Prior to the 2012 Oklahoma high school sports seasons - the member schools of the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association (OSSAA) determined that competitive equity during competition between schools was nonexistent. Most member schools believed the 'playing field' was tilted in the favor of those schools which had specific structural advantages such as the ability to offer scholarships and restrict enrollment. In order to promote competitive equity within OSSAA competition for all sports, the OSSAA directors appointed an eighteen member committee to study the issue and construct a plan which would eventually 'level the playing field' for member schools. Nine committee members were administrators from those schools which restrict enrollment and/or provide scholarships to athletes, and nine members were from schools which cannot restrict enrollment and/or provide financial incentives to athletes.
The Competitive Equity Committee eventually settled on Rule 14, which was to solve the 'level playing field' problem. The Rule required those schools which fit a specified 'success' criteria involving several factors, to advance one enrollment based classification level. For instance, a school participating in class 2A sports would advance to class 3A when all criteria were met. Many member schools at the time believed Rule 14 would fail in its intended purpose. Even several of the Committee members believed it would fail miserably, but said at the time that "It's the best we could do."
Rule 14 subsequently was implemented for the 2012 high school sports seasons, so we can now take a look at the data to analyze the effectiveness of the Rule - for high school football. The data from the 2011 football season (one year prior to implementation of Rule 14) can be compared to the data from the 2019 season (eight years into the Rule). Since 'success' is determined by the OSSAA as 'placing in the top eight' in post-season competition, we may study the 'success data' from the 2011 and 2019 football seasons for those schools which qualified for advancement under Rule 14:
2011 2019
Class Final 8 Semis Finals Final 8 Semis Finals Champ.
5A: 1)Kelly 1)Kelly Kelly
2)E.Prep
3)McG. McG. McG.
4A: 1)McG. no criteria schools
3A: 1) Metro 1)H.Hall H. Hall
2) Cascia Cascia Cascia 2)Lincoln Lincoln Lincoln Lincoln
3) H. Hall H.Hall
2A: 1) Lincoln 1)Metro Metro Metro Metro
A 1)Rejoice Rejoice
B 1)Regent Regent Regent
C 1)Covenant
The data indicates that six separate 'criteria' schools made the final eight in 2011 with three advancing to the semis and one advancing to the finals. The 2019 data indicates that nine 'criteria' schools made the top eight, seven advanced to the semis with four advancing to the finals and two state champions. Very simply - Rule 14 has been a total bust for leveling the playing field!
One may notice that as several Rule 14 'criteria' schools became affected in 2012, they actually improved their success level. For example, Lincoln Christian was eliminated in the quarterfinals of class 2A football in 2011, but was a state champion in 2019 for class 3A. Metro Christian School was eliminated in the 2011 quarterfinals, but restricted its enrollment enough to win the class 2A State Title in 2019. Heritage Hall was eliminated in the 2011 class 3A semifinals but still eventually advanced to class 4A as a 'criteria' school several years later where it won several state titles. It then restricted its enrollment enough to be a class 2A school, but advanced to class 3A on criteria where it was eliminated in the state semifinals in 2019. All this restricting makes my head spin. Bishop McGuinness was eliminated in the class 4A quarterfinals in 2011, advanced to class 5A because of either increased enrollment or 'criteria', where it was eliminated in the class 5A finals in 2019.
Another competitive equity committee was appointed early in 2019 to once again come up with a solution to the problem. It was composed of four traditional public school officials and four 'restrictive' school officials. The committee decided that Rule 14 has been inneffective for leveling the playing field in only two sports (volleyball and tennis). They provided data which indicated that Rule 14 has been effective for promoting competitive equity in all other sports. The committee cited that the same approximate number of state titles were won by 'criteria' schools in the eight years previous to the implementation of Rule 14 as in the eight years after implementation. By many members accounts, their analysis is both invalid and unreliable. At any rate, the OSSAA executives believe that many non-restrictive school officials are citing data such as that above - based on 'emotions'. They have stated as much. These disparaging comments were made in both OKC and Tulsa area meetings.
I believe Joe Van Tuyl has a very workable plan which is fair to both restrictive enrollment schools and non-restrictive schools. If you don't already have a copy of the plan, you may request one from Jim Beckham or Joe Van Tuyl, and we'll be happy to send you one.
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
How to intimidate an Oklahoma lawmaker:
An article in the Tulsa World - Lawmakers accuse Epic Charter Schools of trying to intimidate them, setting 'dangerous' precedent with defamation lawsuit against state senator, December 14 by Andrea Eger, describes how state lawmakers believe the lawsuit against State Senator Ron Sharp (R) is purely "intimidation". What Andrea didn't say is that Epic has tried to intimidate her by 'investigating her past'. One Republican Representative called the lawsuit against Senator Sharp "... an attempt to silence constituents whose concerns legislators are sworn to represent and an attempt to intimidate other lawmakers just before the deadline to file bills for the upcoming 2020 session." The quoted representative was probably correct in saying the 'Epic' lawsuit is "an attempt to silence constituents (You and I) whose concerns legislators are sworn to represent...", although I'll bet it won't silence many traditional public school folk.
