State Chamber Reveals Education Mission – Corporate interests over State

OK-SAFE, Inc. – The following post from The McCarville Report is reminiscent of OK-SAFE’s report on the state Chamber of Commerce’s objectives regarding the OK Legislature.  (See OK-SAFE post entitled State Chamber Admits Running Campaigns – Thinks Tax Cuts Don’t Matter. )  

TMR Exclusive: Document Reveals State Chamber’s Education Mission, Angers Some

The McCarville Report Exclusive

A grant application from the Oklahoma State Chamber has found its way into the hands of some state lawmakers who are unhappy with its tone and mission.

The state chamber plans to school legislators on education at a proposed “academy” and promises to deliver “50%” of the Oklahoma Legislature on education objectives important to out-of-state foundations.

Part I

The state chamber wants dollars for a proposed non-profit from the Bill Gates Foundation, the Walton Foundation and the Kaiser Foundation.

Some insiders say the controversial document threatens to divide Republicans next year on the education issue.

Rural lawmakers fear the proposals will strip their schools of funding while some “far right” conservatives fear the proposal brings more federal control of Oklahoma education.

Link to full TMR article here.

The Perfect Plan to Destroy America – Donna Garner on Common Core

OK-SAFE, Inc. – One of the most serious issues facing “education” in the states today is the adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCS for short; or simply put, computer-based federal curriculum).

Please read the article below by Donna Garner of Texas, (follow the link to read Garner’s entire post), then make plans to attend the upcoming Understanding Common Core Public Forum on Saturday, August 10, 2013 in Tulsa, hosted by Tulsa9.12 Project and KFAQ.  (See our prior post for details on this event).

“The Perfect Plan To Destroy America – Nationalize Education”

by Donna Garner

8.7.13

If a person wanted to destroy our American culture, keep this generation from communicating effectively with older generations, and make sure today’s children grow up detesting America instead of valuing our nation’s American exceptionalism, the best plan would be to implement the Common Core Standards (CCS) into every school in America.

OBAMA’S PLAN

That is exactly what Obama and his administration are trying to do, and 45 states (plus D. C.) originally committed to the CCS (before the standards had even been released publicly).  However, because of a groundswell of negative responses from the grassroots, a large number of states are now rethinking their commitment to the CCS.

TEACHERS REQUIRED TO DO…

As directed by the CCS, teachers have to make sure that by the time students graduate in 2014, 70% percent of books studied must be nonfiction (i.e., informational text); and those nonfiction selections must be taught in a “close reading” process.  That means students must not be given any background information or historical significance of a nonfiction piece before reading it.  For instance, the Declaration of Independence must be presented devoid of what was occurring in the United States at the time this monumental document was written, leaving students with a shallow understanding of the courage and revolutionary spirit that moved the signers to voice their opposition to tyranny.

Just as importantly, how many English teachers could possibly cover the great classic pieces of fiction literature in only 30% of classroom time?  None.  For instance, it takes at least four to six weeks in English I to cover Great Expectations, which is one of the most outstanding, applicable, and character-building books for early-high school teens to read.

Garner continues….

ARE THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS GOOD STANDARDS?

Even more basic, do the Common Core Standards teach children to read well at all?  No, the CCS do not.

In K-3, explicit and systematic instruction of decoding skills (phonics) is lacking; and goals for the independent mastery of these skills are not set nor expected.  In fact, not one of the CCS objectives on phonics and word analysis skills requires students to apply their decoding skills by reading independently and accurately unfamiliar words in and out of context. 

For the entire post “The Perfect Plan to Destroy America” post by Donna Garner, click here.

Common Core Exemplifies What’s Wrong with the Republic

Opposition to Common Core continues to grow.  The article below is from Richard Fry, a colleague in Kansas:

Common Core Exemplifies the Problems with the Republic. And is part of the U.N.’s Sustainable Development

The Root Evil

The vast majority of conservative grass roots citizens will agree that the problems the Republic is facing comes from the fact that our “public servants” are no longer following the Constitution or the will of the majority  of citizens within the bounds of the Constitution.

Our public servants are no longer responsive to us nor represent our desires. Instead they serve the interest of special interest groups including the biggest special interest groups, the political parties themselves.

A few years ago I defined this as Representative Disconnect.

They tell us they are representing “our best interests” i.e., they know what is best for us, which bespeaks of a paternalistic government not a representative government.

