More than a million students disappeared from public school rolls during the 2020-2021 school year according to a new report from Education Week that analyzed available state-collected data about schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic. “America’s public school system lost almost 1.3 million students this year, according to an Education Week analysis of state data,” the…Read More
The pro-life chair of the U.S. bishops’ conference on Friday warned that loosening federal regulations of the abortion pill places women’s health “in serious jeopardy.” Earlier this week, the acting commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that during the COVID-19 pandemic the agency would allow for the abortion pill regimen to…Read More
The Biden administration cited the coronavirus pandemic to give the green light to at-home, self-administered abortions on Monday. The FDA said it will allow the prescription of an abortion pill, mifepristone, through the mail, reversing Trump administration restrictions on remote prescription of abortion drugs. The agency wrote that because “the in-person dispensing of mifepristone for medical termination…Read More
California lifted all capacity restrictions on religious gatherings on Monday, following the Supreme Court’s ruling over the weekend that the state’s restrictions were too harsh. “In response to recent judicial rulings, effective immediately, location and capacity limits on places of worship are not mandatory but are strongly recommended,” the state announced on Monday. The state’s…Read More
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of religious complainants against a California COVID restriction on in-home religious gatherings. “…California treats some comparable secular activities more favorably than at-home religious exercise,” the Friday ruling stated in part, “permitting hair salons, retail stores, personal care services, movie theaters, private suites at sporting events and concerts, and…Read More
The battle over abortion rights has a dramatic new front: the fight over whether the Biden administration will make pills available online. Even as they keep a sharp eye on the increasingly conservative Supreme Court, activists, lawmakers and medical groups are pushing Biden’s FDA to lift restrictions on a 20-year-old drug for terminating early pregnancies.…Read More
It’s been nearly one year since long-term care facilities in Oklahoma closed their doors to visitors. Some families have gone almost that long without seeing their loved ones. While they are now getting a bit more access with outdoor visits, a new bill would make sure this isolation never happens again. “It’s terrible,” said Paula…Read More
This past year Oklahoma’s teachers and parents faced what some might have believed was an insurmountable challenge. I am in awe of the resiliency of Oklahoma’s teachers, students and families. Creating a future where Oklahoma is a national leader in education is my goal as a parent, teacher, nonprofit leader and as the State Secretary…Read More
Legislation that would protect places of worship from government-ordered closures during a pandemic has advanced from a state House committee. House Bill 2648, by Rep. Jon Echols, states that any “order or rule issued by any governmental entity pursuant to an emergency that requires closure of any place of worship” shall be considered “a substantial…Read More
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reiterated on Wednesday that schools can safely reopen even if teachers are not vaccinated against COVID-19. Last week the CDC weighed into the ongoing debate over whether to reopen schools for in-person instruction, noting that schools that are currently welcoming students into classrooms with certain safety precautions…Read More