with the youth and should anyone become overheated. FCAO stepped in when one of the normal annual events could not occur, and I will say it went flawlessly thanks to their hard work. For OICA, this event signals the beginning of the school year but truly plans started for families weeks ago. The first weekend of August saw the statewide sales tax holiday for shoppers. This legislation was authored by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, now with OICA, nearly two decades ago. Due to budget restrictions, this was limited to specific clothes items, matching the Texas sales tax holiday. There is discussion that this might expand to athletic equipment and school supplies, so please reach out to your own lawmakers if you feel this would benefit families. More recent legislation will also impact students as the “bell to bell, no cell” law goes into effect this year. With certain exceptions dealing with health issues, this law prevents students from having their mobile devices on them during school hours. After this first year, schools will be able to adapt policies which best fit their school district as determined by the own local school board. In addition, State Superintendent Ryan Walters expressed his desire for school meals to be offered at no cost to students, along with an end to the school standardized testing required under state and federal law. Though not policy yet, for testing, he has submitted a waiver request to the federal government to eliminate this requirement. Both policies must also be addressed by the Legislature for amending laws relating to each, along with necessary funding allocations. The most exciting part of the school year for OICA directly is the kick-off of our annual Kid Governor® program. This is a project for which OICA is the state affiliate of this nationally based program. Free curriculum approved by the State Department of Education is provided to 5th grade teachers for lesson plans about state government. The role of elected officials is a highlight, as is the importance of voting when the students turn 18. The program also encourages civility in resolving policy disagreements. Teachers can opt into an enhanced program that allows them to hold a classroom election, with the winner in each class competing statewide for the office of Kid Governor®. The winner is selected by votes from the students going through the program, showing them how voting with ballots works. The Kid Governor and cabinet members speak to civic organizations and work with lawmakers to see ideas they promote possibly become law. Go to https://ok.kidgovernor.org/ to learn more about the program. Additionally, OICA has partnered with Oklahoma 4-H to hold an “Oklahoma 4-H Junior Governor” program, a one-day civics-based conference with students who range from 4th to 6th grades. Check with your county 4-H extension leader for how your 4-Her can participate or contact Cathleen Taylor at cathleen.taylor@okstate.edu for more information. We hope you will share this information with your local 5th grade teachers and 4-H leaders as we want to see these young Oklahomans are prepared to hold an elective office someday, with possibly even a future governor inspired by this! 

A few weeks ago, I highlighted the interim studies approved by the state Senate. This week, I want to cover some from the House of Representatives. Interim studies are officially filed reviews of specific policies which lawmakers wish to request a hearing to delve further into the issue. These studies must be approved by the leadership of the body in which they are submitted. They are held during the time in which legislators are not in session, usually over the fall months. In total, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is following or assisting with more than 20 of the 154 House studies that were filed. Here are some which stand out: 25-001 by Rep. Woolley (R-Broken Arrow) - deals with custodial issues involving Oklahoma Human Services cases. 25-003 by Rep. Archer (R-Elk City) – increasing reimbursement rate for families who are foster/bridge parents. 25-022 by Rep. Pogemiller (D-OKC) - problems resulting in chronic absenteeism from school. 25-035 by Reps. Gise (R-OKC) and Pae (R-Lawton) - needs faced by state juvenile detention facilities. 25-036 by Reps. Gise (R-OKC), Pae (R-Lawton), and Turner (R-Kinta) - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program policies. 25-047 by Reps. Turner (R-Kinta), Gise (R-OKC), and Norwood (R-Owasso) - policies governing the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline. 25-051 by Reps. Pae (R-Lawton) and Gise (R-OKC) - support for Child Advocacy Centers (CACs do forensic interviews of children who have been involved in a horrific situation. These interviews are often admissible in court to help convict perpetrators. OICA is not a CAC as we are involved with overall children’s policies). 25-053 by Rep. Pae (R-Lawton) - youth homelessness. 25-055 by Reps. Menz (D-Norman), Waldron (D-Tulsa), and Pogemiller (D-OKC) - childhood hunger. 25-063 by Rep. Ranson (D-Stillwater) - establishing a Department of Early Childhood in Oklahoma. 25-070 by Rep. Timmons (D-OKC) - childcare accessibility and DHS Star Rating, affordable daycare for working families. 25-073 by Rep. Timmons (D-OKC)- education reading readiness. 25-078 by Rep. Schreiber (D-Tulsa) and Sen. Gollihare (R-Kellyville) (joint study between both bodies) - strengthening victim services in Oklahoma. 25-079 by Rep. Bashore (R-Miami) - mitigation of the effects of fentanyl. 