Business and a Totalitarian Government

The Progressive Globalist wish to co-opt and nationalize business. The Conservative Globalist (GOP) are willing to be controlled  by business in a neo-fascism arrangement sometimes referred to as “crony capitalism”.  The bottom line is that  both desire a system of top down rule rather than bottom up governance. Either system will result in a totalitarian system in which the people are not treated as the sovereigns but another cog in production, a mere resource to be managed and manipulated.

Under this system we have no real right to privacy as our lives need to be managed for the well being of the collective. What we eat, where we live, how we live all needs to be managed to optimized the benefit to the collective. All our activities need to be monitored for compliance. Common Core (CC)  takes this monitoring to a whole new level.[i]

How Common Core Fits Into the Puzzle

Common Core (CC)  is at the very heart of this top down totalitarian system.

Bill Gates buying a new Educational System

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation paid hundreds of millions of dollars to have the common core developed and to promote it. BMGF paid two non-governmental entities (NGOs) , The National Association of Governors (NAG) and  the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO),  to retain an private organization (Achieve, Inc.)  to develop the standards. Rather than the public -private  partnership often touted by the fascist this was purely a private-private partnership. [ii]

Globalization of Education

Although these educational standards are promoted as “state common core standards” there is nothing about them which is from or related to the states except for the fact it is the states these “national” standards  are being foisted upon. In fact these represent a move toward globalization of education. [iii]

Citizen Liberty Pimped Again by State Government

Although the promoters of CC  say that states have voluntarily  signed up for the CC program the reality is they have been coerced and bribed by the federal government which  is of course in bed with this private-private enterprise.  Also in most states the CC has not been foisted upon the people  by their representative legislatures but sneaked in on the people through the state School Boards.   [iv]An example of imposing laws and policies through administrative / executive  action rather representative legislative action. Another hallmark of totalitarianism.

This is how it was done in Kansas. “It is easier to get forgiveness than permission”  is their ploy.

We are Free to Not Make a Choice

This  illusion of voluntariness  was even how it was done at the local level. I attended a seminar where a Kansas Department of Education attorney spoke how the adoption of the CC at the local district level was totally voluntary. Five minutes later she said the state would test based on the CC. When I later asked her if testing to the CC was in essence a “left-handed mandate requiring the local districts to adopt CC” she responded “Yes”.

The United Nations and Global Education

As noted there is a very strong international / global aspect to the CC. Some consider the NGA to be a conduit for the United Nations (U.N.)  into American education. [v] Bill Gates has been called the U.N.’s “sugar daddy” regarding the U.N.’s more recent efforts to affect U.S. and world education systems. [vi]This certainly is not be the first time the UN has tried to meddle in the U.S. education system. [vii]

Bill Gates has stated that  he has spent  $5 billion since 2000 to recreate the education system worldwide. [viii] Gates’ Microsoft  entered in to a written agreement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on 11/17/2004 to help it promote its global educational effort. [ix]Microsoft is a partner with and sits on the Board of Directors of The Global Partnership for Education. [x]

The African Common Core System

The U.N.’s education program is being promoted in Africa by the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA). ADEA was set up under a differnt name in 1988 by the World Bank (part of the U.N.)[xi]

If you look at the phraseology used by ADEA for core curriculum for  Africa you will find it mirrors that used here in the states.[xii] First is the title of the document,  Common Core Skills for Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Development in Africa .  Certainly there is no pretense about what the primary objective is of this educational curriculum i.e., promoting the U.N.’s  political theory of Sustainable Development.[xiii]

It states:

           ” Building on the theme and outcomes of the ADEA Biennale held in Maputo the 2012 Triennale aims to assist towards educational   transformation by focusing on the core challenge of how to    promote critical knowledge, skills and competencies for sustainable development in Africa in the framework of life long learning.”

(Emphasis added.)

          “This common core needs to be the foundation for all people, young         and old, enabling them to contribute to the promotion of sustainable   development: in terms of preservation of the environment, the    careful use of natural resources, the construction of inclusive      societies and the fostering of peace and solidarity.

