OEA

Oklahoma State School Board Association executive director Dr. Shawn Hime joins the podcast to break down the role of school boards across the state, their importance, and how you can run to make a difference in your community. Visit ossba.com for more information on how or someone you know can run for school board. Friend of the pod, David Glenn, returns to Fried Okra to discuss benefits our memb...

OEA recently joined the MASK (Masks Are Saving Kids) Coalition recently, spear-headed by Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy CEO Joe Dorman. Dorman joins the pod to break down their campaign to have a statewide mask policy, which included a billboard you may have seen, and the frustration of the state school board's recent vote. State Senator-Elect JoAnna Dossett, an educator and OEA member, tak...

OEA's Ellen Pogemiller makes her podcast debut to break down what the election meant for the Oklahoma legislature, how the education caucus was able to add new members, and how successful the Fund for Children and Public Education's candidates were on Tuesday. Friend of the pod, Andy Moore from Let's Fix This OK, returns to our post-election show to provide a civics lesson and a little less politi...

As educators know, state questions in Oklahoma can be a contentious avenue to try and create change within our state. Carrie and Alicia speak with OK Policy's Damion Shade about SQ805 and the empirical data you need to know before casting your vote. A former Yukon elementary school teacher, middle school principal, and Canadian County current poll inspector, Tresa Smith, explains the election proc...

"Calm Waters" began as an idea 28 years ago from a nine-year-old boy who had just lost his father. It now fulfills its mission to help suffering from grief and loss. Jordan Park shares how any school or student can seek out Calm Waters' services if they are dealing with death, divorce, incarceration, deportation, foster adoptive care, and/or deployment. Go to calmwaters.org for more information. F...

OEA Legislative and Political Organizer and friend of the show, Ivy Riggs, returns to Fried Okra to break down everything we know so far regarding EPIC's current scandal and what can be done to prevent this kind of abuse of millions of dollars intended to help students in the future. Lee Ann Smith, director of single family programming at the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, joins the podcast to s...

There is less than a month until the election. These are crazy times. Which makes us all the more pleased NEA President Becky Pringle was able to join Fried Okra to discuss her vision for the future of public education and the role educators play in shaping it. Enjoy another special video addition of the interview above!

Rowdy Washburn and Rena Grissom of New Educators of Oklahoma Network, or NEON, explain the value of NEON and other resources within OEA for professionals in their first few years in the classroom. They also explain that, while this may be unprecedented times for everyone, new teachers especially are looking for guidance and understanding. Heather Sparks joined the OEA while still a student and has...

The State Department of Education has a Child Nutrition program that oversees federal food service programs, national school lunches, child and adult food care program, daycare centers, and many others that help feed Oklahoma children. Alicia and Carrie speak with their executive director, Jennifer Weber, about this important work. Alison Taylor is the president of the Oklahoma PTA and she joins t...

This Friday we are joined by Kris King, lead organizer for VOICE (Voices Organized In Civic Engagement), who discusses their upcoming roundtable for Congressional District 5, which will include candidates and lawmakers from every level in the state. Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer, or P-EBT, provides benefits to people across Oklahoma. You may have received a letter with a card with their inf...

The Census is a crucial aspect of how we count every person to ensure the proper amount of resources are allocated to your area, including representation. They happen every 10 years, which includes 2020, so Fried Okra spoke with Josh McGoldrick, chief of staff and general counsel for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce about how educators can help. If you have not filled out the census, please do...

In honor of this extended weekend holiday, Fried Okra presents a special Labor Day episode. We are joined by American Federation of Teachers OKC's first ever Black president, Torie Shoecraft, about the importance of solidarity among workers and what the role of the labor movement going forward. We are also joined by the Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Labor, Leslie Osborn, who explains...

Our head of legislative and political organizing, Amanda Ewing, returns to the show to discuss recent primary elections in Oklahoma and what we need to be doing down this final stretch before the major election this November. OEA's teaching and learning center is a terrific resource that provides services such as traveling (or Zooming) to districts across the state offering free professional devel...

