OEA

We are so honored to have Dr. Brian Duke, interim dean of college of education and professional studies at the university of central oklahoma, to talk about the teacher pipeline. Stay tuned following Dr. Duke's interview for

Friend of the pod and recently retired Paul Shinn, former Budget and Tax Analyst at the Oklahoma Policy Institute drops by to provide a helpful civics lesson on how this state formulates a budget and why this year's budget could have been better if lawmakers of the past had not been so short-sighted. The OEA Organizing Conference is always a fun and informative experience where members descend fro...

Legislators have enormous power and control over our state's public school system, but how many of them actually know what goes inside the buildings? Oklahoma PTA's Vice President of Advocacy, Tammy McCartney, joins the podcast to discuss an exciting new chance for lawmakers to attend school for a day. Whether it's teaching a classroom, riding the bus, serving meals, or anything in between, the PT...

Educators in the OEA elect their peers to represent them at the local and state level. The national association is no different. National Education Association President Becky Pringle currently advocates for public schools in rooms with some of the most influential leaders in the United States, but that journey began as a science teacher in Pennsylvania. Fried Okra is thrilled to welcome back Pres...

The OEA has recently partnered with Dr. Elizabeth Risch from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine to tackle mental health issues in education. Dr. Risch is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect in the Department of Pediatrics and her clinical work focuses on assessment and treatment of youth who have experienced trauma. She joins Fried Okra to explain, a...

Heather Warfield, clinical and program director of Calm Waters, joins the podcast to shed light on a program that helps students through grief and what we can do to support those who have suffered a loss through this holiday season. OEA is a member-driven organization and its budget process is no exception. We speak with Vice President Cari Elledge, who chairs the budget committee, about how membe...

Due to a late return in the Census, the Oklahoma legislature returns for a special session on Monday. OEA director of legislative and political organizing, Ivy Riggs, returns to the pod to explain why it must happen, what bills have been filed, and how the timeline is expected to go.

Dr. Michael Crespin, director and curator of the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center, and political science professor, at the University of Oklahoma joins Fried Okra to break down the recent redistricting of congressional districts in Oklahoma, how that process works, and why certain groups use it to benefit themselves. Then Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association President Shawna M...

You can't spell Fried Okra without FEIO.  The executive director of the Film Education Institute of Oklahoma, Trevor Rogers, joined the pod to discuss the booming film and television industry in our state, the opportunities it provides our students, and how educators can connect with FEIO to access their free programs and curriculum. (Visit feiok.org for more info) The illustrious Ellen Pogemiller...

Minco Superintendent Kevin Sims and Noble County Assessor Mandy Snyder recently presented to lawmakers for the interim study period on protesting property taxes, ad valorem, and the complexities of education funding in Oklahoma. They simplify and explain how these impact districts and communities throughout the state.

When it comes to education, educators are the experts. When it comes to health, health professionals are the experts. So Katherine and Carrie spoke with Dr. Mary Clarke, President of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, about the current state of the pandemic, what we can do to keep schools as safe as possible, how we can take care of each other while getting back to normal through vaccines and...

The OEA recently surveyed its members and the results are staggeringly clear; COVID is still an issue in our schools and educators desperately need our support. President Katherine Bishop and Vice President Cari Elledge look at the numbers and provide perspective on the human lives they represent. Then newly named associate executive director of legislative and political organizing, Ivy Riggs, ret...

Edmond Santa Fe student Bri Johnson joins the podcast to explain the importance of caring for everyone in your community, especially those who can't care for themselves. Then Dr. Kathy Dodd, Chief Innovation Officer and Deputy Superintendent of Federal Programs for the Oklahoma State Department of Education, has a conversation with Carrie and Katherine about how the SDE is helping keep educators'...

Governor Stitt recently requested an audit of the entire State Department of Education that raised some eyebrows. OEA legislative and political expert Ellen Pogemiller to break down what it all means and the potential political motivations behind it. Fried Okra then has a great conversation with Amy Curran, executive director of Generational Citizen Oklahoma, about her role in presenting for an in...

Ellen Pogemiller returns to Fried Okra only to be teased for nerding out on interim studies and how they can actually affect change in the minds of lawmakers. Then Heather Cody from OEA's Teaching and Learning Center joins the pod to highlight an exciting new free professional development series — Knowledge is Power.

Friend of the pod and OEA legislative expert, Ellen Pogemiller, returns to discuss the deteriorating educator shortage, the consequences it has on our students, and what the state of Oklahoma can do to begin valuing education as it should. We also speak with newly elected NEA Director for the OEA, Zach Grimm, about his journey becoming a Spanish teacher, life as the president of The Education Asso...

This week, the OEA Board of Directors voted to stand in solidarity with another professional labor organization, the Oklahoma State Medical Association (OSMA), in their lawsuit against SB 658. Elected local school boards have a constitutional right to do what is best for their communities. Our Labor Day episode continues by introducing Cari Elledge, OEA's newly elected vice president and a 5th gra...

Sarah Green, executive director of the Oklahoma Teachers' Retirement System, breaks down a crucial component in the lives of professional educators, both new and experienced. We also talk with Heidi Russell, executive director of the Coalition of Oklahoma Breastfeeding Advocates (COBA), on the impacts of SB 121 and why it is so important to support working mothers in our schools with safe, clean l...

State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister returns to Fried Okra to discuss another hectic back-to-school period, the responsibilities we have to protect our schools, and new opportunities for student teachers across Oklahoma.

One of the two pediatric infectious disease experts in the state of Oklahoma, and friend of the pod, Dr. Donna Tyungu of OU Health, returns to shed light on where things stand with COVID, the Delta variant, and the best ways to keep our children safe as school returns.

Fried Okra returns with new OEA President Katherine Bishop, in her first podcast as co-host, to speak with legislative guru Ivy Riggs on interim studies at the Capitol related to education. We also hear from teachers, Rowdy Washburn and Amber Taylor, who chair OEA's Democratic and Republican caucuses respectively, on the importance of educators coming together and fighting for what's best in the c...

After serving her full two terms as OEA president, Alicia Priest reflects on an incredibly eventful six years that included a state-wide walkout and a pandemic. On her final Fried Okra, she looks back on her journey from Yukon Public Schools educator to being elected OEA's 97th president and her hopes for the future of a state hopefully finding its focus on public education.

Following a short discussion with legislative guru Amanda Ewing on the status of education funding for next year and the interim studies being pursued by the legislature this summer, Fried Okra is joined by three members of said legislature who are former history teachers. State Senator J.J. Dossett and State Representatives John Waldron and Jacob Rosecrants talk about their time in the classroom...

After a quick recap on the legislative session from Ivy Riggs, we are joined by Rep. Monroe Nichols of Tulsa to discuss the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre and how Oklahoma can lead by reconciling with our history, telling those stories, and addressing the inequities caused that we still face today.

Friend of the pod (and public education) Joy Hofmeister returns to Fried Okra to discuss what is on the horizon for education in Oklahoma, including a needed increase in the number of counselors across the state, continued distress in the teaching pipeline, summer learning programs, and the constant concern that all children in this state are still getting meals. engage.ok.gov