          ” The effort made to shift paradigm in education, the need for which had been reiterated in the Maputo Biennale, continues to be          imperative in the area of basic education as the initial        structured           form of acquiring skills and competencies for children,     youth and adults. The acquisition of common core skills by all can   never succeed without corresponding shifts towards adopting           a holistic, integrated and inclusive approach to basic         education, the   move towards a diversified but equitable    basic education system and thus the full recognition of     alternative pathways for education and training; and Sub-Theme 1:       Common core skills for lifelong learning and sustainable           development in Africa 8/12 the emphasis of reform on learning processes and outcomes that are relevant in learners‟  lives and         in the context of sustainable development.”

Conclusion

The reality is that the transformation of the U.S. educational system via the U.N.’s educational theory,  Common Core, in support of its political theory Sustainable Development , is yet one more method being used by the Globalist  to undermine the fundamental principles of this Republic.

 It is treason to the principles of the Republic and destructive of the Liberty of its citizens.

Our elected officials have a duty under their oath to the Constitution and our state officers under the principle of Allegiance and Protection to education the citizenry as to what is going on and to rally them to defeat these attacks on our American way of life. However, once again they are failing in their duty.

Our  main focus must be to build awareness  of the source of our Liberty ,the scope of our servants duty and a healthy respect for what will happen to those who do not respect our Liberty or uphold their oath.

For the sake of liberty,

Richard D. Fry

November Patriots

General Counsel

Patriot Coalition

 [i] Tiffany Gabbay,  Indoctrination and Data Mining in Common Core: Here’s Why America’s Schools May Be in More Trouble Than You Think, The Blaze (03/27/2013) http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/03/27/indoctrination-and-data-mining-in-common-core-heres-why-americas-schools-may-be-in-more-trouble-than-you-think/

Indoctrination Here! Common Core Standards: The UN Has Penetrated America’s Public School System (Supporting Videos!) (03/28/2013) http://vineoflife.net/2013/03/28/indoctrination-here-common-core-standards-the-un-has-penetrated-americas-public-school-system-supporting-videos/

[ii] Dave Hodges Rotten to the (Common) Core, The Daily Sheeple, (1/20/2013) http://www.thedailysheeple.com/rotten-to-the-common-core_012013Anne Hendershott, The Ambitions of Bill and Melinda Gates: Controlling Population and Public Education, Crisis Magizine (03/25/2013) http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/the-ambitions-of-bill-and-melinda-gates-controlling-population-and-public-education

[iii]Phyllis Schlafly, Bill Gates Teams Up With UNESCO, Eagle Forum (11/30/2005) http://www.eagleforum.org/column/2005/nov05/05-11-30.html

[iv]Common Core vs. Heritage Academy’s Standards, National center for Constitutional studies

[v]Dave Hodges Rotten to the (Common) Core, The Daily Sheeple, (1/20/2013) http://www.thedailysheeple.com/rotten-to-the-common-core_012013

[vi]Phyllis Schlafly, Bill Gates Teams Up With UNESCO, Eagle Forum (11/30/2005) http://www.eagleforum.org/column/2005/nov05/05-11-30.html

[vii]Phyllis Schlafly, Bill Gates Teams Up With UNESCO, Eagle Forum (11/30/2005) http://www.eagleforum.org/column/2005/nov05/05-11-30.html

[viii]Top Ten Scariest People in Education Reform: # 5 – Bill Gateshttp://whatiscommoncore.wordpress.com/

[ix]Phyllis Schlafly, Bill Gates Teams Up With UNESCO, Eagle Forum (11/30/2005) http://www.eagleforum.org/column/2005/nov05/05-11-30.html

[x]The Global Partnership for Education,http://www.globalpartnership.org/who-we-are/partners/private-sector-foundations/ (The Global Partnership for Education started as the Education for All – Fast Track Initiative (EFA FTI) in 2002);

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_for_All_%E2%80%93_Fast_Track_Initiative (“The Education for All Fast-track Initiative (EFA FTI) was created as the first ever global compact on education, to help low-income countries achieve a free, universal basic education.^[citation needed^] It was launched in 2002 as a global partnership between donor and developing country partners to ensure accelerated progress towards the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education by 2015.”) ;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Development_Goal

(The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight international developmentgoals that were officially established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration.)

[xi]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_for_the_Development_of_Education_in_Africa

[xii] Concept Note on the Sub-Theme 1 Common Core Skills for Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Development in Africa

[xiii]Concept Note on the Sub-Theme 1 Common Core Skills for Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Development in Africa

 

ROPE Blog – Reject the Race to the Top Money

Many of OK-SAFE’s founders have long held that today’s public education system is really about behavior modification and not about instilling knowledge or producing well-educated individuals.  Many of us have advocated for the removal of our children, particularly those who are Christian, from the public education propaganda machinery, and have instead advocated for homeschooling or, where possible, enrollment in a classical-education Christian school.