Legislative guru, Ivy Riggs, returns to the pod with Choctaw-Nicoma Park Association of Classroom Teachers President, Amber Spradlin, to discuss how people can still get involved in campaigns during a pandemic. Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, Jena Nelson, also shares her incredible journey from a life-changing high school teacher, to a career in the film industry, a switch to education, and ultimate...

State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister returns to Fried Okra to discuss everything back-to-school; the process, her proposal to the state board, how districts have responded, and how we adapt in the future. Local author and educator, Dennis Mathew, who was featured on our DEAR Oklahoma series last April, hops on the podcast to talk about his journey into being both a writer and speech pathologist. Yo...

OEA legislative guru, Amanda Ewing, returns to Fried Okra to discuss the process of interim studies at the Capitol and which ones of the over 100 recently approved affect education. Speaking of interim studies, Rep. Jacob Rosecrantz, and Norman educator, Hailey Couch, speak on their collaboration for "How Play-based Learning Leads to Better Mental Health and Better Academic Outcomes" interim study...

OU Medicine’s pediatric infectious disease expert, Dr. Donna Tyungyu, for a special video edition of Fried Okra to provide up-to-date accurate information that schools must understand in order to return safely. Stick around to just after the 28-minute mark to hear a fascinating conversation between members of OEA’s Native American Caucus, NEA Alaska President Tom Klaameyer, and Fairbanks, Alaska A...

Friend of the show and OEA Swiss Army Knife Ivy Riggs returns to Fried Okra and reacts to the State Board of Education voting 4-3 to not have any minimum safety requirements for Oklahoma school districts returning to in-person learning. We are also joined by Jarrod Scott, electrician for Putnam City Public Schools, about how education support professionals in his district organized to fight agains...

We hope you didn't miss us too much last week! But we're back this Friday with a special Fried Okra including former OEA members and current Oklahoma state representatives, Melissa Provenzano and Mark Waldron, who discuss their COVID-19 plan for the state moving forward. Also, we highlight yesterday's press conference calling for schools to return safely that included Alicia Priest, President of t...

Oklahoma Education Association legislative guru and friend of the pod, Amanda Ewing, is back on Fried Okra to break down Tuesday's election results, what the passing of State Question 802 means for education, and how educators fared in their races across the state. Bargaining equitable and fair contracts that allow educators to advocate for the best policies for their students is an integral part...

Fried Okra spans across the entire career journey of an educator, as we are first joined by Oklahoma Aspiring Educators Association (OAEA) President Nancy Melendez and Chair of the NEA Aspiring Educators, Rachel Immerman. They are two of over 50,000 future educators across the country, on over 1,000 college campuses, who have already begun advocating on behalf of their eventual students. Then, Ali...

This week's episode is all about health, as our first guests are Corey Lively, CEO of the Elk City Hospital, and also friend of the pod, LeeAnne Power Jimenez, science and STEAM academic director for Tulsa Public Schools. They break down State Question 802 and why it is important for Oklahomans to vote YES on June 30. Fried Okra then has the pleasure of being joined by nurses Beverly Burk (Jenks P...

Fried Okra is first joined by a couple of members, Heather Davis (Bartlesville) and Betty Collins (Union), who became official notary publics to help Oklahomans who are unable to vote in person still be a part of the voting process. They discuss how they became notaries and how people can reach out to have them notarize their absentee ballot. Then we have a conversation with OEA members, Sharon Re...

Andy Moore, executive director of "Let's Fix This Oklahoma," refreshes Fried Okra with a civics lesson on how and when Oklahomans can vote this year.  Also, Sharica Cole and Dawn Brown from OEA's Human and Civil Rights Committee share their personal stories of dealing with race as educators. It is a difficult conversation to have, but one that is much needed in this time, as we navigate how to mov...

Representative Mark Lawson of Sapulpa gives his unique perspective of what it's like to campaign in the world of COVID. He also reveals the votes of which he's the most proud during his first four years in the legislature and gives his pitch to educators for the June primary. We also continue to shine our spotlight on the caucuses of OEA this week with LeeAnn Jimenez, Tulsa science teacher, and me...