Epic Public Schools (its preferred name) first warned Sharp in a "cease and desist" letter left at his front door "that he faced 'immediate legal action' if he didn't comply with the school's demand for a published retraction of his previous statements." Sharp evidently didn't retract his factual statements or questions, so the lawsuit was filed last week.
Another state representative commented about the lawsuit that "It's dirty; it's ugly; and we won't stand for it", indicating the House and Senate have big plans for Epic. Before those lawmakers who object to the lawsuit say 'we won't stand for it', they may consider another lawmaker's statement: "As elected officials, you are in the public eye and subject to that." The lawmaker evidently believes that legislators should expect to be sued when doing the right thing by speaking out against the theft of Oklahoma's tax dollars. Maybe so...
Other elected officials and lawmakers have received more than $100,000 in campaign contributions from Epic Public Schools in order to "look the other way" when considering Epic oversight legislation. It is doubtful these elected officials will speak out in opposition of anything Epic, so it may continue in creating an education 'dust bowl'. In the words of one senator "We might as well go home and let the special interest groups run our government totally," and that is exactly what Epic wants.
To be fair, only five lawmakers commented on the Epic Public Schools lawsuit - which leaves about 140 who have not weighed in on the subject. Those not allowed to voice their opinion at the Jenks Legislative Luncheon should certainly be allowed to weigh in on the lawsuit. I'll start by asking my Representative Cindy Roe (R) of Lindsay and Senator Paul Scott (R) of Duncan to please share your thoughts on the subject?
To be continued with their answers...
Epic Public Schools (its preferred name) first warned Sharp in a "cease and desist" letter left at his front door "that he faced 'immediate legal action' if he didn't comply with the school's demand for a published retraction of his previous statements." Sharp evidently didn't retract his factual statements or questions, so the lawsuit was filed last week.
Another state representative commented about the lawsuit that "It's dirty; it's ugly; and we won't stand for it", indicating the House and Senate have big plans for Epic. Before those lawmakers who object to the lawsuit say 'we won't stand for it', they may consider another lawmaker's statement: "As elected officials, you are in the public eye and subject to that." The lawmaker evidently believes that legislators should expect to be sued when doing the right thing by speaking out against the theft of Oklahoma's tax dollars. Maybe so...
Other elected officials and lawmakers have received more than $100,000 in campaign contributions from Epic Public Schools in order to "look the other way" when considering Epic oversight legislation. It is doubtful these elected officials will speak out in opposition of anything Epic, so it may continue in creating an education 'dust bowl'. In the words of one senator "We might as well go home and let the special interest groups run our government totally," and that is exactly what Epic wants.
To be fair, only five lawmakers commented on the Epic Public Schools lawsuit - which leaves about 140 who have not weighed in on the subject. Those not allowed to voice their opinion at the Jenks Legislative Luncheon should certainly be allowed to weigh in on the lawsuit. I'll start by asking my Representative Cindy Roe (R) of Lindsay and Senator Paul Scott (R) of Duncan to please share your thoughts on the subject?
To be continued with their answers...
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Epic accuses State Senator of slander, and sues..
An article in the Tulsa World - Epic Charter Schools sues state senator who questioned student attendance and funding, accusing him of slander details the great lengths a shady racket will extend to protect its millionaires. Another article in the DO - Epic Charter Schools suing state senator alleging libel, slander relates that the Epic attorney, Bill Hickman, filed the slander and libel lawsuit Monday, and is "seeking at least $75,000 in damages" from State Senator Ron Sharp (R) of Shawnee.
Senator Sharp's plight (as he stands up for our public schools and students in the fight against corrupt racketeers) reminds one of the oft-quoted message by Martin Niemoller - "Then They Came for Me". Martin Niemoller was a prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolph Hitler in the days before and during World War II. His famous message was given later in life. Despite his ardent nationalism, Niemoller spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps. He was one of the earliest Germans to talk publicly about broader complicity in the Holocaust and guilt for what had happened to the Jews.
Here is that message that causes us to think deeply for the welfare of our fellowman:
"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Socialist.
"Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
"Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Jew.
"Then they came for me-
and there was no one left to speak for me.
The quotation is from Niemoller's many lectures during the early years following the end of World War II. His point was that Germans - in particular the leaders of Protestant churches - had been complicit through their silence in the Nazi imprisonment, persecution, and murder of millions of people (LEADING WITH INTEGRITY, Clarence G. Oliver, Jr., Ed.D., 2015).