We’re fortunate in this state to have an organization that is doing real research about today’s public school system, and advocating for traditional education values.  ROPE is that organization. (Hat tip to Brandon Dutcher of OCPA, who understands  skyrocketing education costs.)

From our friends at ROPE (Restore Oklahoma Public Education), here is their latest blog:

Today’s Great Idea: Let’s Borrow Money from A Bankrupt Federal Government to Create and Administer Tests for Pre-Kindergartners

Our State Department of Education (OSDE) through Governor Mary Fallin sold the public on applying for the Race to The Top Early Learning Challenge (to pay for pre-k programming) by saying they would be applying for this grant to “…invest in upgrades to our teacher training, our data tracking and improved testing.” She also goes on to tell Megan Rolland, “We’re not establishing new programs …”

WHO ADVISES THIS WOMAN? Clearly, from Rolland’s new article today, “Entry exam for kindergartners is part of Oklahoma’s grant application” they had every intent of establishing a new program – that of TESTING INCOMING KINDERGARTNERS. In fact, after reviewing the RTT grant’s FAQ’s, it became readily apparent that this NEW program was added so Oklahoma could be more competitive for the grant:

Competitive Preference Priority 3, is Understanding the Status of Children’s Early Learning and Development at Kindergarten Entry through the implementation of a Kindergarten Entry Assessment. Applicants that successfully meet Competitive Preference Priority 2 can receive up to 10 additional points, and applicants that successfully meet Competitive Preference Priority 3 can earn 10 additional points on an “all or nothing” basis.

Rest of post here.

Question: Weren’t things in Oklahoma supposed to get better with the election of all those “conservative” Republicans?  We’re fighting all the same bad big-government policies as before, and then some.

Truth is, there is little to no difference between the leadership of either party.  Much better to address policy than party – you’ll be closer to dealing with reality.

Sleeping with the Enemy – U.S. Governors to Pair Up with Chinese Officials

OK-SAFE 6/6/11 – U.S. Governors will be saying more than “Ni hau” (Hello)  to Chinese party officials at an upcoming National Governors Association (NGA) meeting.

The U.S. – China Governors Forum, scheduled for July 15-17, 2011 in Salt Lake City, Utah, is set to include one-on-one pairing of U.S. Governors with Chinese provincial party secretaries and Governors.  The pairings, called “peer-to-peer exchanges,” aim to “strengthen bilateral cooperation.” Topics are to include items of “mutual interest,”  i. e. “job creation, education, health and economic cooperation.”

A second session will take place in China in late 2011 or early 2012.

This forum is the result of a Memorandum of Understanding concerning the establishment of the U.S.-China Governors Forum to Promote Sub-National Cooperation, signed by Sen. of State Hillary Clinton on January 19, 2011.

Secretary Clinton shakes hands with the Chinese foreign minister after the memorandum of understanding signing, 1/19/2011
Photo Source: U.S. Dept. of State

The Governors Forum will be held behind close doors.

[See researcher Vicky Davis’  excellent article on this meeting, entitled “Quislings to Collaborate with Communist Chinese.”]

The collaboration is indicative of the deepening U.S. involvement with the Chinese government, particularly at the sub-national (state and local) level.

Increased Agreements

At the Third Round of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue held in May 2011 the U.S. and China agreed to 48 strategic outcomes, including “further cooperation between U.S. and Chinese enterprises and institutions on healthcare, disaster response, and smart grids.”

The Rhodium Group, (RHG) has a China Investment Monitor map, indicating that between 2003-2010 there were 230 deals between states and China, totaling $11.7 Billion in “greenfield and acquisition” investments. This includes Oklahoma.

Oklahoma

According to The Rhodium Group investment map, Oklahoma  has one  Chinese investment so far, totaling $4 million in “consumer products”.

Governor Mary Fallin, a member of the NGA’s Economic Development and Commerce Committee, will most likely be promoting more Chinese investment in Oklahoma.