25-102 by Reps. Tedford (R-Tulsa) and Harris (R-Edmond) - joint equal shared custody with divorced parents. 25-105 by Rep. Pittman (D-OKC) - food insecurity and agricultural solutions. 25-109 by Reps. Lay (R-Tulsa) and Adams (R-Duncan) - improving foster home environments. 25-110 by Rep. Adams (R-Duncan) - children’s court reforms. 25-111 by Reps. Williams (R-Seminole), Sneed (R-Fort Gibson), and Stinson (R-Edmond) - rural healthcare access (Medicare/Medicaid). 25-115 by Reps. Williams (R-Seminole), Hardin (R-Stilwell), and Kelley (R-Yukon) - life without parole sentencing review. 25-116 by Rep. Munson (D-OKC) - human trafficking and victim’s services. 25-126 by Reps. Chapman (R-Broken Arrow) and Stinson (R-Edmond) - federal Medicaid cuts to states. 25-130 by Rep. West (R-OKC) - public-private partnership for Family Resource Centers. 25-135 by Rep. Alonso-Sandoval (D-OKC) – creation of an Oklahoma Youth Advisory Council. We were pleased to see so many submissions which directly deal with children and families. When it comes to those studies dealing with children, OICA is a resource to assist lawmakers by providing state and local data, along with best practices, for potential legislation, along with connecting advocates to help them pursue the best policies.. If you would like to review the list of the House studies, you can see them at https://former.okhouse.gov/Committees/ShowInterimStudies.aspx and Senate studies are at https://oksenate.gov/publications/interim-studies?Year=2025 for your review. If you would like to be notified of when the study will occur, you can contact the office of the lawmaker who requested the study at their Capitol office. You can connect with lawmakers at https://www.okhouse.gov/ or https://www.oksenate.gov/ through their individual pages.

I first became acquainted with Governor Nigh not directly because of politics, but through a college program called the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (OIL). This organization allows students to attend from their institution at a mock legislature held at Oklahoma’s State Capitol each semester. The students write ideas into legislation and debate those policies with peers, simulating state government. Governor Nigh was the state official who helped sponsor their first meeting held in 1969 and is regarded as the father of the organization. OIL is what shaped my future in public service, so I owe him a great debt of gratitude. As a lawmaker, he attended several events through the years in my district, with most, if not all, showing up to see and visit with him. From there, I would grow to know him and hear his many tales of Oklahoma history. For those not aware, Rep. George Nigh was the youngest-elected state representative in 1953 when he first ran for office. His most famous accomplishment as a lawmaker was changing our state song from “Oklahoma, a Toast” to the Rodgers & Hammerstein song “Oklahoma!” from the musical. You can view the story as told by Nigh at https://tinyurl.com/NighOKSong . Nigh went on to serve as lieutenant governor, the youngest in the nation, and then had the distinction of being sworn into the office of governor four separate times, twice to fill vacancies and then to be Oklahoma’s first two-term elected chief executive. In fact, he won all 77 counties in his race for re-election to governor. As governor, Nigh was a trailblazer, appointing the first two women to serve on the Oklahoma Supreme Court and selecting minority representation to serve on state agencies, boards, and commissions, and even those from differing political parties. Following his elective career, George served as the director of Tourism, the president of the University of Central Oklahoma, and as a founding member of the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature Foundation, along with so many other roles. Governor Nigh joked that the first time he realized that he was no longer governor was when he got into the back of a car, and it did not move. He, later in life, did not drive, so it fell on to others to ensure that he made it to events, including the delivery of graduation speeches over a 75-year period. I became one of his “chauffeurs” for speeches, and his entourage of drivers ranged from students to even former Govs. David Walters and Frank Keating. My first time driving him was to my hometown for the funeral of former Lt. Gov. Spencer Bernard in 2001, the person who served alongside him. I escorted him to Oklahoma American Legion Auxiliary Girls State, where he spoke at 73 conferences, only missing one recently due to a health issue. Other opportunities included the OICA Heroes Ball and OICA’s Kid Governor® events, of which he was one of our strongest supporters of this grade school civics program. In fact, it was at that age that he decided that he wanted to be a governor, so this was very dear to him. You can watch a video about his thoughts at https://tinyurl.com/GovNighReflects . George Nigh was the epitome of stateman, and I consider him a mentor, as did so many other politicos through the many generations. I last saw him a month ago when he spoke to the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City. Up until the end, he promoted the thought that we all need to work together for the betterment of our great state. I’ll conclude with a Nigh quote about the musical, “Oklahoma!” that fits him perfectly: "Do for your life what they did for our state — put an exclamation point behind your life!”