As public school officials, and more importantly as Oklahoma taxpayers, we should be speaking out against the unethical acquisition of taxpayer dollars by private management firms like Epic - and speaking out in support of those like Senator Sharp, who've had the courage to stand up and do what's right.
Senator Sharp's plight (as he stands up for our public schools and students in the fight against corrupt racketeers) reminds one of the oft-quoted message by Martin Niemoller - "Then They Came for Me". Martin Niemoller was a prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolph Hitler in the days before and during World War II. His famous message was given later in life. Despite his ardent nationalism, Niemoller spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps. He was one of the earliest Germans to talk publicly about broader complicity in the Holocaust and guilt for what had happened to the Jews.
Here is that message that causes us to think deeply for the welfare of our fellowman:
"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Socialist.
"Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
"Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Jew.
"Then they came for me-
and there was no one left to speak for me.
The quotation is from Niemoller's many lectures during the early years following the end of World War II. His point was that Germans - in particular the leaders of Protestant churches - had been complicit through their silence in the Nazi imprisonment, persecution, and murder of millions of people (LEADING WITH INTEGRITY, Clarence G. Oliver, Jr., Ed.D., 2015).
As public school officials, and more importantly as Oklahoma taxpayers, we should be speaking out against the unethical acquisition of taxpayer dollars by private management firms like Epic - and speaking out in support of those like Senator Sharp, who've had the courage to stand up and do what's right.
Friday, December 6, 2019
OCPA Double Standard or Not?
The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) calls itself a "conservative think tank" which believes the "free market is the single greatest tool in the world for lifting the most people out of poverty...". The OCPA generally translates this philosophy to private goods and services, and even taxpayer funded government services - as a model for private management companies and individuals to become millionaires.
Public education and our traditional public schools have been the target of private management companies such as Epic Youth Services for quite sometime now, with the full support of the OCPA. The owners of Epic Public Schools (blended and virtual) have become millionaires at Oklahoma taxpayer expense over the last several years (since 2012), yet there has been no public outcry over what some refer to as a racket.
Consistency of its 'free market' policy for public services has become an issue as of late, as Ray Carter, director of OCPA's Center for Independent Journalism - wrote Lawmakers learn shady management companies could benefit from Medicaid expansion (https://www.ocpathink.org/post/lawmakers-learn-shady-management-companies-could-benefit-from-medicaid-expansion). Ray "Ray Ray" Carter is the former chief editorial writer at The Oklahoman whose wife is Jennifer Carter, the former chief-of-staff for the former state superintendent Janet Barresi. Ray Carter has an unhealthy dislike for our traditional public schools just as his bosses at the OCPA do. In the 'policy' article Mr. Carter laments that "... at a recent legislative study, lawmakers learned the beneficiaries of Medicaid expansion may include management companies that have run several Oklahoma hospitals into the ground." One lawmaker said some out-of-state management companies have simply taken on new names and have been "raiding our hospitals over and over again."
Someone from the OCPA (Ray Ray Carter) is gonna have to explain to us how Empower HMS (the Medicaid raider) is different from Epic Youth Services (the public school raider). The characteristics of both private management companies are the same, from the 'name changes' to the private acquisition of taxpayer dollars, but the OCPA clearly distinguishes a difference. Can anyone tell us what the difference is?
Public education and our traditional public schools have been the target of private management companies such as Epic Youth Services for quite sometime now, with the full support of the OCPA. The owners of Epic Public Schools (blended and virtual) have become millionaires at Oklahoma taxpayer expense over the last several years (since 2012), yet there has been no public outcry over what some refer to as a racket.
Consistency of its 'free market' policy for public services has become an issue as of late, as Ray Carter, director of OCPA's Center for Independent Journalism - wrote Lawmakers learn shady management companies could benefit from Medicaid expansion (https://www.ocpathink.org/post/lawmakers-learn-shady-management-companies-could-benefit-from-medicaid-expansion). Ray "Ray Ray" Carter is the former chief editorial writer at The Oklahoman whose wife is Jennifer Carter, the former chief-of-staff for the former state superintendent Janet Barresi. Ray Carter has an unhealthy dislike for our traditional public schools just as his bosses at the OCPA do. In the 'policy' article Mr. Carter laments that "... at a recent legislative study, lawmakers learned the beneficiaries of Medicaid expansion may include management companies that have run several Oklahoma hospitals into the ground." One lawmaker said some out-of-state management companies have simply taken on new names and have been "raiding our hospitals over and over again."
Someone from the OCPA (Ray Ray Carter) is gonna have to explain to us how Empower HMS (the Medicaid raider) is different from Epic Youth Services (the public school raider). The characteristics of both private management companies are the same, from the 'name changes' to the private acquisition of taxpayer dollars, but the OCPA clearly distinguishes a difference. Can anyone tell us what the difference is?
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