From this committee’s May 2011 briefing:

“Attracting Foreign Direct Investment into the States
On May 17, 2011, the NGA Economic Development and Commerce Committee hosted a briefing for governors’ staff about the role of foreign direct investment from the perspective of U.S. subsidiaries of foreign parent companies. Topics discussed included how to recruit investment, tax challenges, conflict-of-laws and the importance of physical infrastructure to global competitiveness. Panelists: Tom Langan, director of U.S. government relations and public affairs, Unilever (NGA Corporate Fellow); Nancy McLernon, president and CEO, Organization for International Investment (OFII); and, John Lettieri, senior director of public policy and government affairs, OFII. Audio link (mp3)”

Oklahoma’s Dept. of Commerce promotes Foreign Direct Investment in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma’s universities have been busy developing Chinese partnerships, including OU’s Confucius Institute, which aims to “foster a permanent place for the teaching and study of Chinese in Oklahoma K-12 schools courses.”

Where’s the Document?

According to the Chinese Embassy in the U.S website, describing President Hu Jintao’s U.S. visit:

“During Hu’s January visit, the two governments signed a memorandum of understanding commissioning the CPAFFC and the NGA to create the governors forum mechanism.

According to the document, the forum will serve as an important communication platform aimed at promoting practical cooperation at the sub-national level in areas such as trade, investment, energy, environment and culture”

No amount of searching of the State Department, White House, and Chinese embassy websites has revealed the actual Memorandum of Understanding document.

A FOIA request for a copy of the MOU has been submitted to the State Dept.’s Office of Global Intergovernmental Affairs.

The 2011 NGA Winter Meeting , held in Washington D.C. featured Zhou Qiang, Party Secretary, Hunan Provincial Committee, pictured above.  Zhou encouraged increased sub-national cooperation. Photo Source: National Governors Association.

What are the intentions of the Fallin administration regarding expanding Chinese involvement in Oklahoma?

Does Gov. Fallin intend to partner with a Chinese party official at the July meeting in Salt Lake City and seek increased “sub-national cooperation”?

Does Fallin intend to encourage Chinese foreign direct investment in Oklahoma or seek public-private partnerships with the Chinese in developing Oklahoma’s infrastructure?

These and other questions need to be answered by this “conservative” governor.

Governor Fallin’s office contact information:
Phone: 405-521-2342
Email: info@gov.ok.gov

Targeting Homeschoolers in Oklahoma – SB 393, SB 394

Homeschooling is a right enjoyed by parents and students alike, and one which has produced better results than the government-run institutions.   One Oklahoma legislator wants to change that.

State Senator Jim Wilson (D-SD 3) has authored SB 393 and SB 394, both targeting one of the least regulated and most successful institutions in Oklahoma – the homeschool community.

1) SB 393 – http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2011-12SB/SB393_int.rtf

An act relating to school attendance; removing exception for children being home schooled. Effective date. Emergency

 

2) SB 394 – http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2011-12SB/SB394_int.rtf
An act relating to school attendance; establishing notification requirements for certain students; removing exception for certain students. Effective date. Emergency 

Both of these bills interfer with the rights and responsibilities of the parent, place an unwarranted burden on families, and expand government intrusion into the lives of its citizens. 

Tell Senator Wilson to withdraw both of these bad bills from consideration.

Sen. Wilson’s contact information below:

Email: wilson@oksenate.gov

Phone: 1-405-521-5574

Education Soviet Style: SCANS and School-to-Work

Three recent events  necessitated a refresher on the importance of understanding the current educational system operating in the U.S., and specifically in Oklahoma.

Those three events were:

1. Following up on an earmark request for a technology company in OK which led to researching  enterprise zones, technology parks, the dept. of commerce, the quality jobs program, and tax incentives for ‘qualified’ businesses.
2. Hearing a current school board member, and candidate for State House Dist. 66, declaring the purpose of education is to ‘prepare students for the workforce.’
3. Re-reading the booklet entitled Tangled Web, The Mastery Learning, OBE, STW- TQM Connection by Joe Esposito, an Oklahoman who served on Governor Frank Keating’s School-to-Work Executive Council  in 1995/1996, and Charlotte Iserbyt’s book, the deliberate dumbing down of america (lower case intentional.)

All these events helped to clarify that the fusing together of business, government, and education has been long in the making and is intentional.

What is Education?

The traditional definition of education is generally understood to be this:

“The drawing out of a person’s innate talents and abilities by imparting the knowledge of languages, scientific reasoning, history, literature, rhetoric, etc. – the channels through which those abilities would flourish and serve.”  [Source: The New Century Dictionary of the English Language (Appleton, Century, Crofts: New York 1927), as quoted in the deliberate dumbing down of america, by Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt, p. 1]

This definition acknowledges that is the imparting of knowledge, through a well-grounded set of disciplines, that will allow the innate abilities (those an individual is born with) to flourish and serve – to the benefit of that individual.  Implied is that the individual himself will decide  how he will best engage those innate abilities, not the state or some outside force.

Labor and Education

The school-board-member-turned candidate stated the purpose of education is to prepare students for the workplace.

In 1990 the U.S. Department of Education provided a $4 million dollar grant for a study of the Polytechnical education system in the Soviet Union.   From Polytechnical Education: A Step, by Robert H. Beck, page 5:

“Many definitions of polytechnical education exist, but all make the same general points.  For example, in the Editor’s Introduction to “Polytechnical Labor Education in the Soviet School” (1975), one reads the following: “Refined from Marxist writings, polytechnism means, in brief, combining teaching and learning about economic production with practical work experience.  The aim of polytechnical education in the USSR is to prepare youth for a life of productive labor in society and contribution to the construction of communism.””

The school-board-member-turned-candidate simply reiterated the Soviet definition of education. Blending academic and vocational education together for the benefit of the state and the production of goods has become standard educational protocol.

Two excerpts from Tangled Web demonstrate this re-orientation of education:

“Learner vs. Exit Outcomes: Remember, OBE is about what students know, what they can do, and what they are like. The Oklahoma Learner outcomes  list “know” and “do” parts of the equation.  Exit Outcomes tell us what students should be like.” [Source: Tangled Web, p. 9, quoting ‘Results in Class! (September 1992) Volume 22, Number 1, Oklahoma State Department of Education. Sandy Garrett, Superintendent.]

This quote from the Governor of Maine further demonstrates the re-orientation education:  “We should look ahead in our changing workforce needs and design a new, comprehensive, innovative and flexible workforce development system accountable to all the key stakeholders.” (Ibid., p. 24]

SCANS Competencies

1990 saw the establishment of the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) “to study the kinds of competencies and skills that workers must have to succeed in today’s workplace.”  Source here.

In 1991 the results of the study were published in a report entitled What Work Requires of Schools: A SCANS Report for America 2000.

In 1993 the U.S. Department of Labor produced their SCANS Competencies, (the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills), which listed those Skills and Competencies to “succeed in today’s workplace.”

Outcomes-based education and School-to-Work (STW) became the darling of education reformers and Oklahoma was no exception.

Oklahoma and STW

1991 – SB 549, Amending Title 70, Section 4411 –  2-year colleges became vo-tech school districts. (In 2001 these became Technological Center School Districts)

1991 – College Area Vocation-Technical School District is governed by Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education

1992 – State Board of Vocational and Technical Education was changed to Oklahoma Board of Career and Technology Education

1994 – HB 2299 –  Added youth apprenticeship program to Title 70, Section 14-103

1995 – HB 1569,  Amending Title 70, Section 14-103 – Changed youth apprenticeship programs to Oklahoma school to work system. This bill passed the OK legislature on 5/16/95 yet was vetoed by Governor Frank Keating (R)

1995 – Governor Frank Keating (R) set up the Executive Council for School To Work. Joe Esposito, businessman, part of the council, began to question the source of data and the significance of the SCANS documents. (SCANS – The Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, issued by the Secretary of the US Department of Labor, appointed by Clinton).  By the end of 1995 Mr. Esposito had figured out what the SCANS documents and STW were really about and worked with other Oklahomans to defeat school to work.  The result? Joe Esposito was removed from the Executive Council for School To Work. 

1999 – Governor Frank Keating signed HB 2128, amending Title 70, Section 14-101, to read:  

“The official name of the Board which is known as the “State Board of Vocational and Technical Education” shall be designated in all future references as the “State Board of Career and Technology Education”.  Any references in the statutes to the State Board of Vocational and Technical Education shall be deemed references to the State Board of Career and Technology Education.”

2001 – HB 1214  – Amended all OK statutes by replacing the word “Vocational” with “Career”, the word “Technical” with “Technology”, and changing references to “area school districts for vocational and technical schools” to “technology center school districts.”

2002 – SB 1212 –  Created the Technology Intern Program in Title 70, Section 4674.   The “benefits” listed are, in part,  that this “Enhances classroom learning for the student by integrating academic curriculum and real-world work experience”; and “Promotes the lifelong learning process of integrating work and learning, and enhances workplace skills in occupational, analytical, and teamwork performance.” And “It is further the intent of the Legislature that the Technology Intern Partner Program shall provide internships for eligible students with technology-based companies. One-half of the funding for the internships shall be provided by the University and one-half by the participating companies.”

2010 STW in Oklahoma is the law. 

Title 70, Section 14-103 in Oklahoma currently reads:

“The State Board of Career and Technology Education shall have the following powers and duties:

1. Have the supervision of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education of the State Board of Career and Technology Education, which department shall keep its principal offices at Stillwater, and appoint and fix the compensation and duties of the Director and other personnel of such Department;

2. Have the supervision of the technology center schools and colleges of Oklahoma, except Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology-Okmulgee and the Oklahoma State University Technical Institutes at Oklahoma City and Stillwater, which, however, shall be eligible to participate in federal programs administered by the State Board of Career and Technology Education as hereinafter provided;

3. Cooperate with, and enter into agreements with, and administer programs of, and receive federal funds from, the United States Department of Education and other federal agencies in matters relating to vocational and technical education, youth apprenticeship programs, and manpower training, and be the sole state agency for such purposes. Provided that, programs and funds made available through the Job Training Partnership Act, or its successor programs, shall be excluded;

4. Provide for the formulation and adoption of curricula, courses of study, and other instructional aids necessary for the adequate instruction of students in the technology center schools and colleges of this state. It is the intent of the Legislature that instructional models for vocational students should include higher standards of academic work with increased emphasis on communication, computation and applied science;

5. Develop a plan to provide adequate vocational offerings accessible to all students having the ability to benefit;

6. Purchase or otherwise acquire equipment, materials, supplies and other property, real or personal, as may be necessary for the operation of the technology center schools of this state, and provide for the maximum utilization of such property through a coordinated and cooperative use thereof, including transfer of title to real and personal property to a technology center school district for a reasonable cash consideration if said property is to be utilized in a vocational-technical program administered by the technology center district board of education. Any conveyance of real property for a reasonable consideration shall contain a reversionary clause by which the real property shall revert to the State Board of Career and Technology Education if the property ceases to be used in a vocational-technical program administered by the technology center district board of education;

7. Enter into such agreements and contracts with the State Board of Education, boards of trustees of community junior colleges, boards of education of independent and elementary school districts, boards of education of school districts for technology center schools, private educational or training institutions, public or private industry, and boards of directors of community action programs, as may be necessary or feasible for the furtherance of vocational and technical training within this state;

8. Cooperate and enter into agreements with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education;

9. Cooperate with the State Department of Education in developing hands-on career exploration activities for students in grades 6 through 10, integrating academic competencies into vocational instruction, and ensuring counseling of all students in order to minimize the number of students graduating from high school without having completed either a vocational-technical program or college preparation;

10. Develop and periodically update a plan to allow teacher training and the purchase and installation of technological equipment necessary to modernize vocational educational programs;

11. Accept and provide for the administration of any land, money, buildings, gifts, funds, donations or other things of value which may be offered or bequeathed to the schools or colleges under the supervision or control of said Board;

12. Enter into cooperative arrangements with one or more other states for the conduct and administration of programs, services and activities;

13. Cooperate whenever possible, to avoid any duplication of training programs with any established training program registered by the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, United States Department of Labor;

14. Accept and expend funds from any source in order to market, advertise or promote programs and services available through the Career and Technology Education system; and

15. Participate in activities pertaining to the recruitment of companies to locate or expand operations in the state, and participate in activities that will increase the competitiveness of companies with headquarters or branch operations located in the state. These activities may require agency staff to travel, train, or provide technical assistance outside the State of Oklahoma.”

Selected Chronology – Oklahoma Department of Career and Technical Education

The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technical Education lists a selected chronology of vo-tech/STW/Career Tech in Oklahoma. (link provided by education researcher Debra Niwa, author of All Children Left Behind, and International Baccalaureate Unraveled.)

Undermining the foundations of liberty cannot be attributed to one party.

The legislation to establish Soviet-style school to work in the state of Oklahoma was promulgated by both Republicans and Democrats.